In order to officially accept your invitation to the Gator Engineering at State College of Florida program, please complete and submit our confirmation form. The confirmation deadline is May 1st.

This program is the first of its kind in the region – a result of a collaboration between the University of Florida (UF), the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering (HWCOE), and State College of Florida (SCF). This program allows a cohort of students to take their critical tracking courses at SCF Venice, with smaller class sizes and more personal attention, while pursuing a UF Engineering degree.

Gator Engineering at State College of Florida students will be given specific programming opportunities only afforded to those participating in the program. This may include undergraduate research, specialized programming, early connections with UF faculty, special visits to UF, and one-on-one advising from both SCF and UF.

Students are invited to participate in this program in response to their application to UF for freshman admission. Gator Engineering at State College of Florida students will enroll as SCF students during their first fall and spring semester and will be admitted to UF based upon meeting specific GPA and critical tracking course requirements as set by the HWCOE. After the first fall and spring semesters, students will continue taking classes at SCF, but will be UF students. This is unlike a traditional transfer program wherein students are required to apply and are admitted based on meeting the pre-requisites and subject to available space. Traditional transfer students are not guaranteed admission.

All students must earn and maintain semester and cumulative GPAs of 2.0 or higher. Students must also earn and maintain the required critical tracking GPA for their major and must earn a minimum grade of C in all critical tracking courses based on a maximum of two attempts (including withdrawals). Students can double-attempt up to three critical tracking courses. The critical tracking GPA requirement varies among the majors and is calculated based on the UF grading scale. For example, students must take at least one critical tracking course during the first fall semester and earn the required semester, cumulative and critical tracking grade point averages for their major to be considered on track at the end of the first semester. The required critical tracking courses and GPA for each major are listed in the chart below. 

Click on the chart for an expanded view of critical tracking course and GPA requirements.  

You will be considered a SCF student during your first fall and spring semesters of study. Students who meet the critical tracking course requirements after the first fall and spring semesters will become a UF student in their second fall semester of study. If critical tracking course requirements are not met after the first fall semester, those students will be reevaluated at the end of the spring semester; UF admission will be granted based on adequate progress through critical tracking courses.

This program was developed in recognition of the fact that UF is forced to turn away many hard working and gifted pre-engineering freshman applicants each year due to space restrictions. This program gives select students the chance to take their critical tracking courses at SCF, in a smaller class setting with more one-on-one attention, and the opportunity to be UF admitted as soon as their second fall semester based on their performance in those courses. Due to the student’s admission to UF being based on their first fall and spring semester performance, they are unable to be considered a UF student during their first two semesters.

No. When you confirm your participation in the program, you will submit a consent form giving UF permission to share your application data with SCF.  This will serve as your application to SCF.

As long as you successfully meet the critical tracking course requirements, you will be admitted to UF without having to reapply. However, if you do not remain in the program but you still wish to pursue a degree at UF, you will have to reapply to UF as a transfer student once you complete the traditional transfer requirements at SCF.

Yes. Pending successful completion of critical tracking courses, the courses taken at SCF will be applied to your UF degree. The courses taken at UF will be shared with SCF so that you will be awarded your A.A. degree from SCF.

Yes. Upon completion of the requirements for the associate degree, you will earn an A.A. degree from SCF.

Students in tracks that do not have a summer semester built in can take courses during the summer in order to move faster through the program. Students may also have the opportunity to begin courses before the first fall semester.

Students will have advising available to them from both SCF and UF. Dedicated academic advisors from both SCF and UF work closely together to provide the most appropriate academic guidance to students in the program. In addition, once students are admitted to UF, they will have access to the academic advisors for their major.

After your first fall semester, you can take one UF course online (Fundamentals of the New Engineer) in the first spring. If needed, you will work with your advisors to find the most appropriate UF course to enroll in for the second fall semester. With the approval of your advisor and contingent on your critical tracking progress, you may be able to take other UF courses offered online. 

You will need to either submit or adjust your FAFSA to include the FAFSA codes for both UF (001535) AND SCF (001504).

Yes, once you begin taking courses at both institutions you will have a bill for tuition and fees from both SCF and UF. Both SCF and UF have cost of attendance websites to help you estimate what your bills will be. You will pay SCF tuition and fees for SCF courses and UF tuition and fees for UF courses.

You can visit http://www.scf.edu/StudentServices/FinancialAid/Scholarships/ for scholarship information while you are a student at SCF. Once admitted to UF, students are eligible to apply for HWCOE scholarships.

If you do not meet the critical tracking course requirements, you will be placed on probation and will remain an SCF student during the first spring term. If at the end of the spring term you remove yourself from probation, you will then be admitted as a UF student. If you are not able to remove yourself from probation by the end of the second fall semester, you will have the option to complete your A.A. degree and apply to UF as a traditional transfer student.

If you decide that you want to pursue a different Engineering major offered within the program, you may do so. If this happens while taking classes at SCF, you must notify the Gator Engineering at State College of Florida academic advisor as well as the program coordinator.

If you decide to pursue an Engineering major not offered within the program, you must leave the program and pursue courses at SCF or elsewhere with the intention of applying to UF through the traditional transfer admissions process.

If you wish to change to a different Engineering major after you have been admitted to UF, you must consult with your intended major to determine their admissions policies as it is at the department’s discretion; some majors will allow it and some will not.

It is extremely important that you discuss these decisions with your advisor and the program coordinator prior to making any changes to your program of study.

If you decide that Engineering isn’t for you while taking classes at SCF, you can switch into any other degree program that SCF offers. However, this will revoke your UF admission through the Gator Engineering at State College of Florida program, and you must go through the traditional transfer application route for your program of choice.

For more information please visit us at https://www.eng.ufl.edu/gescf or email us at partnership@eng.ufl.edu.

No. Aerospace Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Digital Arts & Sciences, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering are the only majors that are a part of the program at this time.

If a student wants to study a different engineering major (for example, Civil Engineering) and indicates that on their application, they will never be considered for the Gator Engineering at State College of Florida program. Only students who have indicated one of the majors offered as part of this program and are invited to participate in the program can be a part of Gator Engineering at State College of Florida.

Once you have fully matriculated to UF, you can pursue a double major contingent upon the requirements of the two majors.

No. SCF does not have residential facilities. However, there are several local apartment complexes available for rentals.

Yes. Students can take courses at SCF or any other two-year college during the summer. Connect with your program advisor for details on transient status and impacts for financial aid.

Students are evaluated at the end of the first fall and spring semesters to see if they have met the first and second semester tracking requirements for their major. If they have, they are guaranteed admission to UF for their second fall semester. If a student has not met the first semester tracking requirements for their major, they are placed on probation in the program. They continue as a SCF student for the spring semester and are then re-evaluated at the end of the spring semester. If a student has not removed themselves from probation by the end of the third semester (second fall semester), they have the option to remain at SCF as an SCF student to complete their AA degree and then apply as a transfer student via the traditional transfer admissions process.

You will earn the same credits for these types of courses/tests as any other State College of Florida or University of Florida student. Both institutions have websites that show the credit awarded for the various courses and test scores.

Yes. Job shadowing and internship opportunities will be available through the program. The first experiences for students will begin while attending SCF. Students will work with UF Innovation Station representatives who have various points of contact in the community to establish partnerships and opportunities for students.