Students who are eligible for exemptions are not required to pay standard tuition and fees associated with the course for which they have enrolled. These exemptions apply only to tuition and fees, and students will be responsible for other applicable charges, including course materials and travel expenses associated with study abroad. 

Homeless Exemption

In accordance with Florida Statute 1009.25 (1) (f), 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, a public or private transitional living program, or a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. This includes a student who would otherwise meet the requirements of this paragraph, as determined by a college or university, but for his or her residence in college or university dormitory housing.

To petition for the homelessness exemption, submit documentation for verification to the College through the Answer Center. 

• Documentation is a letter, on official letterhead which includes contact information (address, telephone, and email), from an agency or organization designed to provide temporary residence or transitional living programs signed by a representative of the agency/organization which includes printed name and title.

• New documentation is required for each term of enrollment and should be dated no earlier than 45 days prior to and no later than 30 days from the start date of the full academic term as listed in the Important Dates and Deadlines Calendar.

• High school graduating seniors who enroll in the fall term immediately following high school graduation may provide McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act documentation from their high school liaison.  For each subsequent academic term of enrollment, students will need to submit new documentation.  Documentation is a letter, on official letterhead which includes contact information (address, telephone, and email), from an agency or organization designed to provide temporary residence or transitional living programs signed by a representative of the agency/organization which includes printed name and title.

• Students will be notified via their Atlas email account of the approval or denial of the exemption.

• The exemption will be applied to the student’s account for the appropriate tuition and fees charges.

• A staff member will reach out to students via their Atlas email to offer additional academic support and student success resources.

If a student no longer qualifies for the Homeless Exemption, he or she is required to meet the Florida Residency for Tuition Purposes reclassification criteria for in-state tuition. This criteria can be found at https://catalog.valenciacollege.edu/admissions/floridaresidency/.

Department of Children and Family Services Exemption (Relative Caregiver /Adoption)

In accordance with Florida Statute 1009.25 (1) (d), A student who is or was at the time he or she reached 18 years of age in the custody of a relative or nonrelative under Florida Statute 39.5085 or who was adopted from the Department of Children and Families after May 5, 1997 are exempt from the payment of tuition and fees. The exemption remains valid until the student reaches 28 years of age.

To petition for the Department of Children and Family Services Exemption students should submit documentation for verification to the Answer Center. 

• Upon verifying the documentation, the College will apply the appropriate exemption to the student’s account for the appropriate tuition and fees.  This exemption is for tuition and fees only.

• Students will be notified via their Atlas email account of the approval or denial of the exemption.

• A staff member will reach out to students via their Atlas email address to offer additional academic support and student success resources.

• After the initial verification and processing of documentation, students do not need to submit documentation for subsequent academic terms. The exemption will remain in place until the student reaches 28 years of age. Note: If a student’s 28^th birthday falls prior to the first day of the term, the exemption is no longer valid.

Space Available Waivers

Registration under any of the course waivers is limited to “space availability” and will only be allowed after the date listed in the Important Dates and Deadlines Calendar in the online official catalog. Internship and independent study classes are excluded from these waivers. If you register for the course prior to the allowed registration period, or given a capacity override, you will not be eligible to use any space available waiver for the course, even if the course is dropped from your record.

It is the responsibility of the individual requesting these waivers to complete Valencia’s Application for Admission and pay the non-refundable and non-transferable application fee prior to registering for classes.

Refer to sections below for specific qualifications and restrictions related to these waivers. 

Senior Citizens Waiver

Students who are classified as a Florida resident for tuition purposes age 60 years or older are eligible for Valencia’s tuition waiver up to a maximum of 6 credit hours per term. The waiver includes tuition and standard course fees. Any special fee or distance learning fee associated with a course will be the responsibility of the individual requesting the waiver. Registration using this waiver is limited to "audit" only; classes may not be taken for grades or academic credit. To use the Senior Citizens Waiver, the senior citizen must register and on the day of registration visit a campus Business Office with documentation of age (such as a driver’s license) and a completed Senior Citizen Tuition Waiver/Certification Form in order to receive the waiver. All special fees and distance learning fees must be paid at this time.

State Employee Waiver

Full-time employees of the executive, legislative or judicial branch of Florida’s government are eligible for a State Employee Waiver as defined in Florida Statute 1009.265(5). Employees of state universities are not eligible for this benefit. Eligible employees may have tuition and course fees waived for a maximum of 6 credit hours per term. To use the waiver, the state employee must register for classes, then visit any campus Business Office to provide eligibility verification from their State employer in order to receive the waiver.

Classroom Teacher Employee Waiver

Full-time classroom teachers, as defined in Florida Statute 1001.02(2)(a), employed by a school district are eligible for a Classroom Teacher Employee Waiver. Such courses are limited to undergraduate courses related to special education, mathematics, or science as established in the Course Prefix Listing Approved for the Teacher Waiver approved by the Florida Department of Education. In accordance with Florida Statute 1009.26(10), the waiver may not be used for courses scheduled during the school district’s regular school day.  Eligible employees may have tuition and course fees waived for a maximum of 6 credit hours per term. To use the Classroom Teacher waiver, a classroom teacher must register for the specially designated classes, then visit any campus Business Office with a completed Authorization for Classroom Teacher Tuition Waiver form to provide eligibility verification from your employer in order to receive the waiver.

Note: If you register for the course prior to the allowed registration period, you will not be eligible to use the waiver for the course, even if the course is dropped from your record.