Updates Regarding LAC
NEW AUGUST 2025 UPDATE:
The University of West Florida remains committed to supporting our current recipients of the Latin American-Caribbean (LAC) scholarship, as long as eligibility is maintained. While new LAC scholarships will not be offered, at this time, we will continue honoring existing awards.
What the LAC Scholarship Does
Currently, eligible students in from Latin American and Caribbean countries who receive a qualifying scholarship may be classified as in-state for tuition purposes while enrolled full-time and in good academic standing.
For Current UWF LAC Recipients (Awarded Spring 2025 or Earlier)
- Renewal eligibility: Your LAC award may be renewed for subsequent semesters if you:
were awarded the LAC Spring 2025 or earlier,
remain continuously enrolled each fall/spring (summer excluded),
- remain in the same undergraduate degree program,
meet the minimum cumulative GPA each term, and
- do not qualify for in-state residency through other means
Future Applicants
UWF is no longer accepting new applications. We will not award the LAC Scholarship to any new students beyond pre-existing commitments which were made prior to January 2025.
Questions
Overview
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The Latin American and Caribbean Scholarship, per Florida Statute, allows Florida universities to assess in-state tuition for residents of certain Latin American and Caribbean countries. In the Spring of 2025, changes in federal guidance from the US Department of Education prompted the Florida Board of Governor’s to suspend awarding the LAC scholarship to new applicants. |
Current LAC Recipients Awarded by International Affairs
Students currently receiving an LAC scholarship awarded for Spring 2025 or earlier remain eligible for the award throughout their studies— for up to 120 hours or degree completion, whichever comes first (exceptions can be made for programs requiring over 120 hours)--up to a maximum of four academic years or 120 credit hours, whichever comes first—as long as they remain continuously enrolled (excluding summers) and meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement each semester. The student's award letter explicitly states that the award is renewable (see sample letter).
LAC for Fall 2025 and Future Semesters
Effective Fall 2025, the LAC will no longer be available to new, incoming students. However, the LAC will continue to be awarded to returning students who have previously received the LAC and who have maintained eligibility. The Florida Board of Governors (BOG) has requested that we pause our LAC application and review process, which is why the details have been removed from our website. If you have questions, please contact the Office of International Affairs at at international@uwf.edu or +1-850-474-2479.
Interpretation of the Board of Governors' Position
The Board of Governors communicated to UWF’s General Counsel that if a student has been promised an award (i.e., the scholarship has been awarded but not yet disbursed), UWF should fulfill the promise and continue with disbursement(s). The example explained that students awarded multi-year LAC scholarships that included the 2025-2026 academic year should continue to be disbursed for the 2025-2026 academic year. However, no new awards will be given.
While the BOG’s specific terminology used the words “promised” and “awarded”, those two words have different meanings for all SUS Financial Aid Directors. Since no students, including those “promised” awards have been “awarded” (i.e., actual scholarship on financial aid package) for the 2025-2026 academic year, UWF’s interpretation is solely based on “promised” awards to current student LAC recipients. UWF will continue to honor promised scholarships to current students by awarding and disbursing in the 2025-2026 academic year and forward until a student becomes otherwise ineligible or reaches the maximum credit hour or time limit, whichever comes first. UWF’s interpretation and implementation of the BOG’s guidance aligns with all the sister State University Systems.