State Aid Facts
Residency
An applicant must be a Florida resident for 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of classes of the first term of the academic year for which assistance is requested. The primary intent of establishing residence in Florida must not be for the purpose of obtaining an education. An individual who comes to Florida as an out-of-state resident to enroll in a Florida post-secondary educational institution will not meet the Florida residency requirement for state financial aid purposes, regardless of the length of time enrolled.
Dependent students may take the residency of either parent who meets the Florida residency requirements, even if claimed as a dependent by a nonresident parent. A parent is either a natural or an adoptive parent or legal guardian. A dependent applicant will be considered to have met the requirements of Florida residency if the applicant has lived with a relative who has had day-to-day supervision of the individual for the past five years, and the relative meets all the requirements for Florida residency.
For the purpose of residency, an independent applicant must not be eligible to be claimed as a tax exemption by a parent, and meet the federal definition of independent student for Title IV purposes.
Eligibility
Applicants must be enrolled in a first-bachelor's degree program. Students must be classified by NSU as an undergraduate student for financial aid purposes. If the student is enrolled in a program that indicates he/she is considered a graduate after 90 credits, he/she is not eligible for the FRAG or FSAG. FRAG and FSAG applicants must enroll in a minimum of 12 credits (Exception: Nursing student must enroll in a minimum of 9 credits) each term by the end of the published change of registration period for the first-eight weeks of both the fall and winter semesters. Florida Bright Futures students must enroll in a minimum of 6 credits each semester by the end of the published change of registration period for first-eight weeks of both the fall and winter semesters.
All students must be fully admitted (i.e., have all admissions documents such as transcripts and scores received by the program office) by the end of the term. Recipients must not owe a repayment under any state or federal grant or scholarship programs. Applicants must be making satisfactory academic progress as defined by the university and state SAP requirements. For state awards, students must be U.S. citizens, eligible non-citizens (link to State Aid Eligible Non-citizens) (as specified by Federal Student Aid), or have one of the following Visa statuses: A, E, G, H-1, H-4, I, K, L, N, O-1, O-3, R, and NATO 1-7.
State Progress Regulations for Florida Resident Access Grants
and Florida Student Assistance Grants
Renewal applicants shall have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale and have earned 12 credits per term for the number of terms (9 credits for nursing students) for which aid was received.
Applicants who fail to earn the required minimum number of credits shall lose their eligibility for renewal for a period equivalent to one academic year. However, they may apply for reinstatement during a subsequent period and may be eligible for an award if they have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
The cumulative grade point average and the number of credit hours earned for a renewal or reinstatement of an award will be determined at the end of the second semester.
A student who earns the minimum credits required for renewal but who fails to meet the minimum 2.0 grade point average, may be granted a probationary award for up to the equivalent of one academic year and shall be required to earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale by the end of the probationary period to be eligible for subsequent renewal.
Awards
The amount of the award is based on the amount established in the General Appropriation Act. The student will be notified by the institution of the amount of the award. Awards are made by the institution to eligible students each academic term, excluding summer terms (except for the Bright Futures Program, which may be awarded during the summer based on funding). Awards will be adjusted when the amount of other scholarships and grants designated for tuition and fees exceeds the cost of tuition and fees.
Appeal Process
A student, who receives state financial aid and subsequently fails to meet academic progress requirements due to verifiable illness or other emergency beyond the student's control, may be granted an exception from the academic progress requirements. Such a recipient shall make a written appeal to the NSU Office of Student Financial Assistance within 30 days of the issue date of a written notice of ineligibility. The appeal shall include a description and verification of the circumstances. Verification of the illness or other emergency may include, but not be limited to, a written statement by a physician, parent, or college official.
Additionally, a student who believes their financial aid has been erroneously denied may appeal to the Florida Department of Education Office of Student Financial Assistance if he/she believes there was an error regarding his/her determination of eligibility or a failure to transfer his/her award. The appeal must be filed within thirty (30) days of the date of the notice of ineligibility to the Florida Department of Education Office of Student Financial Assistance. For further information contact the NSU Office of Student Financial Assistance or the Florida Department of Education Web site at www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org.