LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Polytechnic University students beginning classes next year can once again count on financial support from the institution. The University’s Board of Trustees voted today to approve a new scholarship program for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Incoming full-time undergraduate students will receive scholarships ranging from $1,000-$16,000 each academic year. Scholarships for full-time graduate students are valued at $6,000-$20,000 per student, per year.
“I’m grateful to the Board of Trustees and the Florida Polytechnic Foundation for approving this scholarship model for our future students,” said University President Dr. Randy K. Avent. “It will allow us to remain competitive within the state university system and attract and retain diverse and talented students.”
The new model offers an array of scholarship amounts based on need and academic merit, as opposed to a fixed amount. Scholarships range from partial funding of tuition and fees, to complete coverage of all direct costs of attendance – tuition, fees and room and board.
Scholarships will be provided to all students taking a minimum of 30 credit hours per academic year, but only those in the highest percentile of merit and financial need will be considered for complete coverage. Students must maintain a 2.75 GPA to guarantee scholarship renewal each year.
“Ensuring that our graduates are poised for success and ready to embark on a high-tech career is at the core of our mission here at Florida Poly,” said Scott Rhodes, Executive Director of Enrollment Services at Florida Polytechnic. “By continuing to provide a robust scholarship program, we’re laying the foundation for students to achieve this goal.”
The new scholarship agreement differs slightly from the one approved by the Board in 2013. The inaugural model offers students who begin classes in academic year 2014-2015 a fixed amount of scholarship dollars to cover tuition and fees each year.
The decision to revise the scholarship model was enacted to help the University continue to reach enrollment and retention goals while also attracting an optimal mix of students. “This new approach will help us appeal to students who may not have otherwise considered our institution for financial reasons,” Rhodes said.
In total, Florida Polytechnic has approved more than $19 million in scholarship funds to support full-time students attending the new university.