Higher Education Opportunity

HEO Status Verification    Report Grades (GPA)

About the HEO

The University of Florida’s Higher Education Opportunity (HEO) provides children of full-time TEAMS employees with the opportunity of tuition assistance for an undergraduate education at the University of Florida. The Higher Education Opportunity (HEO) program has expanded to provide the HEO scholarship to 150 applicants each year. Each year, UF Human Resources will choose at random from a pool of eligible applicants 150 children of TEAMS employees to participate in this program. For each child selected, the university will pay the in-state matriculation fees, less any Bright Futures scholarship award, for a maximum of 132 credit hours toward an undergraduate degree at the University of Florida or a Florida public college (i.e., SF College) or community college, in the event the child is not admitted to the University of Florida. Please visit the HEO policy page for more information about program eligibility and coverage.

Drawing Information

2025 Drawing Selection information will be announced in April 2025. See HEO Policy for drawing procedures information.

Program Coverage

This program only covers at the University of Florida or Florida public colleges (i.e., SF College) and community colleges, in the event the child is not accepted to UF. The HEO does not cover at private institutions, out of state institutions, or other Florida universities.

The HEO covers the in-state matriculation fees (the actual instruction portion of tuition fees). Student responsibility fees include housing, books, activities, transportation, health, services, athletic fees, late registration, late payment, materials, lab fees, supplies, etc. Please visit the HEO policy page, Financial Obligations for more program coverage detail.

Bright Futures Scholarship

The full amount of the Bright Futures scholarship award will be subtracted from the amount the student can receive from the HEO. If your child is, or you expect your child to be, a Bright Futures scholar, please visit the HEO policy page, Financial Obligations section and FAQ.

Continued Eligibility

To maintain eligibility in the program each semester:

1. The student’s parent or legal guardian must be a full-time UF TEAMS employee on the first day of classes each semester
2. The student must be no older than 26 years of age. 
3. The student’s cumulative GPA (for all college work attempted) must be 2.75 or higher.
4. The student provides evidence of their most recent GPA performance (for all college work attempted) by the HEO GPA performance reporting deadline. Note: UF student GPA is reported internally. UF Students do not need to report UF GPA/grades.

See the HEO Policy page for more detail about continued eligibility requirements.

Requesting Funding

New semester deadline reminders are sent to HEO students (only) approximately 4-6 weeks before the start of each semester using the email on file with the HEO office. As an additional reference for students and parents, upcoming semester deadlines will be published to this page.

HEO funding requests are a two-step process and contingent upon the student’s GPA performance. To request and receive HEO funding in each future semester, students must:

1. Submit the HEO Status Verification form by the established deadline. This form communicates to the HEO office, the student’s contact information, fee deadline,  school of attendance, and if the student grants permission to the HEO office to share records with their UF parent. The student will not be covered by the HEO, in a new semester, if the form is not completed by the HEO established semester deadline. 
2. Report their (all college) cumulative GPA performance, using the Report Grades (GPA) form by the established deadline  This form provides evidence to the HEO office, the student has met a minimum GPA of 2.75 and is eligible to receive funding for the requested semester. 

Funding requests are made by the HEO office for:

• UF students after UF’s drop/add period ends and before the UF fee deadline expires.
• SF College students by SF’s fee payment deadline for the semester term.  
• Other Florida colleges and community colleges by the fee deadline indicated on the student’s HEO Status Verification form. 

Note: If your institution’s fee deadline falls on or before the HEO established semester deadline, please alert the HEO Coordinator at heo@admin.ufl.edu at least 2 business days prior to your institution’s fee deadline, so payment arrangements can be made before your institution’s fee deadline expires.

Students may contact the program coordinator to update their contact information, as needed, to ensure they are receiving email correspondence from this office, such as deadline reminders and important information about the HEO at heo@admin.ufl.edu.

HEO FERPA Release  

HEO FERPA release forms are included in the HEO student’s semesterly HEO Status Verification forms and are required to allow the HEO office to share HEO records (including funding status) with TEAMS parents. Parents are not permitted to complete status verification forms or the FERPA release on their child’s behalf. To grant permission to the HEO office to share HEO related information with parents, students are required to complete the HEO FERPA release (contained within the status verification form) in each new semester. The student must enter their TEAMS parent UFID on the form to complete the FERPA release.

GPA Performance Reporting

GPA performance reporting by the established deadline is required to retain HEO funding in each new semester. If the child is attending a Florida public college or community college, they must provide UFHR with a current unofficial transcript or other HEO approved image from the school’s official website showing the student’s most recent cumulative GPA (for all college coursework attempted), name, school name, and semester/year. 

 HEO funding is removed by the HEO office if the student:

1. Fails to report their (all college) cumulative GPA by the semester’s established GPA reporting deadline.
2. Does not meet the minimum (all college) cumulative of 2.75. HEO students (and parents with HEO FERPA approval) will be copied on funding removal email notifications.

 HEO Contact Information

Program Coordinator heo@admin.ufl.edu or 352-273-0149