Student Types - Definitions

To increase the chances you find what you are looking for on the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website, we thought we would take a second to explain what each of these mean in our context:

First Time in College Students @ UWF

At first glance, it's an easy question.  "Are you a first time in college student (new freshman) or transfer?"  But, with the readily available access to college credit for students in high school, the answer to that question has become a bit more complicated.

The official determination of whether or not you are a first time in college student is actually determined by state of Florida regulations and not by anything a student has done, or will do in the future.  The basic premise involves the number of college credits earned AFTER a high school graduation. Period.  Follow the logic of the questions below to learn if UWF can classify you as a first time in college student:

1) Will you be attempting college credit for the first time after graduating from high school?
2) Do you have fewer than 12 hours of college/university credit completed AFTER high school graduation?

If you answered “yes” to EITHER question above, UWF is required to process your application as a first time in college student. Your credits will be accurately applied to your record shortly after your first semester at UWF begins.. 

Transfer Students @ UWF

Similarly, state of Florida regulations also determine when UWF can consider you as a transfer candidate for admission. Follow the logic of the questions below to learn if UWF can categorize applicants like yourself as a transfer student:

1) Do you have more than 12 hours of college/university credit completed AFTER you graduated from high school?
2) Do you hold an Associate of Arts degree from a Florida institution of higher education that was conferred AFTER you graduated from high school?

If you answered “yes” to EITHER question, then UWF is required to process your application as a transfer student.  Your credits will be accurately applied to your record shortly after you are admitted to the university, and we will update that record as necessary when a final transcript(s) from your previous institutions is/are received.

Dual Enrollment Students @ UWF

Dual Enrollment students are taking college level work while they are still in high school.  These college credits are a valuable tool for students looking to get a jump on their academic careers.  We often get asked about Dual Enrollment from two perspectives: 1) those students who are taking Dual Enrollment classes at another institution or even in their high schools wondering how we work with the transferring of these credits; or 2) those students who are interested in completing Dual Enrollment credit AT UWF while they are still enrolled in high school (even if the student plans to enroll elsewhere after they graduate)

Returning Students @ UWF

Simply stated, these students had previously enrolled at UWF.  Often, people think they were here too long ago, or they presume we would not have the records any more, or they consider that the credits would proabably no longer be valid, etc.  However, the truth is we still have all that information, and it all still counts.  We are excited to welcome you back and get you back on the right track toward completing your degree at UWF.

International Students @ UWF

The specific definition of "international" students refers to those individuals who are planning to be in the United States on a visa of some kind.  These students, with the exception of green card holders and a small number of specific visa types, are usually foreign and do not have permanent permission to remain in the United States.  In the cases where students are planning to enroll at UWF where their previous academic history was conducted in another country, those students should consider themselves as international students and follow the application instructions accordingly.  US citizens who were educated in other countries are not considered internationals, but these students may want to discuss the admission process with a recruiter as it relates to getting the appropriate credentials and documentation from their education abroad.

Graduate Students @ UWF

Like with many of the other categories, there are blurred lines when it comes to how a student may enroll.  For example, a student seeking a graduate degree in an area of academic deficiency (an English major seeking an MBA) might have to complete some undergraduate prerequisites before they can matriculate into the Graduate School per se.  We recommend anyone seeking a graduate degree, but who already has an undergraduate degree, contact the Graduate School directly.  If there is a need for additional undergraduate coursework, we have built-in communication paths between the two offices to assist you. 

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