Please review the eligibility criteria below.
Florida State University allocates funds each year to be used for out-of-state tuition waivers for international undergraduate students in F-1 status at FSU’s main campus who are excelling academically. Students are awarded between 1 to 12 credit hours of tuition waivers based on their FSU GPA. The number of waivers awarded to an individual student each semester depends on the number of applicants and the FSU GPAs of the applicants.
Students receiving the tuition waivers are responsible for paying the in-state portion of their tuition as well as for the fees for the out-of-state credit hours waived. In addition, each student must pay tuition and fees for any additional credit hours not covered by the out-of-state waivers.
Eligibility
- Must be an international undergraduate degree-seeking student in F-1 visa status at FSU’s main campus who has completed at least one full-time semester at FSU, with at least 12 graded credits. New students beginning in the summer must enroll in either 12 graded credits (beginning Summer A/C) or 9 graded credits (beginning Summer B) to be eligible to apply for fall waivers.
- Must have an FSU cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 OR at least a 3.5 GPA for the most recent full-time semester of 12 graded hours or more (9 hours for NEW Summer B students).
- You must apply by the application deadline each semester. Tuition waivers are awarded only for one semester at a time.
- Students awarded an out-of-state tuition reduction scholarship by the FSU admissions office, students receiving the 2+2 Panama scholarship, and students otherwise considered in-state for tuition purposes are NOT ELIGIBLE for out-of-state waivers through this program. However, students with partial tuition scholarships may be eligible for a partial award to bring their total award up to 12 credits, depending on their GPA. Students with the 2+2 scholarship may be eligible during a summer term in which they don’t qualify for the 2+2 award or if they are otherwise eligible and have used the maximum semesters of the 2+2 scholarship.
- FSU Panama students from countries that are not eligible to receive the 2+2 Latin America/Caribbean Scholarship may apply for the CGE’s undergraduate out-of-state tuition waivers. However, a student's cumulative FSU GPA must be at least 3.5 and be based on at least 12 graded credits each semester. If the application is based on the GPA of the most recent semester, there must be at least 12 graded credits.
Important Note:
Tuition waivers are granted based on academic merit. This is a highly competitive award with many applicants. Awards are variable each semester and range from a minimum of 1 credit for a GPA of 3.5 to a maximum of 10-12 for a GPA of 4.0, based solely on GPA not the number of credits enrolled in.
Awardees are notified after the drop/add period ends, and you’ll be able to see the amount of your award on your student account at that time.
Application Process
Eligible international undergraduate students apply for out-of- state tuition waivers using the application link/s below. All applications must be received by the deadline.
|
Award Semester |
Application Window |
Review Timeline |
|
Spring 2025 Award* |
Opens on Friday, October 11 at 5 p.m. |
Waivers are applied directly to the student accounts and students are notified of awards on the fifth day of the semester. |
|
Summer 2025 Award* |
Opens on March 1 |
Waivers are applied directly to the student accounts and students are notified of awards on the fifth day of the semester. |
|
Fall 2025 Award* |
Opens on March 1 |
Waivers are applied directly to the student accounts and students are notified of awards on the fifth day of the semester. |
*You must submit a separate application for summer and fall tuition waivers.
If you have any questions about the Undergraduate Tuition Waiver, please email cge@fsu.edu.
Selection and Award Process
- All applications are reviewed by the Committee for International Undergraduate Tuition Waivers. Awards are variable each semester and range from a minimum of 1 credit to a maximum of 12, based on GPA.
- The CGE notifies students of the committee's decision via email. (No phone calls please).
- Awards will be posted on students’ accounts after the drop/add period and before tuition is due.
Tuition Waivers Q&A
Q: How does the CGE inform students about the application process?
A: The CGE sends an email announcement to all undergraduate international students, reminding them about the out of state waiver application deadlines and eligibility. The CGE may also share the information via newsletter, conversation with a CGE advisor, and the information is posted on the CGE website's Funding section.
Q: Can graduate students apply for the waivers?
A: No, the waivers are only available for undergraduate tuition.
Q: How many undergraduate international students receive awards?
A: Students who meet the required FSU cumulative GPA or recent FSU semester GPA (3.5 and above) will receive a waiver for one or more credits. Students with the highest GPA receive the most waivers.
Q: How much of my tuition is covered by the waivers?
A: A waiver for one out-of-state credit hour is currently worth $481.48. FSU tuition and fee information is on this page. If you receive out-of-state tuition waivers, you are responsible for paying the in-state portion of your tuition and the fees associated with the out-of-state credit hours waived. In addition, you must pay tuition and fees for any out-of-state credit hours not covered by the award.
Q: Can I receive out-of-state tuition waivers for more than 12 credit hours per semester?
A: Not from the CGE. The maximum CGE award covers out-of-state tuition for 12 credit hours, when funds are available. If you have another source of waivers and enroll in more than 12 credit hours, the CGE can award waivers on top of the others if your GPA makes you eligible for such waivers.
Q: What if I have a partial scholarship from another source?
A: Based on your GPA, the CGE might make a partial award.
Q: What if I have an FSU Admissions scholarship, a full Athletics scholarship, or receive waivers from another department?
A: If you have a scholarship that covers all of your out-of-state tuition, there is no benefit to applying for the CGE out-of-state tuition waivers. Only apply if you know that your award has a limit to the number of credit hours covered and you intend to enroll in more credits.
Q: What if I don’t know my GPA at the time the application is due?
A: The CGE reviews applications after semester grades come out. You don’t need to know your GPA to apply. The CGE will obtain the GPA information through the FSU student database.
Q: Would the CGE consider my transfer GPA and allow me to apply for waivers for my first term at FSU?
A: No, the CGE only considers an FSU cumulative GPA or semester GPA. The only exception is for students coming to the Tallahassee campus from the FSU Panama campus who are from countries who are not eligible for the 2+2 Scholarship.
Q: Must I enroll in a full course of study to receive waivers in the summer?
A: No, you are not required to enroll fulltime in the summer. You can receive waivers for part-time summer enrollment. However, the summer term GPA will not be considered as the basis for a fall award unless you enroll in 12 credit hours. Eligibility for a fall award, if you enroll part time in summer, would be based on either your cumulative FSU GPA or your spring semester GPA as long as all spring semester classes were letter-graded (no S/U classes). We will take the higher of the two GPAs to determine eligibility for fall awards.
Q: Will the CGE make an award based on financial hardship?
A: No, the out-of-state waivers are awarded solely based on GPA.
Q: When will I know if I get waivers and how many I will receive?
A: The CGE will send you email after the drop/add period at the beginning of the semester and before tuition is due.
Other Undergraduate Student Scholarships and Funding Options
Although funding for international undergraduate students is extremely limited, more information regarding possible scholarship opportunities for highly gifted individuals can be found at:
