Frequently Asked Questions

Transcript Evaluation

When a student enrolls in classes, their transcripts are identified for evaluation processing. If the student submitted transcripts but did not enroll in classes, evaluation of the transcript will be delayed until the student enrolls in credit classes.

NOTE: Students must be enrolled in classes and paid in the current term to trigger Official Transcript Evaluation processing.

Schedule an appointment with your advisor if you attended another post-secondary institution, submitted the transcript, enrolled in classes, and the evaluation is not processed up to 4 weeks following the start of the term. Enrolled transfer students post-secondary transcript(s) are evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students that submit official and complete transcripts prior to the start of their first term of enrollment should check their myBC portal or Broward College student email for follow-up communication from the Evaluation team or their academic advisor.

Students can review their unofficial transcript through their myBC portal for evaluated coursework. The transcript log is also accessible to review when Broward College received their final and complete transcripts. Transcript Evaluation processing usually takes up to 4 weeks following the student's enrollment in classes. The following may cause delays in Official Transcript Evaluation processing:

  • Student declared an AA program objective and already earned an AA or higher degree
  • Transcripts received are not complete and have courses in progress
  • The post-secondary institution and/or course(s) require research

Students should speak with their Academic Advisor about the transferability of courses.

FERPA

An education record is any record, in any form or medium that is directly related to a student by way of personally identifiable information and is maintained by Broward College or an agent acting on behalf of Broward College.

FERPA requires institutions to define what it considers to be directory information and permits release of that information to third parties without consent from the student. Broward College defines directory information as the following:

  • Student’s Name

  • Enrollment status

  • Degrees and awards received

  • Statistics pertaining to a student’s participation in officially recognized sports and activities

Students who do not want their directory/public information released to third parties must submit a FERPA Directory Information Opt-Out form.

Students may give their parent(s) or guardian(s) permission to access their records by submitting a FERPA Release form.

A parent or guardian may request access to their child's records and grades without student consent if he or she claims the student as a dependent according to the IRS tax code. Documentary evidence is required.

Information about grades and academic standing is accessible directly to students through their myBC portal. Most parents find out this information by asking their students. Doing so fosters trust and a sense of mutual respect and responsibility.

Florida Residency

Students seeking Florida residency for tuition purposes are required to submit documentation to prove their residency.

More information is available on the Florida College System site.

Under Florida law, being a legal Florida resident does not automatically qualify you for in-state tuition. A "Florida resident for tuition purposes" is a person who has or a dependent person whose parent, guardian, or spouse has established and maintained legal residence in Florida for at least twelve consecutive months prior to the first day of the term. A parent is either one of the parents of the student, any guardian of the student, or any person in a parental relationship with the student.

All claimants for Florida residency for tuition purposes must submit a residency affidavit. New and readmission applicants should complete the Residency Affidavit at the time of application for admission/readmission.

DACA

The Deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) program was introduced in 2012 by President Barack Obama as a stopgap measure that would shield from deportation, people who were brought into the United States as children. DACA does not confer legal status upon an individual and may be terminated at any time.

DACA recipients are often referred to as Dreamers, after a similar piece of legislation called the Dream Act, which was introduced in 2001 and would have given its beneficiaries a path to American citizenship. They now fall between the ages of 16 and 35.

Participation in the DACA program comes with a range of benefits. Along with permission to remain in the country. Recipients can also get work permits.

The DACA program opened access to in-state tuition and state-funded grants and loans in some states. Florida provides that access through F.S. 1009.26 for qualified students.

Out of State Fee Waiver for Select Florida High School Graduates, F.S. 1009.26

F.S. 1009.26 (formerly H.B. 851), passed during the 2014 legislative session, is a law that, in part, gives students who attended a Florida secondary school for three consecutive years before graduation—regardless of immigration status—the opportunity to pursue higher education at in-state tuition rates, should they apply for admission within 24 months after graduation. Previously, certain Florida students were required to pay out-of-state rates to attend Florida’s colleges and universities due to their immigration status.

 

​Primarily Florida students who are immigrants, including undocumented immigrants. 

Not necessarily. Many immigrants already qualify for in-state rates if they reside in Florida. Eligible immigrant visas are outlined in the Florida Residency Guidelines.

​In-state tuition is the rate charged to students who reside in Florida. Out-of-state tuition, which is as much as two or three times higher, is the rate charged to students who reside in other states. 

 

A student must: 

(a) have attended a secondary school in Florida for three consecutive years immediately before graduating from a Florida high school; 

(b) apply for enrollment in an institution of higher education within 24 months after high school graduation; and 

(c) submit an official Florida high school transcript as evidence of attendance and graduation.

 

F.S. 1009.26 went into effect on July 1, 2014.

 

F.S. 1009.26 applies to all public higher education institutions in Florida, including state colleges and universities. These schools are run by two different state agencies: The Florida Department of Education runs the 28 state and community colleges through the Florida College System, while the Florida Board of Governors runs the 12 state universities. F.S. 1009.26 applies to schools run by both agencies, though each agency will have separate regulations explaining how it is to be implemented.

F.S. 1009.26 also addresses other tuition-related issues which are discussed in the Florida Resident for Tuition Purposes FAQ, including in-state tuition eligibility for veterans, U.S. citizen residents with undocumented parents, and nonresidents who marry Florida residents. ​

 

​If you applied for enrollment in a college or university within 24 months of your graduation, you may qualify. You should contact your individual school’s admissions office as soon as possible to apply and/or inquire further. 

 

F.S. 1009.26 does not define secondary school, but Florida Statute 1003.413 defines secondary schools as “schools that primarily serve students in grades 6 through 12.” The law requires that a student attend school for three consecutive years and provide an official high school transcript. Florida Virtual School or a homeschool program, which are both recognized by the state and regulated by the Department of Education, may qualify. Students in these situations should contact their individual school’s admissions office for more information. 

 

You are still eligible for in-state tuition rates, but you will not be reclassified. F.S. 1009.26 treats qualifying students as non-resident students but allows them to be eligible for an out-of-state fee waiver, making them eligible for the in-state rate. Contact the admissions office to obtain information on the waiver.​

 

​It is a waiver given to nonresident students that reduces the out-of-state tuition rate to in-state rates.

 

There are a few restrictions. Under the Florida Board of Governors’ regulations, the number of nonresident students cannot exceed 10% of the system-wide student body.  F.S. 1009.26 requires that veterans who are eligible for out-of-state fee waivers receive preference. Nonresident veterans will also be considered part of the 10% limit and will be prioritized over other students who qualify under F.S. 1009.26.

​Colleges and universities may request proof on a yearly basis. Until further guidance is issued, students should maintain documentation of their eligibility until they finish their post-secondary program.

 

​No, eligibility under F.S. 1009.26 does not make you eligible for state financial support. You may be eligible for private scholarships, however.

 

​No procedures have been established regarding appeals or grievances.

Homeless Student

According to Florida law, a student who is homeless may be exempted from paying tuition and fees at a Florida College System institution. For the purpose of the fee exemption, Florida law defines homelessness as, “A student who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence or whose primary nighttime residence is a public or private shelter designed to provide temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.”​

 

If you think you may be eligible for the homeless exemption, you should speak with an admission officer, or an advisor in the Seahawk Outreach Services department, on the campus you plan to attend.​

 

This exemption covers tuition and fees only. This means that you will be required to pay other costs associated with college, such as textbooks, housing and food. Visit the financial aid office for information about other options to help pay for college. ​

Do you have questions?


The Registrar’s team is prepared to respond to your questions about incoming and outgoing transcripts, accelerated credit (AP, AICE, IB, CLEP), diplomas, enrollment verification and FERPA permissions.