By Timothy Fanning
The USF system announced Friday that all out-of-state fees will be waived for the Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 semesters for students who have permanent residence in either Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to USF System, this is being done in order to assist families who may have been affected by the recent hurricane. The decision will allow those students to pay the same amount of tuition and fees during those semesters as Florida students.
This was in response to Gov. Rick Scott’s call to assist those impacted by the recent devastating hurricanes in the Caribbean.
“The recent hurricanes have created unprecedented challenges for some members of the USF community and their families. Our thoughts remain with our students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and it’s important for us to come together and do what we can to help those who have been impacted. I commend Governor Scott for putting this idea forward,” Genshaft said in a written statement.
USF will identify all enrolled eligible students who have already paid the out-of-state fee for the Fall semester and provide them with information on how to apply for the waiver.
“We’ll continue to welcome students from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands into our family at USF St. Petersburg, and will look for additional ways to support them during this difficult time,” said Martin Tadlock, interim regional vice chancellor.
Current and prospective USF System students with questions about eligibility for this waiver can contact their financial aid office:
(727) 873-4128
Above image caption: Members of the community of Miñi Miñi use diggers to help get their neighbors out of flooded areas. Loíza is a coastal municipality that got severely affected by Hurricane Maria. COURTESY of Yuisa Rios | Federal Emergency Management Agency
