FL S1798

Requires state universities to waive 100 percent of tuition and fees for upper-level courses in strategic emphasis programs for eligible resident students, effective fall 2021.

Eligible students must be Florida residents, initially enroll full-time immediately after high school graduation, earn at least 60 semester credit hours within 2 years, and be enrolled in STEM, critical workforce education, critical workforce healthcare, or critical workforce and undersupplied programs.

Waivers apply only to upper-level courses and cannot exceed 110 percent of required credit hours for the student's baccalaureate degree program.

Waived tuition and fees cannot be reported for state funding purposes, and universities must annually report the number and value of waivers to the Board of Governors.

Universities that fail to comply become ineligible for the State University System Performance-Based Incentive funding, and the Board of Governors must adopt regulations to administer the program.