A returning student is any former FGCU degree-seeking undergraduate who has not earned
a degree, who has not been enrolled at FGCU in any of the last three terms and who
wishes to re-enroll.
Students in good academic standing who are reapplying to limited-access programs are
not guaranteed readmission to that program.
To be readmitted, a student must be in good standing and eligible to return to the
last institution attended (including FGCU), and have a 2.0 GPA as calculated by the
university on all transferable credit hours. Former FGCU students not in good standing
and wishing to return should refer to the 'Former Student Returning' portion of the
Undergraduate Admissions section of the currentcatalog for information.
If after leaving FGCU, you attended other colleges or universities, then you must
send official transcript(s) from each institution to the Office of Admissions for
evaluation purposes. If a final transcript from a previous institution was never submitted
for the last term of admission, an official transcript will need to be submitted to
the Office of Admission in order to release the transcript hold.
If you were previously admitted to FGCU as a freshman and never provided a FINAL OFFICIAL
high school transcript with date of graduation, please have your high school send
one to FGCU.
Students enrolled in an approved FGCU study abroad program are exempt from this requirement
and will be permitted to re-enroll upon their return to FGCU.
Theforeign language requirement must be met. You should submit an official high school or college transcript to demonstrate
this requirement has been met.
Submit all documentation to:
Florida Gulf Coast University Office of Undergraduate Admissions 10501 FGCU Blvd. S. Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565
Eligible for academic amnesty?
A readmitted undergraduate student who has not attended FGCU for at least five years
may apply to the Academic Standards Committee for academic amnesty. Specific details
on the policy for amnesty, how to apply and the conditions under which amnesty may
be granted are published in theUniversity Catalogby the Office of the Registrar.
Current FGCU students, classified as non-Florida residents, who seek reclassification
must contact the Office of the Registrar.
Residency for Tuition Purposes
Tuition and fees at each institution within the State University System of Florida
are set by the Florida Legislature upon recommendation by the State Board of Governors.
Enrolled students are charged tuition and fees based on their residency classification
as either Florida resident or non-Florida resident. Those classified as Florida residents
pay less in fees per credit hour than do those classified as non-Florida residents.
The requirements for Florida residency status are defined by Florida state statute
Section 1009.21. Generally, a person is considered a resident of Florida for the purpose
of paying taxes, voting or other legal purposes after residing in the state for a
designated length of time. However, state statute requires additional requirements
for a student to be classified as a Florida resident for tuition purposes. Most importantly,
living in or attending school in Florida will not, in itself, establish legal residence
for tuition purposes.
Initial residency classification is determined by the Office of Admissions after
applicants have been admitted to the university. All applicants are considered non-Florida residents until they provide proof otherwise. Failure to provide all relevant information and required documentation in a timely
manner could result in a non-Florida resident classification for tuition purposes.
An online Florida Residency Declaration For Tuition Purposes form is available to
provide the necessary documentation as described below. All admitted students will
be sent this online link.
Florida residency for tuition purposes status is only for those residents who reside
in the state permanently with established legal domicile in Florida. Permanent Florida
residency is demonstrated by the absence of ties to any other state and establishment
of a bona fide domicile in Florida. The following information is summarized from the
Florida statutes and from policies approved by the State Board of Governors.
To qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, a student must:
Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident alien, parolee, Cuban national, Vietnamese
refugee or other refugee or asylee as designated by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization
Service; and
Have established a legal residence in this state and maintained that legal residence
for 12 months preceding the first day of classes of the term in which Florida residency
classification is sought. The student's residence in Florida must be as a bona fide
domiciliary rather than for the purpose of maintaining a mere temporary residence
incidental to enrollment in an institution of higher education, and should be demonstrated
as indicated below (for dependent students, as defined by IRS regulations, a parent
or guardian must qualify); and
Submit the following documentation (or in the case of a dependent student, the parent
must submit documentation prior to the last day of the drop/add period for the term
in which resident status is sought; along with a residence affidavit) to the Office
of Admissions. At least two of the following documents must be submitted, with dates
that evidence the 12-month qualifying period. At least one of the documents must be
from the First Tier. As some evidence is more persuasive than others, more than two
may be requested. No single piece of documentation will be considered conclusive.
Additionally, there must be an absence of information that contradicts the applicant's
claim of residency.
First Tier (at least one of the two documents submitted must be from this list):
Declaration of domicile in Florida (12 months from the date the document was sworn
and subscribed as noted by the Clerk of Circuit Court)
Florida voter registration
Florida vehicle registration
Florida driver's license (if known to be held in another state previously, must have
relinquished) OR a State of Florida identification card (if evidence of no ties to
another state)
Proof of purchase of a permanent home in Florida that is occupied as a primary residence
of the claimant
Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida (one or more jobs for at least
30 hours per week for a 12-month period)
Transcripts from a Florida high school for multiple years (if Florida high school
diploma or GED was earned within last 12 months)
Benefit histories from Florida agencies or public assistance programs
Second Tier (may be used in conjunction with one document from First Tier):
A Florida professional or occupational license
Florida incorporation
Documents evidencing family ties in Florida
Proof of membership in Florida-based charitable or professional organizations
Any other documentation that supports the student's request for resident status
Utility bills and proof of 12 consecutive months of payment
Lease agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payment
State or court documents evidencing legal ties to Florida
There must not be any contrary evidence establishing residence elsewhere. Documentation
of dependent/independent status (copy of most recent IRS tax return). Federal income
tax returns filed by resident(s) of a state other than Florida disqualify the student
for in-state tuition, unless:
The student's parents are divorced, separated or otherwise living apart and either
parent is a legal resident of Florida, or
The student becomes a legal resident and is married to a person who has been a legal
resident for the required 12-month period, or
The student is a member of the armed forces on active duty stationed in Florida, or
a spouse or dependent, or
The student is a member of the full-time instructional or administrative staff of
a state public school, community college or university in Florida, or a spouse or
dependent, or
The student is a dependent and has lived five years with an adult relative who has
established legal residence in Florida
A student who meets any one of the following criteria shall be classified as an independent
student for the determination of residency for tuition purposes:
The student is 24 years of age or older by the first day of classes of the term for
which residency status is sought at a Florida institution;
The student is married;
The student has children who receive more than half of their support from the student;
The student has other dependents who live with and receive more than half of their
support from the student;
The student is a veteran of the U.S. armed forces or is currently serving on active
duty in the armed forces for purposes other than training;
Both of the student's parents are deceased or the student is or was (until age 18)
a ward/dependent of the court;
The student is working on a master's or doctoral degree during the term for which
residency status is sought at a Florida institution; or
The student is classified as an independent by the financial aid office at the institution
Evidence that the student meets one of these criteria will be requested by the higher
education institution.
A student who does not meet one of the criteria outlined above may be classified as
an independent student only if he or she submits documentation that he or she provides
fifty (50) percent or more of the cost of attendance for independent, in-state students
as defined by the financial aid office at the institution (exclusive of federal, state
and institutional aid or scholarships).
The Office of Admissions reserves the right to require additional documentation in
order to determine the resident status of any student. If Florida residency status
for the purpose of tuition is denied, the student may file an appeal to the Office
of Admissions.
A limited-access program is one where both program admission and registration in program
classes are restricted to a certain number of students meeting pre-determined criteria.
This means that you are initially accepted into the university as a pre-major AND
then you must submit a supplemental application for consideration for acceptance into
a limited-access undergraduate major.
Limited-access status is justified where student demand exceeds available resources
(student/faculty ratios, instructional facilities, equipment or specific accrediting
requirements) or students require minimum skills to be admitted into the program (such
as Music or PGA Golf Management). Limited-access programs have separate admissions
processes and selection criteria. Not all students who meet the selection criteria
are admitted into the limited-access majors. The selection process is very competitive
and space is limited in each incoming class. Freshmen do not need to submit supplemental
applications; applications are due in the sophomore year or when program prerequisite
requirements have been completed.
All students admitted as freshmen or transfers must satisfy the foreign language admission
requirement. A limited number of undergraduate students not meeting this requirement
may be admitted; however, these students must fulfill the requirement prior to completion
of the baccalaureate degree.
Admitted undergraduate students must demonstrate competency of foreign language by
meeting one of these requirements:
1. Completing a foreign language or American Sign Language course in high school at
the 2nd-year level or higher (i.e., Spanish 2, Haitian Creole 2, American Sign Language
2, etc.).
2. Completing a foreign language college course at the elementary 2 level or higher.
3. Obtaining qualifying scores on the AP, AICE, IB and/or CLEP exams. Learn more about the
qualifying scores for foreign language in the FGCU Academic Catalog.
