Florida Administrative Code › 6 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION › 6A - State Board of Education › Chapter 6A-20 - STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE › Section 6A-20.001 - Definitions of Terms for State Student Aid Programs

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
These definitions apply to the administration of state
				  scholarship and grant programs described in Rules
				  6A-20.001 through
				  6A-20.099, F.A.C., and are not
				  applicable to rules outside of these including, but not limited to, rules
				  governing enrollment or reporting, and are also not applicable to federal aid
				  programs or requirements.
(1) Academic
				term. A semester, trimester, quarter, or a summer session(s) that is equal to a
				semester, trimester, or a quarter, or to the equivalent of three hundred sixty
				(360) full-time clock hours during the school year.
(2) Academic year. A period of time, from one
				fall term to the next, in which a full-time student is expected to complete the
				equivalent of two (2) semesters, two (2) trimesters, or three (3) quarters at
				institutions using credit hours or seven hundred twenty (720) clock hours for
				each program at institutions using clock hours.
(3) Allocation. Funds designated by the
				Florida Department of Education (department) for a postsecondary educational
				institution for the administration of a state student aid program for which the
				institution determines the student's eligibility and makes student
				awards.
(4) Associate in applied
				science and associate in applied arts degrees. Degrees that are consistent with
				the definition accepted by the Commission for Independent Education and Florida
				colleges, which are awarded for study that is occupationally oriented and
				requires a minimum of sixty (60) semester credits, or the equivalent, require a
				percentage of the total credits to be in general education, and for the
				Commission for Independent Education only, requires a minimum 2.0 grade point
				average on a 4.0 scale.
(5)
				Associate in arts degree. A degree awarded for study that is the primary basis
				for admission of transfer students to upper division study in a baccalaureate
				program, and which requires a minimum of sixty (60) semester credits, or the
				equivalent, of academic work exclusive of occupational courses, requires a
				minimum of thirty-six (36) semester credits, or the equivalent, to be in
				general education, and requires a minimum 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0
				scale.
(6) Associate in science
				degree. Degrees that are consistent with the definition accepted by the state
				universities, Florida colleges, and the Commission for Independent Education,
				which are awarded for study and prepare a student for employment, require a
				minimum of sixty (60) semester credits, or the equivalent, require a percentage
				of the total credits to be in general education, and require a minimum 2.0
				grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
(7) Award. A monetary commitment made to a
				student applicant for a specific student aid program, contingent upon the
				availability of funds and the student's eligibility.
(8) Baccalaureate degree or bachelor's
				degree. A degree that is consistent with the definition accepted by the state
				universities, Florida colleges, and Commission for Independent Education, and
				which requires a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) semester credits, or the
				equivalent, requires a percentage of the total credits to be in general
				education, and requires a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0
				scale.
(9) Bona fide
				self-supporting student. An independent student who can provide evidence of
				financial support from sources other than parents, legal guardian, relatives,
				or student aid.
(10)
				Clock-to-credit hour conversion rate. An institution that is established for
				reporting purposes as a credit-hour institution and also offers clock-hour
				credit must convert the clock hours to credit hours at a rate of thirty (30)
				clock hours to one (1) credit hour and report only credit hours, unless
				otherwise specified.
(11)
				College-level program. A program of academic study that leads to the awarding
				of a graduate degree, a bachelor's degree, an associate in arts degree, an
				associate in science degree, an associate in applied arts degree, or an
				associate in applied science degree.
(12) College preparatory course. A course
				defined by the state universities and Florida colleges as necessary for a
				student to acquire the skills or knowledge to perform successfully in
				college-level courses. College preparatory courses are also referred to as
				developmental education or remedial courses.
(13) Cost of education. The average cost for
				a student to attend a postsecondary educational institution for one academic
				year, which includes the cost of tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and
				board, transportation, and personal expenses.
(14) Default. The condition of a borrower of
				an educational loan when the borrower's payments are one hundred twenty (120)
				days or more past due.
(15)
				Department. Florida Department of Education.
(16) Early admission student. An early
				admission student is a full-time college level student who is counted as FTE
				only by the college or university and who is responsible for payment of all
				fees and instructional materials.
(17) Enroll or enrollment. Registered for
				instruction in which the student earns credit toward an approved degree or
				certificate program.
(18) Full-time
				enrollment. For undergraduate students, enrollment in twelve (12) or more
				credit hours, or three hundred sixty (360) or more clock hours, during an
				academic term. For graduate students, enrollment in nine (9) or more credit
				hours during an academic term. This definition is only applicable for the
				purposes of state scholarship and grant programs.
(19) General education credits. Courses in
				the areas of communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and
				natural sciences.
(20) Graduate
				student. A student who is enrolled in a degree program leading to a master's
				degree, doctoral degree, or any post-baccalaureate certificate at an
				institution of higher education, and has been classified as a graduate student
				by the institution.
(21) Half-time
				enrollment. For undergraduate students, enrollment in six (6) to eight (8)
				credit hours, or one hundred eighty (180) to two hundred sixty-nine (269) clock
				hours, during an academic term, or the quarter-based equivalent. This
				definition is only applicable for the purposes of state scholarship and grant
				programs.
(22) Minority. Any
				individual belonging to one of the following race/ethnic categories: Black, not
				of Hispanic Origin; Hispanic; Asian or Pacific Islander; American Indian, or
				Alaska Native.
(23) Net financial
				need. The difference between the student's cost of education and the expected
				family contribution and other financial resources available to the student to
				meet this cost.
(24) Refund. State
				aid funds for which the educational institution shall be responsible for
				returning to the department.
(25)
				Reinstatement student. A student who was eligible for a specific state aid
				program but did not receive an award during the previous academic year(s) and
				wishes to reestablish use of the scholarship.
(26) Remedial course. A course defined by a
				Florida college or state university as necessary for a student to acquire the
				necessary skills or knowledge to perform successfully in college-level courses.
				Remedial courses are also referred to as college preparatory education or
				developmental courses.
(27) Renewal
				student. A student who received an award the previous academic year and met the
				program eligibility requirements for a specific state aid program.
(28) Repayment. Money received from state aid
				that a student is required to return to the educational institution; or an
				amount of money received from a state scholarship loan that a student is
				required to return to the state.
(29) Residency. The legal status that a
				person acquires as the result of establishment of a domicile with the intent to
				permanently remain in that domicile other than for temporary absences. However,
				any domicile established solely or primarily for the purpose of obtaining an
				education or of obtaining financial aid from the state shall not constitute
				residency.
(30) Restoration
				student. A student who lost eligibility for a specific state aid program that
				provided for restoration due to a low renewal grade point average, but earned
				the required grade point average in a subsequent academic year.
(31) Returning student. All categories of
				students classified as a renewal, reinstatement, or restoration
				student.
(32) Satisfactory academic
				progress. A satisfactory rate of student course -completion that is determined
				using qualitative and quantitative measures in the institution's financial aid
				measurable progress policy, which complies with Title IV
				requirements.
(33) School year. The
				period of time beginning with the academic year from one fall term to the next
				fall term.
(34) Three-quarter-time
				undergraduate enrollment. Undergraduate enrollment in nine (9) to eleven (11)
				credit hours, or in two hundred seventy (270) to three hundred fifty-nine (359)
				clock hours during an academic term, or the quarter-based equivalent. This
				definition is only applicable for the purposes of state scholarship and grant
				programs.
(35) Undergraduate
				student. A student who is in the process of attaining a degree or certificate
				and has yet to complete a first bachelor's or baccalaureate
				degree.
Rulemaking Authority
					 295.01(4),
					 1001.02(1),
					 (2)(n),
					 1009.50(5),
					 1009.505(5),
					 1009.51(5),
					 1009.52(6),
					 1009.53(3),
					 1009.55(2),
					 1009.66(9),
					 1009.67(6),
					 1009.72(1),
					 1009.73(10),
					 1009.77(9),
					 1009.89(2),
					 (7),
					 1009.893(14),
					 1009.894(1),
					 1009.95(7) FS.
					 Law Implemented 295.01,
					 295.015,
					 295.02,
					 295.03,
					 295.04,
					 295.05,
					 1009.40,
					 1009.50,
					 1009.505,
					 1009.51,
					 1009.52,
					 1009.53,
					 1009.531,
					 1009.532,
					 1009.533,
					 1009.534,
					 1009.5341,
					 1009.535,
					 1009.536,
					 1009.538,
					 1009.55,
					 1009.60,
					 1009.66,
					 1009.67,
					 1009.701,
					 1009.72,
					 1009.73,
					 1009.77,
					 1009.89,
					 1009.893,
					 1009.894,
					 1009.95
					 FS.
New 12-9-86, Amended 10-15-02, 9-22-08,
					 2-21-23.