Higher Education Opportunity Policy

The Higher Education Opportunity is designed to provide children of full-time eligible (staff and faculty) employees with enhanced opportunities for post-secondary education.

Initial Eligibility

Must be full-time (1.0 FTE) staff or out-of-unit faculty employed at the University of Florida.

Parent must be employed in one of the below categories:

• • Staff: Full time (1.0 FTE) TEAMS employee, or LEON, LEOE (UPD police officers, sergeants and lieutenants). 
  • Out-of-unit Faculty: (1.0 FTE) full faculty employee, FA09, FA10, FA12, or FACM.

Exclusions

• • This benefit is not currently available to in-unit faculty. “In-unit” is defined as faculty participating in UFF.  Bargaining unit contracts are under negotiation for future participation in this scholarship benefit.
  • The HEO is not available to OPS positions, or part-time (less than 1.0 FTE) staff or faculty employees.

Waiting period

There is no waiting period to qualify. Eligible staff and faculty employees are eligible to participate in the next available drawing as of their first day of employment.

Child must be:

The natural, adopted, step, foster, or any other child for which legal guardianship can be documented, of a full-time eligible staff or faculty employee. Upon request, official documentation of legal guardianship, marital status, and/or age verification must be provided to UFHR.

In age between the date of their high school graduation and the end of the calendar year of their 26th birthday. The child may only participate in the HEO program (if selected) through the end of the calendar year in which the child turns 26 years of age.

Click Here for Drawing Requirements

Continued Eligibility

To continue to participate in the HEO, the following conditions must be met on the first day of classes for each new semester:

The HEO student’s qualifying legal guardian must be a full-time eligible (staff or faculty) employee on a regular annual or multi-year contract.

• • In the event that the HEO student does not have a qualifying parent who is a full-time eligible (staff or faculty) employee on the first day of classes, the HEO student will be ineligible to continue to participate in the program.
  • Should a qualifying parent terminate their full-time employment during the course of a semester in which the HEO student is enrolled, the HEO student will remain eligible for the remainder of that semester.
  • If a qualifying parent returns to full-time eligible (staff or faculty) employment at a later date, the prior HEO benefit does not carry over to a new employment appointment after a break in service. The parent may submit their eligible child’s name for the next available HEO drawing.
  • In the event of the HEO student’s qualifying parent’s death, the HEO student will remain eligible for the duration of their original eligibility in the program so long as the HEO student maintains the GPA requirement.

The HEO student’s cumulative GPA (for all college work attempted) must be 2.75 or higher.

• • The HEO student must give FERPA approval to UFHR to access their student records to determine their cumulative GPA.
  • If the HEO student is attending a public or state college, they must provide to the HEO Coordinator in UF’s Human Resources an official or unofficial copy of each semester’s transcript of grades from the state college showing all courses attempted and grades received.
  • Transfer students and/or students who took dual enrollment state college courses in high school that count towards their GPA in college will be covered by the HEO program only if the student’s GPA (for all college work attempted) is 2.75 or better.
  • Should the HEO student’s cumulative GPA drop below a 2.75 (for all college work attempted), the student will be classified as “GPA ineligible” and will remain ineligible for continued participation in the HEO until their cumulative GPA is 2.75 or higher.
  • The HEO student’s future benefit will be prorated to reflect any credit hours earned while GPA ineligible.
  • The University will not retroactively compensate the HEO student for any credit hours attempted while GPA ineligible

The HEO student will continue to be eligible for the program through the end of the calendar year in which the student turns 26 years of age.

HEO students may attend school part-time in this program; however, the total obligation of the University for each HEO participant will not exceed 132 undergraduate credit hours.

To receive funding in each new semester, the HEO student must complete the HEO Status Verification web form, that provided the necessary information to provide funding to the student’s school and report their most recent cumulative GPA for all college work attempted.

The HEO student will not be covered by the HEO for the coming semester if the HEO Status Verification and Grades Report (GPA) forms are not completed by the established deadlines.

HEO Eligible Institutions  

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

• The children selected from the drawing pools, who meet admissions requirements to the University of Florida, will be offered admission to the University, conditional upon receipt of their high school diploma before the date of entry into the University offered by the Director of Admissions.
• Please note that the University of Florida reserves the right to make changes based on administrative errors.
• If selected for the HEO and offered admission to the University of Florida, the child must attend the University of Florida during the first fall semester of their HEO award year to receive the HEO scholarship. After meeting this requirement, the child may elect to attend any HEO eligible institution at any point during their HEO participation.
• Those children selected from the drawing pools who do not meet admissions requirements to the University of Florida and receive their high school diploma before the beginning of the academic year must enroll at a Florida public college during the first fall semester of their HEO award year to receive the HEO scholarship.
• Children not admitted to the University of Florida may attend any HEO eligible institution during their HEO participation.

Non-Transferable

The HEO scholarship is not transferable. Once a drawing applicant is selected, their scholarship cannot be transferred to another applicant, who was not selected. If a selected applicant later decides not to accept the HEO scholarship for their child, the scholarship will be withdrawn and closed. 

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 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 their qualifying parent.

  • 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 qualifying 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, 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.

Financial Obligations

The University will pay the in-state matriculation fees less any Bright Futures Scholarship award for each child (selected for the scholarship) for up to twelve credits per semester during the academic year and for up to 6 credits per twelve (12) week summer semester at the University of Florida or a Florida public college, in the event the child is not admitted to the University of Florida.

• • For UF Innovation Academy (IA) students, participating in the undergraduate program, the HEO will cover the in-state matriculation fees, less any Bright Futures scholarship award, for up to 12 credits per spring and summer semester and to up to 6 credit hours per fall semester.
  • For Bright Futures Scholars, 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 review the Bright Futures and the HEO Scholarship section below and visit the HEO FAQ page.

University: Responsible for all in-state matriculation fees (the actual instruction fee) less any Bright Futures scholarship award for a maximum of 132 credit hours.

• • All completed courses, passed or failed, and withdrawals are totaled in the count of credit hours.

HEO Student: Responsible for all other fees, including those related to books, supplies, building, capital improvement, student financial aid, activity and service, athletic, health, transportation, etc.

• • A complete list of the breakdown for fees at UF is maintained on the University Bursar web site. For other Florida colleges, students should contact the financial departments directly.
  • Students are responsible for paying the difference in the in-state matriculation fees the HEO Program covers and the total amount per credit hour by the deadline specified by UF or the Florida public college. The HEO program does NOT cover any late fees when the student fails to pay their fees on-time.
  • The students are responsible for payment of all other fees charged by the institution and for any costs associated with attending the institution.
  • To receive the HEO funds for each semester, students must complete the HEO Status Verification web form online during the specified timeframe each term.

Sample UF Student – Payment Chart

Florida Prepaid and the HEO Scholarship

The Florida Prepaid College Program does not impact the HEO scholarship. It is important to visit Florida Prepaid to learn more about the Florida Prepaid College Program requirements.

• • For questions about Florida Prepaid and the HEO scholarship, you should connect with your child’s institution of attendance for more information.
  • For UF students, questions about Florida Prepaid and the HEO scholarship should be sent to the University Bursar at: Ask Bursar Help, or call Third Party Contracts at (352)-392-9545.

Bright Futures and the HEO Scholarship

In academic year 2025-26, the HEO pays $149.24 per credit hour for students attending the University of Florida. This amount includes tuition and tuition differential. It is important to note, legislative changes affect the HEO award amount for Florida Academic and Florida Medallion Bright Futures Scholarship students. The full amount of the Bright Futures scholarship award will be subtracted from the amount the student can receive from the HEO.

The below examples are for UF student tuition undergraduate rates. For other institutions, you must contact the Student Financial team directly at those colleges for information.

Florida Academic Scholars will receive an award amount equal to 100% of tuition and applicable fees; which currently includes the summer semester. Applicable fees include activity and service fee, health fee, athletic fee, financial aid fee, capital improvement fee, campus access/transportation fee, technology fee and tuition differential fee. See chart below.

• • Note: In this example above, the total amount covered by the Florida Academic Bright Futures scholarship ($212.71) is greater than the amount the HEO pays for tuition and tuition differential ($149.24), therefore no HEO funding will be applied in semesters the Bright Futures student receives Bright Futures funding.

Florida Medallion Bright Futures recipients will receive an award amount equal to 75% of tuition and applicable fees; which currently includes the summer semester. Applicable fees include activity and service fee, health fee, athletic fee, financial aid fee, capital improvement fee, campus access/transportation fee, technology fee and tuition differential fee. See chart below.

• • Note: In the Medallion example, the total amount covered by the Bright Futures award ($159.53) is greater than the amount the HEO pays for tuition and tuition differential ($149.24), therefore no HEO funding will be applied in semesters the Bright Futures student receives Bright Futures funding.

 HEO Contact Information

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