2012-13
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| Florida Statutes 1009.72 | State Board of Education Rule 6A-20.023 |
Program Description
The José Martí Scholarship Challenge Grant Fund is a need-based merit scholarship that provides financial assistance to eligible students of Hispanic origin who will attend Florida public or eligible private institutions. Applicants for undergraduate study must apply during their senior year of high school. Graduate students may apply; however, priority for the scholarship is given to graduating high school seniors. The number of new awards made each year and award funding is subject to matching contributions from private sources and funds appropriated by the Florida Legislature.
Initial Eligibility Requirements to Receive Funding
The student 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.
- Be of Spanish culture, born in or having a natural parent who was born in either Mexico, or a Hispanic country of the Caribbean, Central or South America, regardless of race.
- Have earned, by the end of the seventh semester, a minimum unweighted cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in high school for an undergraduate scholarship, or a 3.0 institutional cumulative GPA for undergraduate college work if applying for a graduate level scholarship.
- Enroll as a degree-seeking student at an eligible postsecondary institution and enroll each academic term for a minimum of 12 credit hours for undergraduate study or 9 credit hours for graduate study.
Applying for an Award
The student will:
- For undergraduate study, submit a fully completed error free Initial Student Florida Financial Aid Application during the student’s last year in high school by April 1. An applicant must ensure that either the high school principal or designee certifies the student’s 7th semester unweighted cumulative GPA online to the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) by a date established by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE).
- For graduate study, submit a fully completed error free Initial Student Florida Financial Aid Application by April 1 prior to the year of graduate study. An applicant must ensure that an admissions office official at the postsecondary institution the applicant attends certifies the student’s institutional cumulative GPA online to OSFA by a date established by FDOE.
- Demonstrate sufficient financial need to receive a full $2,000 scholarship by completing and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in time to be processed error free by the U.S. Department of Education on or before May 15.
Student Award Renewal
- 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, third quarter, or the equivalent of each academic year. Credit hours earned the previous summer can be counted toward the total number of credit hours required for renewal.
A renewal applicant will:
- Have earned a minimum unweighted institutional cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- For undergraduate study, have earned 12 credit hours per term or the equivalent for the number of terms for which the award was received. For graduate study, have earned 9 credit hours per term or the equivalent for the number of terms for which the award was received.
- Demonstrate a minimum of $2,000 in financial need. File the FAFSA each academic year in time to be processed error free by the U.S. Department of Education on or before May 15.
Failure to Meet the Minimum Renewal GPA
- If a student does not meet the minimum GPA, a probationary award may be granted for two semesters or three quarters.
- A student who does not earn a 3.0 GPA by the end of the spring semester or third quarter of the probationary academic year shall be ineligible to continue in the program.
Failure to Meet the Minimum Renewal Credit Hours
An undergraduate or graduate student who does not meet the required credit hours shall be ineligible to continue in the program. Required hours include:
- For undergraduate study, during the previous summer and two semesters or three quarters, at least 12 credit hours per term or the equivalent for the number of terms for which the award was received.
- For graduate study, during the previous summer and two semesters or three quarters, at least 9 credit hours per term or the equivalent for the number of terms for which the award was received.
Student Award Restoration
- The student who failed to meet the requirements for renewal of a probationary award is eligible to apply for restoration after one academic year if an institutional cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is earned at the end of the second semester or third quarter of the academic year preceding the year the award is sought.
- A student who applies for restoration must also complete a need analysis in time to be processed error-free by May 15.
- To request restoration, the student must complete the Reinstatement/Restoration Application for Students by April 1.
- The online Reinstatement/Restoration Application for Students is available beginning February 1 at www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org by selecting the links State Grants, Scholarships & Applications, Apply Here, and then Reinstatement/Restoration Application for Students.
Student Award Reinstatement
- 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 by April 1.
- The online Reinstatement/Restoration Application for Students is available beginning February 1 at www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org by selecting the links State Grants, Scholarships & Applications, Apply Here, and then Reinstatement/Restoration Application for Students.
Award Procedures
- Initial applicants are ranked first by the highest need, which is determined by the FAFSA, and then by GPA.
- Priority in the distribution of awards shall be given to eligible renewal applicants, eligible reinstatement applicants, then eligible initial undergraduate applicants, and finally to eligible initial graduate applicants.
- The amount award amount for the 2012-13 academic year is $2,000.
Award Disbursement
- From the funds available, OSFA 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.
Terms of Eligibility
- An undergraduate student is eligible to receive an award for a maximum of 8 semesters (12 quarters) over a period of no more than 6 consecutive years, or until receipt of a baccalaureate degree, whichever occurs first.
- Five-year eligibility may apply to a program of study which leads to a simultaneous award of a graduate and an undergraduate degree. Additional terms of eligibility for five-year programs will be allowed based on the number of credit hours required by the institution for completion of the program of study.
- A graduate student may receive a maximum of four semesters or six quarters.
Appeal Process
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 FDOE 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.
An FDOE appeal is to be filed in writing within 30 days of the date of the notice of ineligibility. An institutional academic progress appeal is to be filed within 30 days of the denial letter or by the date established by the institution's financial aid office, whichever is later.
Updating Information
An applicant must notify OSFA of any change in name, address, or institution attended. A student may update information the following ways:
- By accessing and updating the student record on the OSFA website at
www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org,
using the assigned User ID and PIN:
- Select State Grants, Scholarships & Applications,
- select Application Status & Award History, and then
- under Initial Student Update, select the appropriate option.
- By calling OSFA toll-free at 1-888-827-2004.
Transferring from one institution to another could affect an applicant’s award.
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 participating postsecondary institutions or the Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance, State Scholarship and Grant Programs, 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1314, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400. Contact OSFA toll-free at 1-888-827-2004.
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