Frequently Asked Questions

Students may hold multiple Foundation scholarships simultaneously. If your profile matches the eligibility criteria for more than one fund, the Scholarship Review Committee will evaluate you for each qualifying award. The total combined value of your Foundation scholarships may not exceed the total cost of attendance at your institution minus any other institutional aid, federal grants, or state scholarships you receive. This policy ensures that our funds complement, rather than duplicate, other sources of financial support. In practice, many scholarship recipients hold two or three concurrent Foundation awards, particularly when they qualify for both a merit-based and a need-based fund.

If your cumulative GPA falls below the minimum required for your scholarship (typically 3.0 to 3.3, depending on the specific fund), you will receive a written notification from the Student Success office at the end of the semester. You will then be placed on a one-semester academic probation period during which your scholarship is maintained at 50% of the full disbursement. If your GPA recovers to the required threshold by the end of the probation semester, full funding is restored. If your GPA does not recover, the scholarship is suspended, but you may reapply in the following annual application cycle. The Foundation also provides free academic coaching and tutoring through the Academic Success Center to help scholarship recipients maintain their standing.

Yes. While our service area residency requirement means you must reside in or have graduated from a high school in Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, DeSoto, or Hardee counties, you may use Foundation scholarship funds at any accredited post-secondary institution in the United States. Many of our scholars attend colleges and universities across the country, including institutions in other states. Scholarship disbursements are sent directly to the financial aid office of your enrolled institution.

No. All Foundation academic programs are offered at no cost to participants. The College Bridge Intensive covers housing, meals, instructional materials, campus tour transportation, and college application fee waivers. The SAT/ACT Preparation Clinic provides all study materials, practice tests, and one official exam registration-fee waiver. The Data Science Bootcamp supplies laptops for students who need them. The Coastal Science Research Fellowship covers laboratory equipment, field station access, reagents, conference fees, and provides a $3,200 annual stipend. This no-cost model is central to the Foundation's mission of removing financial barriers to academic preparation and enrichment.

The College Bridge Intensive is a six-week residential program that typically runs from mid-June through late July. Participants live on campus and follow a structured daily schedule that includes morning coursework (three hours), afternoon workshops and advising sessions (two hours), supervised study periods, and organized social and recreational activities. Evenings are reserved for independent study and optional enrichment programming. Weekends include scheduled college campus visits, community building activities, and personal time. Because the program is residential and immersive, participants should plan to be on campus for the full six-week duration. We understand this is a significant commitment and recommend that applicants discuss the schedule with their families and employers before applying.

The three college credits awarded upon successful completion of the Bridge capstone project are formally recognized by all institutions within the Florida State University System, including the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of Central Florida, the University of South Florida, and New College of Florida. For institutions outside the Florida state system, transferability depends on the receiving institution's policies regarding external credit. We recommend that students contact their intended college's admissions or registrar office to confirm credit acceptance. The Foundation provides official transcripts and course descriptions upon request to facilitate the evaluation process.

The New College Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is not a unit, department, or affiliate of New College of Florida, the Florida State University System, or any government agency. While we maintain collaborative partnerships with several post-secondary institutions in the region, including New College of Florida, the Foundation is governed by its own independent Board of Trustees, maintains its own endowment and finances, and sets its own programmatic priorities. Our name reflects our founding mission to support students entering college from the Gulf Coast community.

The New College Foundation is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization under Employer Identification Number 59-3841027. We are also registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under charitable solicitation registration number CH-48201. Our most recent IRS Form 990 and independent audit report are available upon request from our office. You may also verify our status through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool and review our public profile on GuideStar (Candid), where we hold Gold Seal of Transparency status. For additional questions about our governance or finances, please contact our Executive Director, Dr. Rachel Simmons, at (941) 555-0276.

Most corporate matching gift programs will match contributions to the New College Foundation, as we are a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization. To initiate a matching gift, check with your employer's human resources or corporate social responsibility department to obtain the required matching gift form. Complete the form and submit it to us along with your donation, or ask your company to submit it electronically. We will verify your contribution and return the completed form to your employer for processing. If you are unsure whether your company participates in a matching gift program, our Development team can help you research your employer's policies. Contact Michael Tran at (941) 555-0276 ext. 3.

The Foundation takes data privacy seriously and has implemented comprehensive policies to safeguard the personal information of applicants, scholarship recipients, and donors. All applicant data, including academic records, financial documentation, and personal essays, is stored in encrypted databases with role-based access controls. Only authorized staff members and members of the Scholarship Review Committee access applicant files, and all committee members sign confidentiality agreements. Donor information is never sold, rented, or shared with third parties without explicit written consent. For a complete description of our data practices, please review our Privacy Policy.