The primary purpose of Florida Linkage Institutes is to assist in the development of stronger economic, cultural, educational, and social ties between the state and foreign countries.
Through the promotion of expanded public and private dialogue on cooperative research and technical assistance activities, we increase bilateral commerce, student and faculty exchange, cultural exchange, and the enhancement of language training skills between postsecondary institutions and foreign countries.
REQUIREMENTS
NEW APPLICANTS
New applicants to the Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Program must submit the following materials by the stated deadline:
- Completed Florida Linkage Institute Tuition Exemption online Application Form.
- A 500 to 700 word essay (12 point font) summarizing the applicant’s educational and professional goals and explaining how his/her specific area of interest contributes to the linkage between Florida and country of citizenship (Eastern Europe or Canada). The essay should describe the applicant’s personal and academic interests and achievements.
- Passport (photo page) – the passport copy must be legible and show the applicant’s name and country of citizenship.
- Letter of Recommendation – it is preferable the letter of recommendation is written by an academic reference who is familiar with the applicant’s academic work. This should be typed on letterhead, include the contact information for this person, and be signed by hand, then scanned as a PDF.
- Applicants must submit their most recent official academic transcript showing their cumulative/overall Grade Point Average (GPA). Official transcripts must be sent directly from your institution if you attend a U.S. school. Transcripts from institutions outside of the United States must be evaluated (see information below for details about the Transcript Evaluation requirements). Applicants may request the official transcript or official transcript evaluation to be delivered electronically (secure PDF) or for it to be mailed to the Linkage Institute (see the “Contact Us” information for the Linkage Institute email options for electronic delivery and physical address for mail delivery).
- Transcript Evaluation – If you are in high school or college in a non-U.S. school, you will need to have your school send an official transcript to one of the approved evaluation companies in the NACES list below. Complete the request form on their website. Request a course by course evaluation and a GPA calculation. The evaluation company should send their report to the Linkage Institute address or email below. Please see chart below for additional information:
| Applicant from a U.S. institution | Applicant from a non-U.S. institution | |
|---|---|---|
| Only high school courses and no university courses | Send official U.S. high school transcripts to our office | Have the high school send official transcripts to an evaluation company |
| High school degree plus some university courses | Send only official U.S. university transcripts to our office | Have the university send official transcripts to an evaluation company |
| University Bachelor’s degree | Send official U.S. university transcripts to our office | Have the university send official transcripts to an evaluation company |
Transcript evaluations MUST be completed by an evaluation company who is a member of NACES – information about NACES members can be located here.
The following evaluation companies are recommended:
- World Education Services
- Josef Silny & Associates
- University/college Letter of Acceptance*
- Copy of I-20 form issued by university/college*
*IMPORTANT: Complete applications must be received by the posted deadline. However, the applicant’s I-20 form and Acceptance letter may be pending at the time of application deadline.
NOTE: Applications will be considered incomplete and tuition waiver awards will not be released until all required documents are submitted. NO EXCEPTIONS CAN BE MADE TO THIS RULE.
NOTE: An official transcript is an original document produced by an educational institution, issued in a secured paper or electronic format, reflecting a student’s academic record that includes grades earned and Grade Point Average (GPA). Hard copy transcripts are considered “official” when they arrive in a sealed, stamped, official envelope. Electronic transcripts are considered “official” when they are received from a secure site formally linked to the sending institution.
RENEWAL APPLICANTS
Renewal applicants to the Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Program must submit the following materials by the stated renewal applicant deadline:
- Completed Florida Linkage Institute Tuition Exemption online Application Form.
- Most recent official academic transcript. Official transcripts must be sent directly from your institution. Applicants may request for the transcript to be delivered electronically (secure PDF) or for it to be mailed to the Linkage Institute (see contact information for email options for electronic delivery and physical address for mail delivery).
- A 500 to 700 word essay (12 point font) that describes applicant’s initial academic goals and how these have been achieved during the year, OR how these goals have changed based on the applicant’s experience during the past year.
IMPORTANT: All documents must be RECEIVED by the stated deadline. If the awardee does NOT renew the award by the deadline, the award will be rescinded and the awardee will be required to apply as a new applicant and undergo the review process again.
NOTE: An official transcript is an original document produced by an educational institution, issued in a secured paper or electronic format, reflecting a student’s academic record that includes grades earned and Grade Point Average (GPA). Hard copy transcripts are considered “official” when they arrive in a sealed, stamped, official envelope. Electronic transcripts are considered “official” when they are received from a secure site formally linked to the sending institution.
Total hours requested includes both Fall and Spring semesters. If you are changing programs you must apply as a new applicant and supply an admission letter into that program along with an updated I-20 Form.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS THE TUITION EXEMPTION PROGRAM?
The Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Program is not a monetary award. Those that are awarded will be exempt from paying out-of-state tuition rates. The tuition credit will be processed by the awardee’s institution. Please note, the tuition waiver will only “waive” the out-of state portion of tuition, however the awardee will still be responsible for paying the in-state portion of tuition. In other words, the tuition waiver will allow the awardee to register for classes at the same tuition rate as a Florida resident student.
PROCEDURES AND ELIGIBILITY
You can study any subject as long as you are working toward a degree. The institute does not fund English as a Second Language (ESL) or English for Academic Purpose (EAP) classes.
Once you register for classes, you will be required to submit your class schedule. Your class schedule must include: the award recipient’s name, name of the institution, term of enrollment, course names and number of credit hours per course, and total number of credit hours for the term.
Yes, both public universities and community colleges are eligible for the tuition waiver.
Yes. However, the awardee is responsible for renewing the award each year they are eligible by the stated deadline. If the awardee does NOT renew the award by the stated deadline, the award will be rescinded and the awardee will be required to apply as a new applicant and undergo the review process again.
No. The Linkage award is only applicable to one program at a time. If you expect to graduate from your current program and are considering graduate school (or another program), you will need to apply as a NEW applicant and undergo the review process again. However, if you are changing your undergraduate major and your previous coursework taken while receiving the Linkage waiver award will be applicable to the new major, you may submit a letter from your academic advisor to this effect and maintain your award.
Before completing or terminating your studies in Florida, notify the Institute in writing of your plans to return to your home country.
Exemptions will be granted for twelve (12) undergraduate hours or (9) graduate or graduate/post graduate hours; and the award may be less than requested.
Please contact the Linkage Program Coordinator via email or phone to inform of any changes. In that case, credit hours can be redistributed to other students who need them.
Yes. We always encourage our new applicants to reconsider and strengthen their application for the next application period.
Linkage awards are offered on a YEARLY basis. The application deadline is for the following academic YEAR (both fall and spring). It does not cover the upcoming summer. NOTE: If you are not beginning school until the next spring, you must still apply by the stated deadline.
NO. The Linkage Institute must comply with FERPA regulations. Your privacy is our utmost concern. Any requests or questions made by someone other than you will NOT be answered. To learn more about FERPA, please visit: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/students.html
No. Linkage awards are only offered to you while you are physically here in the state of Florida. If your class schedule is only comprised of online courses, there is no way for the Linkage Institute to verify your presence in the state of Florida. However, if you are registered for lecture courses on campus, AND you are required to take a course that is only offered online, an exception may be made, but you may be asked to provide a letter from an advisor to confirm the need for the online course.
No, you must be a full-time student while receiving the Linkage award. 24 credit hours/year is considered full-time for undergraduates and 18 credit hours/year is considered full-time for graduate students. You may only be a part-time student during your last semester, but you must submit a letter from an advisor confirming your intent to graduate and that your part-time status has been approved by your institution.
Yes, you may take additional credit hours. Note: the waiver award will not apply to these additional credit hours.
No. The EELI/FCLI waiver does not apply to non-credit programs, market rate programs, privately funded programs or any other specially funded programs. Please confirm with your program to determine if the linkage waiver award will apply.
AWARD MAINTENANCE
All Linkage award recipients are required to submit a copy of their class schedule, prior to the first day of classes, and resubmit it if any changes occur after drop/add period. Your class schedule must include: the award recipient’s name, name of the institution, term of enrollment, course names and number of credit hours per course, and total number of credit hours for the term.
All Linkage award recipients are required to submit a copy of their final semester grades. Semester grades must include: the award recipient’s name, name of the institution, the grade earned for each course, and the cumulative/overall Grade Point Average (GPA).
No, only official transcripts will be accepted.
An official transcript is an original document produced by an educational institution, issued in a secured paper or electronic format, reflecting a student’s academic record that includes grades earned and Grade Point Average (GPA). Hard copy transcripts are considered “official” when they arrive in a sealed, stamped, official envelope. Electronic transcripts are considered “official” when they are received from a secure site formally linked to the sending institution.
Transcripts can be requested from your current institution’s Office of the Registrar, either in person or through their website.
Award recipients are required to always maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative/overall Grade Point Average (GPA). Should you fall below that requirement, you will be placed on probation with the Linkage Institute and given one semester to raise your cumulative/overall GPA to the required 3.0. If your academic performance fails to improve your cumulative/overall GPA to the minimum 3.0 by the end of the allotted semester, your Linkage award will be rescinded.
ADDITIONAL CREDIT HOURS
“Yes. These requests can only be made twice per students accepted to the Linkage Institute.
*Note: The requested documents must be received by August 1 for the fall term or December 1 for the spring term. Those closest to graduation will be given first priority. To receive priority, you must submit an “Intent to Graduate” form or a letter from an advisor stating your intent to graduate. Depending on the number of requests, there may be a chance that you are NOT awarded any additional credit hours or the total number of credit hours that you request.
APPLICATION DEADLINES AND REQUIREMENTS
Once documents are reviewed, the Linkage coordinator will email you a confirmation of receipt. Please ensure you have submitted a valid email address. However, your application is ultimately your responsibility, so if you have not heard from the coordinator and the deadline is approaching, it is suggested you follow up to make sure your application is complete BEFORE the deadline. Once the deadline has passed, incomplete applications will NOT be considered.
No, you will only need to provide your latest official academic transcript from the university/college you attended. Please note: Grade Point Average (GPA) must be calculated.
If you have attended a university/college outside the United States (which does not follow the U.S. educational system), you will be required to submit an official transcript evaluation. Transcript evaluations must include a course by course evaluation and a Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation, and be completed by an evaluation company who is a member of NACES (see the “Requirements” section at the top of the page for more details).
Yes. We understand that other institutions may have different deadlines. An official letter of acceptance and an I-20 form may be pending at the time of the Linkage Institute application; however, ALL other documents MUST be received by the stated deadline to be considered.
The Linkage Institute tuition exemption program can be very competitive. Unfortunately, there are times when applicants are NOT chosen for an award. There are a limited number of awards available and the Linkage Institute must rank all new applicants and choose those that are proven to be most exceptional.
The largest portion of a new application review is derived from the Grade Point Average (GPA). The minimum cumulative/overall GPA accepted is 3.0. However, a higher cumulative/overall GPA will increase your chances of receiving an award. Your essay and your letter of recommendation will also be considered.
CONTACT US
Florida-Eastern Europe Linkage Institute
4356 Scorpius Street
Building 139
Orlando, Florida 32816-0130, USA
Phone: +1-407-823-2337
Fax: +1-407-823-2526
Email: eeli@ucf.edu
Florida-Canada Linkage Institute
4356 Scorpius Street
Building 139
Orlando, Florida 32816-0130, USA
Phone: +1-407-823-2337
Fax: +1-407-823-2526
Email: fcli@ucf.edu
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