Grandparent Waiver Information for Prospective & Current State University System Parents & Students - Updated November 2025

Sep 15, 2026

Guidance for prospective and current Florida State University System students and their parents explains eligibility for the Grandparent Waiver created under Florida Statutes. Students with eligible grandparents residing in Florida may receive a tuition and fee waiver covering up to 110% of total degree hours. The document details admission status, required grandparent residency relationship, high school credential options, qualifying SAT/ACT/CLT thresholds, and full-time enrollment timing. It also explains application steps, maintaining eligibility after initial approval, transfer rules, and general limitations such as first-come availability and no retroactive use.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Background

Student Eligibility

How to apply

Maintaining eligibility

General information

Additional questions

Grandparent Waiver Information for Prospective & Current State University System Parents & Students Updated: November 2025 Background In 2021, the Florida Legislature amended Section 1009.26, Florida Statutes, to create the Grandparent Waiver. Beginning with out-of-state undergraduate students admitted for the 2022-23 academic year, eligible students with grandparents residing in Florida may be eligible for a tuition and fee waiver for up to 110% of total degree hours. The remainder of this document outlines the student eligibility requirements and provides guidance for current and prospective students seeking to utilize the Grandparent Waiver at any of the twelve public, four-year universities that comprise the State University System (SUS) . Student Eligibility Students must meet all of the following requirements to be eligible for the grandparent waiver. 1. Be admitted as an undergraduate, degree-seeking student by a public, four-year university in Florida. 2. Have a grandparent who is a legal resident as defined in s. 1009.21(1), Florida Statutes: a person who has a legal relationship to a student’s parent as the natural or adopted parent or legal guardian of the student’s parent. 3. Earn a high school diploma comparable to a Florida standard high school diploma, or its equivalent, or complete a home education program. 4. Achieve one of the following. a. An SAT combined score no lower than the 89th national percentile on the SAT. Though the term “national” appears in the statute, the intended percentile corresponds to the “SAT User” percentile. The score also coincides with the Florida Academic Scholars Bright Futures award. The Florida Department of Education Office of Student Financial Assistance publishes the threshold annually in the Bright Futures Student Handbook. The current minimum combined score for a 2025-26 high school graduate is 1330. The required score for a 2026-27 graduate is 1330. b. An ACT score concordant to the required SAT score above, using the latest published national concordance table developed jointly by the College Board and ACT, Inc. A concordant ACT score of 29 may also be used to qualify for both graduating classes listed above. c. A Classic Learning Test (CLT) score concordant to the required SAT score specified above, using the latest published scoring comparison developed by Classic Learning Initiatives. A concordant score of 95 may also be used to qualify for both graduating classes listed above. 5. Enroll as a full-time degree-seeking, undergraduate student in the summer or fall term immediately following high school graduation. How to apply 1. Students must apply through an SUS university when they apply for admission to an SUS university. 2. It is the student’s responsibility to submit all necessary documentation to the university in accordance with university requirements and deadlines, including but not limited to the following. a. A form regarding the familial relationship signed by a parent or grandparent. b. Documentation to demonstrate Florida residency for the grandparent. Maintaining eligibility 1. A student does not need to reapply for this waiver so long as the student enrolls full-time every consecutive fall and spring term at the same university until the requirements for the bachelor’s degree have been completed. 2. Summer enrollment is not required. 3. If a student enrolls part-time, the student will not receive the waiver for that term and may not receive the waiver for subsequent terms. A student in this situation should contact the financial aid office at the university to discuss options. 4. If a student transfers to another State University System institution, they must apply for the waiver at the new institution. There is no guarantee that a student who received the waiver at one university will receive the waiver at another university. General information 1. Waivers are limited in number and will be granted on a fi

FAQs

Who is eligible for the Grandparent Waiver under the Florida State University System?

Eligible students must be admitted as Florida undergraduate, degree-seeking students at a public four-year university, and have a grandparent who meets Florida residency and legal relationship requirements as defined in Florida Statutes. They also must satisfy comparable high school credential requirements and the specified test score condition.

What standardized test scores can qualify a student for the waiver?

Students may qualify using an SAT combined score at or above the required national percentile (corresponding to the SAT User percentile), an ACT score concordant to that SAT requirement using the latest concordance table, or a CLT score concordant to the required SAT score using the latest CLT scoring comparison. Specific concordant ACT and CLT examples are provided for qualifying classes.

How can students maintain eligibility after receiving the waiver?

Students must enroll full-time in consecutive fall and spring terms at the same university until completing the bachelor’s degree requirements. Summer enrollment is not required. If the student enrolls part-time, the waiver is not provided for that term and may not be provided for subsequent terms; transfers require applying again at the new institution.

Sep 15, 2026

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