2007-08
Scholarships for Children and Spouses of Deceased or
Disabled Veterans and Servicemembers
Fact Sheet

Program Description
The Scholarships for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans and Servicemembers (CSDDV) provides scholarships for dependent children or unremarried spouses of Florida veterans or servicemembers who died as a result of service-connected injuries, diseases, or disabilities sustained while on active duty or who have been verified by the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs as having service-connected 100% total and permanent disabilities.  This program also provides funds for dependent children whose parent is classified as a prisoner of war or missing in action by the Armed Forces of the United States or as a civilian personnel captured while serving with the consent or authorization of the United States Government during wartime service.  Veterans must have been Florida residents for one year immediately preceding time of death, determination of 100% disability, or prisoner of war/missing in action classification.  This program provides funds for tuition and registration fees at a public postsecondary institution or the equivalent at an eligible private postsecondary institution.

What are the General Initial Eligibility Requirements to Receive Funding?
The child or spouse will:

• Be a Florida resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.  A student’s residency and citizenship status are determined by the postsecondary institution.  Questions regarding such status should be directed to the financial aid office or admissions office of the institution the student plans to attend.
• Not owe a repayment or be in default under any state or federal grant, loan, or scholarship program unless satisfactory arrangements to repay have been made.
• Not have previously received a baccalaureate degree.
• Enroll in an undergraduate degree or certificate program for a minimum of six credit hours, 180 clock hours, or the equivalent, per term at an eligible postsecondary institution.
• Meet State of Florida’s general eligibility requirements for receipt of state aid.

Additional Specific Initial Eligibility Requirements for Children.
The child will:

• Be a dependent child of a qualified veteran or servicemember whose official military and residency status is verified by the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs.
• Be between the ages of 16 and 22.
• Receive educational opportunity until such a time as the parent so classified as prisoner of war or missing in action is returned alive or until classified otherwise.

Additional Specific Requirements for Spouses of Deceased Servicemembers.
The spouse will:

• Be unremarried.
• Have been, with the servicemember, a Florida resident for 1 year immediately preceding the servicemember’s death.
• Apply for the scholarship within 5 years after the servicemember’s death.

Additional Specific Requirements for Spouses of Disabled Servicemembers.
The spouse will:

• Have been married to the disabled servicemember for one or more years.
• Have been, with the servicemember, a Florida resident for 1 year immediately preceding the occurrence of the servicemember’s disability.
• Accept scholarship funding only during the duration of the marriage and up to the point of termination of the marriage by dissolution or annulment.

How Does a Student Apply?
The student will:

• Submit a fully completed (error free) Initial Student Florida Financial Aid Application by April 1.
• Ensure that the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs certifies the applicant’s eligibility.

How Does A Student Renew?

• A renewal application is not required. A recipient is automatically considered for a renewal award.
• Eligibility for renewal is determined at the end of the second semester or third quarter or the equivalent each academic year.  Credit or clock hours earned the previous summer can be counted toward the total number of credit hours required for renewal.
• To be eligible for renewal, a participant must have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale and earned six credit hours or 180 clock hours per term, or the equivalent, for the number of terms for which the award was received.

What if a Student Does Not Meet the Minimum GPA Required for Renewal?

• If a student does not meet the minimum GPA, he/she may be granted a probationary award for two semesters or three quarters.
• To be eligible for renewal the following year after probation, the student must have earned the required credits or clock hours and institutional cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

What if a Student Does Not Meet the Minimum Credit Hours Required for Renewal?

• A student who has not meet the annual minimum 6 hour per semester (180 clock hours) for one or both semesters requirement during the previous summer and two semesters or three quarters for renewal, may not receive funding the following academic year.
• To be eligible for restoration in a subsequent year, the student must apply for restoration and meet the general eligibility requirements for restoration and have earned an institutional cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

How Does a Student Restore?

• The student may be eligible for restoration if he/she has earned an institutional GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale at the end of the second semester or third quarter of the academic year for which he/she was ineligible.
• The online Reinstatement/Restoration Application is available at www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org by selecting the links State Grants, Scholarships & Applications, Apply Here, and then Reinstatement/Restoration Application for Students & Teachers.

How Does a Student Reinstate?

• A student who was eligible for an award but did not accept an award during the previous academic year must complete the Reinstatement/Restoration Application for Students & Teachersby April 1.
• The online Reinstatement/Restoration Application is available at www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org by selecting the links State Grants, Scholarships & Applications, Apply Here, and then Reinstatement/Restoration Application for Students & Teachers.

What is the Award Process?

• For a student attending an eligible Florida public postsecondary institution, the annual amount of the scholarship is the cost of tuition and fees for two semesters or the equivalent.
• A student who is enrolled in an eligible participating nonpublic Florida postsecondary educational institution is eligible for an annual award equal to the amount that would be required to pay for the average tuition and fees at the comparable level of a public postsecondary educational institution, prorated by number of hours enrolled.
• A student enrolled part-time shall receive a reduced award by either one-half or three-fourths of the maximum award, depending on the level or fees assessed.
• If funds are insufficient to award all eligible applicants, the Department will first award renewal applicants and then rank initial applicants according to the date of receipt or postmark date of their Florida Financial Aid Applications.
• Reinstatement and restoration applicants may be awarded after all renewal and initial awards have been made.

How Are Awards Disbursed?

• From the funds available, the Office of Student Financial Assistance awards a student who meets the eligibility requirements.
• The postsecondary institution will disburse the scholarship to an eligible student in equal installments each term after the end of regular registration, inclusive of the drop/add period.
• Awards are made for the first and second semesters; or the first, second, and third quarters; or the equivalent of the regular academic year.

How Long May a Student Receive Funding?

• An eligible student may receive funding for up to 110 percent of the number of the required credit hours of an initial baccalaureate degree or certificate program for which the student is enrolled.  Undergraduate students participating in college-preparatory instruction, students requiring additional time to complete the college-level communication and computation skills testing programs (CLAST), or students enrolled in a 5-year undergraduate degree program are eligible to receive financial aid for a maximum of 10 semesters or 15 quarters.
• Unused hours may not be used for further course funding after a student earns a baccalaureate degree.

How May a Student Appeal?
An applicant who believes financial aid has been wrongly denied has certain rights to appeal.

• An applicant may appeal if he or she believes the Florida Department of Education erred determining eligibility or in failing to transfer an award.
• If aid is denied for failure to meet state academic progress requirements, an applicant may appeal the denial to the institution by providing proof of illness or other emergency beyond the applicant's control.

How Does a Student Make Changes in Information?
An applicant must notify OSFA of any change in name, address, or institution attended.  A student may update information in the following ways:

• By accessing and updating the student record on the OSFA Web site at www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org, using the assigned User ID and PIN:
• Select State Grants, Scholarships & Applications,
• select Application Status & Award History,
• select Initial Student Update, and then the appropriate option.
• By calling OSFA toll-free at 1-888-827-2004.

Use of an Applicant’s Social Security Number/Non-discrimination Statement
The Privacy Act of 1974 requires state agencies to inform applicants of the reasons for requesting their Social Security numbers (SSN).  The FDOE requests an SSN on all applications for student financial assistance in order to correctly identify applicants, match each applicant's financial aid record with the student record at the postsecondary institution the applicant attends, and help coordinate state student aid programs with federal student aid programs.

An applicant will not be denied financial assistance for failure to disclose the SSN.  Without an SSN, correct identification of an applicant's record cannot be assured and may result in an error in the award amount or a delay in the disbursement of an award.

Pursuant to Section 1000.05, Florida Statutes, state student financial assistance is provided to eligible applicants without discriminating on the basis of race, sex, national origin, marital status, or handicap.  Minority status will be considered when required by law as a condition of eligibility or selection.

For further information contact the financial aid office at eligible postsecondary institutions or OSFA, State Programs, Suite 70, 1940 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32303-4759.  Contact OSFA toll-free at 1-888-827-2004.