Grades are given for both academics and attendance. Students are required to obtain a passing grade in each course and 90 percent attendance. A passing grade in an associate- or bachelor-level program is a D- or a numerical grade of 60. A passing grade in a master-level program is a C or a numerical grade of 73. The grading scale is as follows.
The grading scale is as follows:
| GRADE | GRADE POINTS (PER CREDIT) | RANGE |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4 | 93-100 |
| A- | 3.75 | 90-92 |
| B+ | 3.25 | 87-89 |
| B | 3 | 83-86 |
| B- | 2.75 | 80-82 |
| C+ | 2.25 | 77-79 |
| C | 2 | 73-76 |
| C- | 1.75 | 70-72 |
| D+ | 1.25 | 67-69 |
| D | 1 | 63-66 |
| D- | 0.75 | 60-62 |
| F | 0 | 0-59 |
| I - Incomplete | 0 |
| GRADE | GRADE POINTS (PER CREDIT) | RANGE |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4 | 93-100 |
| A- | 3.75 | 90-92 |
| B+ | 3.25 | 87-89 |
| B | 3 | 83-86 |
| B- | 2.75 | 80-82 |
| C+ | 2.25 | 77-79 |
| C | 2 | 73-76 |
| C- | 1.75 | 70-72 |
| D | 1 | 60-69 |
| F | 0 | 0-59 |
| I - Incomplete | 0 |
An academic year consists of 32 weeks of instruction. In order to advance to the next grade level (freshman to sophomore, etc.), students must earn a minimum of 24 semester credits during that academic year.
Full Sail does not allow hazing for any reason whatsoever. Students engaging in any potentially harmful activities will be disciplined and may be subject to suspension or termination.
Any disciplinary or administrative action taken according to Full Sail policies may be appealed to an Appeals Committee. Appeals must be submitted in writing to Academic Advisors. The Appeals Committee is convened as required by the Director of Advising and consists of no less than five senior Full Sail administrators including the Program Director for a given student’s particular program of study.
Students attending on-campus courses will earn grades for both academically related activities and attendance. Students in on-campus courses are required to obtain a passing grade in each course and have a minimum of 90 percent attendance in scheduled lectures, seminars, and lab sessions to successfully complete the course.
If unexcused absences exceed 10 percent of a course’s total hours, students will fail the course. In addition, for on-campus courses, an accumulation of five unexcused “tardies” equals one unexcused absence. Leaving class early is considered an unexcused absence.
Students attending online courses will earn grades for academically related activities and academic engagement. Students taking an online course are required to adhere to Full Sail’s Academic Engagement Policy. For students in an online course, Academic Engagement is defined as actively participating in their online course as outlined below, and these activities are monitored regularly.
Weekly Academic Engagement is required for students in all online courses, and failure to demonstrate regular Academic Engagement may place a student at risk of being withdrawn. If a student fails to begin an online course within the University’s LMS within the first week of the course and does not complete any engagement activities within this week, the student may be removed from the course for lack of engagement and will be at risk of being withdrawn from the school.
For online courses, Academic Engagement is defined by completing activities through Full Sail Online, which is the University’s LMS, or across specific Full Sail–approved platforms outside of the LMS. Each online course may be composed of different types of Academic Engagement activities in order to fulfill its specific educational objectives.
Academic Engagement in an online course includes but is not limited to the following academic activities:
Graduates of Full Sail’s Degree Programs may audit (attend without credit) any current course in their degree program with permission of the Director of Student Affairs. Auditing is allowed on an available-seating basis.
Full Sail reserves the right to affect changes in tuition, textbooks, equipment, administration, schedules, subject matter, faculty and staff, and to teach courses in any order it deems necessary. Students will be notified of such changes. Tuition will not be modified once the enrollment agreement is signed.
Full Sail’s philosophy is to put students in environments with optimal student to instructor ratios. To achieve this, the student to lab specialist ratio in lab settings can vary from six-to-one to twenty-four-to-one, depending on the degree program and the needs of students in a specific lab.
Lectures vary in size from course to course, but the maximum size for a degree program’s core curriculum is 85. In lectures attended by students from multiple degree programs, the maximum number is 120. Although these are Full Sail’s published maximum class sizes, most classes within the degree programs typically range between 36 and 85 students.
Online course sections are limited to a maximum of 25 students per instructor.
One “clock hour” is defined as a period of no less than 50 minutes during which a student participates in a learning activity. The conversion of clock hours to credit hours is calculated on a semester credit hour basis. One semester credit hour is equal to 45 units of academic activities:
One clock hour of Lecture or Lab
One hour of out-of-class work and/or preparation for a Lecture or Lab
A credit hour/unit chart is incorporated into each course syllabus and includes a breakdown of the total number of units for the academic activities in each respective course.
Students are expected to conduct themselves honorably and with dignity at all times. They are responsible for learning and abiding by state and local laws. Conviction for a criminal offense or any behavior reflecting dishonor or discredit on the college is sufficient grounds for termination. In addition, Full Sail reserves the right to terminateenrollment in the event of cheating, disruptive behavior, substance abuse or destruction of property at studios, offices, classrooms, or any other accommodations arranged by Full Sail. Although the mode of dress is casual, shoes, pants and shirts must be worn at all Full Sail-related activities. Discretion, modesty, and good taste are expected at all times.
Each course is assigned a three- or four-letter course prefix that identifies the degree program the class is associated with and a three- or four-digit course suffix that identifies the level, course number, and course version of each course within their respective program.
Students with previous postsecondary education may request credit for previous education.
Those seeking transfer credit from another accredited postsecondary school while attending Full Sail submit a copy of official transcripts to the Document Management Team. To receive transfer credit, students must have successfully completed courses similar in scope and content to Full Sail courses. The submission of a copy of official college transcripts must occur within the first two weeks of attendance at Full Sail. For those classes that begin the first week in a degree program, a copy of official college transcripts must be received before class begins. The right to receive transfer credit for a course is only granted for successful completion of prior education in subjects that have received a grade of C or better. Transfer credits are awarded based on courses already completed and recommendations to attend courses at other institutions cannot be provided. Acceptance of transfer credit may change a student’s eligibility for certain types of financial aid. Full Sail may request additional documentation to verify and/or assess the preparation provided by the issuing institution. In all cases, Full Sail retains the sole discretion to determine the transferability of credits.
Undergraduate, campus-based students are eligible for credit by examination (CE) to earn credit toward graduation. Undergraduate campus students who have work experience or who cannot provide a college transcript prior to the deadline for submission, may take a CE test in each course for which credit is being sought and must obtain a score of 75 percent or better in order to receive credit. CE tests must occur within the first two weeks of attendance at Full Sail. For those classes that begin the first week, the test must be taken before the course begins. A minimum of 25 percent of an undergraduate degree program’s semester hours or equivalent must be taken to receive a degree from Full Sail University. Matriculation agreements with other postsecondary institutions or universities are handled on an individual basis and may negate the usual testing procedure.
CE tests can only be taken one time. There is no fee to take the exam, but it must be scheduled through Enrollment or the Student Success Department prior to the beginning of a course. If a student starts a course, they are no longer eligible to take the CE test for that course.
Graduate, online students who have at least five years of management and/or leadership experience may be eligible for credit by examination. For the following graduate degree programs: Business Intelligence Master of Science, Entertainment Business Master of Science, or Digital Marketing Master of Science, a maximum of five courses may be considered for credit by examination. Prospective students will be asked to submit their undergraduate transcript, a résumé, and a letter of intent to qualify for credit by examination. The final decision to allow CE tests rests with the Program Director of the graduate degree program. Not all courses in these programs are eligible for credit by examination. Students must achieve a score of 85 percent or better in order to receive credit. A majority of the credits required for a graduate degree program must be completed at Full Sail University.
If credit is earned, the tuition and credit hours are revised for the degree program accordingly. Successful completion of a CE test results in a test-out (TO) on the student’s transcript. The credit does not affect the student’s GPA but does count as hours toward graduation and maximum time frame.
CE tests are not available for all courses. Some technical courses may require both a written test and a practical test. Many intermediate and advanced courses in the program’s core curriculum are not eligible for credit by examination. A specific list of courses available for credit by examination may be obtained from the Enrollment team. Credits earned via credit by examination may change a student’s eligibility for certain types of financial aid.
Questions regarding matriculation should be directed to the institution at which continued education is being sought. The transferability of credit from Full Sail to another institution is at the discretion of the accepting institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits will be accepted by another college.
Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester to be considered full-time. Only those credits appropriate to the program of study can be counted when determining enrollment status.
Graduate students must be enrolled in at least 9 credit hours per semester to be considered full-time. Only those credits appropriate to the program of study can be counted when determining enrollment status.
During courses, students are evaluated on their performance through a series of quizzes, exams, and lab evaluations. They are evaluated on theory, technical and practical application, and attitude.
Courses in this catalog are identified by prefixes and numbers that were assigned by Florida’s Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS). This numbering system is used by all public postsecondary institutions in Florida and by participating nonpublic institutions. The major purpose of this system is to facilitate the transfer of courses between participating institutions. Students and administrators can use the online SCNS to obtain course descriptions and specific information about course transfer between participating Florida institutions. This information is at the SCNS website at http://scns.fldoe.org.
Each participating institution controls the title, credit, and content of its own courses and recommends the first digit of the course number to indicate the level at which students normally take the course. Course prefixes and the last three digits of the course numbers are assigned by members of faculty discipline committees appointed for that purpose by the Florida Department of Education in Tallahassee. Individuals nominated to serve on these committees are selected to maintain a representative balance as to type of institution and discipline field or specialization.
The course prefix and each digit in the course number have a meaning in the SCNS. The listing of prefixes and associated courses is referred to as the “SCNS taxonomy.” Descriptions of the content of courses are referred to as “statewide course profiles.”
Lower (Freshman) Level At This Institution
Freshman Composition Skills
Freshman Composition Skills I
No laboratory component in this course
Equivalent courses at different institutions are identified by the same prefixes and same last three digits of the course number and are guaranteed to be transferable between participating institutions that offer the course, with a few exceptions, as listed below in Exceptions to the General Rule for Equivalency.
For example, a freshman composition skills course is offered by 84 different public and nonpublic postsecondary institutions. Each institution uses “ENC_101” to identify its freshman composition skills course. The level code is the first digit and represents the year in which students normally take the course at a specific institution. In the SCNS taxonomy, “ENC” means “English Composition,” the century digit “1” represents “Freshman Composition,” the decade digit “0” represents “Freshman Composition Skills,” and the unit digit “1” represents “Freshman Composition Skills I.”
In the sciences and certain other areas, a “C” or “L” after the course number is known as a lab indicator. The “C” represents a combined lecture and laboratory course that meets in the same place at the same time. The “L” represents a laboratory course or the laboratory part of a course that has the same prefix and course number but meets at a different time or place.
Transfer of any successfully completed course from one participating institution to another is guaranteed in cases where the course to be transferred is equivalent to one offered by the receiving institution. Equivalencies are established by the same prefix and last three digits and comparable faculty credentials at both institutions. For example, ENC 1101 is offered at a community college. The same course is offered at a state university as ENC 2101. A student who has successfully completed ENC 1101 at a Florida College System institution is guaranteed to receive transfer credit for ENC2101 at the state university if the student transfers. The student cannot be required to take ENC 2101 again since ENC 1101 is equivalent to ENC 2101. Transfer credit must be awarded for successfully completed equivalent courses and used by the receiving institution to determine satisfaction of requirements by transfer students on the same basis as credit awarded to the native students. It is the prerogative of the receiving institution, however, to offer transfer credit for courses successfully completed that have not been designated as equivalent. NOTE: Credit generated at institutions on the quarter-term system may not transfer the equivalent number of credits to institutions on the semester-term system. For example, 4.0 quarter hours often transfers as 2.67 semester hours.
The course prefix is a three-letter designator for a major division of an academic discipline, subject matter area, or subcategory of knowledge. The prefix is not intended to identify the department in which a course is offered. Rather, the content of a course determines the assigned prefix to identify the course.
Section 1007.24(7), Florida Statutes, states:
Any student who transfers among postsecondary institutions that are fully accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and that participate in the statewide course numbering system shall be awarded credit by the receiving institution for courses satisfactorily completed by the student at the previous institutions. Credit shall be awarded if the courses are judged by the appropriate statewide course numbering system faculty committees representing school districts, public postsecondary educational institutions, and participating nonpublic postsecondary educational institutions to be academically equivalent to courses offered at the receiving institution, including equivalency of faculty credentials, regardless of the public or nonpublic control of the previous institution. The Department of Education shall ensure that credits to be accepted by a receiving institution are generated in courses for which the faculty possess credentials that are comparable to those required by the accrediting association of the receiving institution. The award of credit may be limited to courses that are entered in the statewide course numbering system. Credits awarded pursuant to this subsection shall satisfy institutional requirements on the same basis as credits awarded to native students.
Since the initial implementation of the SCNS, specific disciplines or types of courses have been excepted from the guarantee of transfer for equivalent courses. These include courses that must be evaluated individually or courses in which the student must be evaluated for mastery of skill and technique. The following courses are exceptions to the general rule for course equivalencies and may not transfer. Transferability is at the discretion of the receiving institution.
The SCNS makes available on its home page (http://scns.fldoe.org) a report entitled “Courses at Nonregionally Accredited Institutions” that contains a comprehensive listing of all nonpublic institution courses in the SCNS inventory, as well as each course’s transfer level and transfer effective date. This report is updated monthly.
Questions about the SCNS and appeals regarding course credit transfer decisions should be directed to Debbie Mills, Director of Student Affairs or to the Florida Department of Education, Office of Articulation, 1401 Turlington Building, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400. Special reports and technical information may be requested by calling the SCNS office at (850) 245-0427 or at http://scns.fldoe.org.
For over 30 years, Full Sail has built relationships within the Entertainment Media Industry and has learned from industry professionals, our alumni and Advisory Board members, those items that are crucial to a successful career. It is the school’s role to ensure that each student understands, accepts, and adheres to specific industry expectations placed upon graduates as they pursue their chosen field. In addition to the school’s widely-respected education, Full Sail is a unique community that promotes the importance of a vital code of conduct, which will allow a student to transition into a successful media professional.
The Global Professionalism Standards (GPS) program is a formal set of standards for professional conduct which reflects the expectations of the industry. While these standards have been represented in the Full Sail Student Manual’s code of conduct since the school’s inception, this expanded program quantifies these terms, allowing students to measure their progress as well as giving them a platform from which excellence can be gauged. These initiatives address the need for students and graduates alike to exhibit a desired level of professionalism thereby ensuring each student a respectful, optimized learning environment, while allowing Full Sail graduates to be viewed as more competitive and better qualified for entering the industry. The GPS contains five main components that will be evaluated throughout the education term as a student. These components are:
Each student’s professional skills will be assessed during their tenure with Full Sail in three areas: Learning Environments, Education, and Community.
In order to graduate from one of Full Sail’s undergraduate degree programs, a student must:
In order to graduate from one of Full Sail’s graduate degree programs, a student must:
In order to graduate from one of Full Sail’s certificate programs, a student must:
In order to earn the Intensive English Certificate of Completion, a student must:
The University may place a financial hold on academic transcripts and/or diplomas when all financial obligations are not fulfilled.
In extenuating circumstances, students may apply for an Interruption of Training (IOT) for 90 days per Academic Year (2 Semesters). Students are required to complete the request form with a Student Advisor, which must include the following information: specific reason for the IOT, date IOT starts (must be equal to first scheduled class day missed), and date of return to classes (cannot exceed 90 days in an Academic Year). An interruption of training will affect the expected graduation date of the program. It is recommended that financial aid recipients considering an Interruption of Training consult their Financial Aid Administrator about the probable effect it will have on projected grant and loan disbursements. While on IOT, students will not receive Federal Direct Loan disbursements (Stafford, Parent Plus, or Grad Plus) for either tuition payment or living expense stipends. Current financial aid funding may change, and future financial aid eligibility may be delayed and changed by the length of time the student is on a leave. A student may be required to complete additional financial aid application forms based on the timing of their IOT within the financial aid period. Only students who maintain satisfactory progress with a GPA of 1.0 or higher will be granted an IOT. Students not communicating and/or not returning to school at the scheduled end of an official IOT are withdrawn.
For students who wish to take an approved interruption of training due to COVID- 19-related concerns or limitations, the University will permit them to take such leave, even if the student notifies the institution of his or her request after the date that the interruption of training has begun. Upon return, students must provide the appropriate documentation for the interruption of training. All other interruption of training requirements apply as outlined in the Interruption of Training policy above.
International students who are studying on the F-1 visa are required to complete at least one full Academic Year (2 semesters) to be eligible for an annual vacation. An annual vacation is allowed only once per year. Students are required to complete the request form with a Student Advisor, which must include the following information: specific reason for the annual vacation, date annual vacation starts (must be equal to the first scheduled class day missed), and date of return to classes (cannot exceed 90 days). F-1 students must intend to register for classes in the academic term following their annual vacation. Annual vacations must be approved by the student’s Academic Advisor and Designated School Official (DSO). Only students who maintain their F-1 status and satisfactory academic progress with a GPA of 1.0 or higher will be granted an annual vacation. Students not communicating and/or not returning to school at the scheduled end of an official annual vacation will be dismissed, and their F-1 visa will be terminated.
International students who are studying on the F-1 visa in the Intensive English program, and who qualify for an annual vacation, must receive annual vacation approval from their Intensive English Program Director, in addition to their Academic Advisor and Designated School Official (DSO).
In an effort to support our students who are members of the armed forces, Full Sail University will allow active military personnel one additional IOT period during a 12-month period. The combined IOT periods cannot exceed 180 days within a 12-month period.
Students must contact a Student Advisor at least 2 weeks prior to returning from their IOT to confirm their return. A Return from IOT form will be initiated by the StudentAdvisor, and the student must be cleared by all departments before a schedule to return to classes is generated. Students returning from IOT should confirm clearance to return with their Student Advisor the week prior to start of new classes. Schedules may be accessed through the Full Sail One site or from a Student Advisor.
Full Sail University’s Institutional Refund Policy has been established in accordance with current state and federal regulations and applicable accrediting standards. A refund to the student or fund source may result from the application of Full Sail University’s Institutional Refund Policy.
Students who are not accepted by the University or cancel enrollment within five (5) business days of Full Sail University’s receipt of a signed enrollment agreement are entitled to a 100% refund of tuition and fees (0% tuition and fees charged).
Students who have not visited Full Sail University prior to enrollment will have the opportunity to cancel all courses without penalty (0% of tuition and fees charged) within three (3) business days following either the regularly scheduled orientation or following a tour of the school.
Under any other circumstances, the $75 registration fee is retained by Full Sail University.
Full Sail University has an established add/drop period that is the first week of each semester. All tuition and fees will be refunded to students who drop within the add/ drop period. After the add/drop period, the tuition and fees for the semester will be charged as follows:
0% of tuition charged
Prior to semester start date
0% of tuition charged
During Add / Drop Period
(first week of semester)
25% of tuition charged
During second week of semester
75% of tuition charged
During third week of semester
100% of tuition charged
After third week of semester
The date from which the refund is calculated is the last date that the student attended a class. Refunds will be made within thirty (30) days of the date that Full Sail University determines that the student has withdrawn. The original source from which monies are received dictates the entity to which monies are to be refunded. In the event of a student’s prolonged illness, accident, death in the family, or other circumstances that make completion of the semester impossible or impractical, the school will attempt to make a fair and reasonable settlement. Full Sail University reserves the right to modify these policies in order to remain in compliance with any changes in the applicable laws and regulations.
If a student is terminated, withdraws, or otherwise fails to complete a semester and received financial aid while enrolled, the Federal Government dictates how refunds (ifapplicable) are repaid.
Students on Trial Periods: Once a student has successfully completed the Trial Period and becomes a regular student, otherwise eligible trial period students become eligible for Title IV, HEA program funds back to the beginning of the payment or loan period, as applicable, including the trial period, and the Title IV Refund Policy and InstitutionalWithdrawal Policy applies.
The return of financial aid is dictated by The Return of Title IV Funds calculation policy. If a refund results from this calculation, federal policy requires that these unearned funds be returned to the applicable Title IV financial aid fund source.
Funds are refunded to the Title IV Programs in the following federally mandated order:
When a student withdrawal involves the repayment of Title IV funds, Full Sail University returns these funds based semesters.
If a student withdraws on or before completing sixty (60) percent of the semester, a portion of the total Title IV funds awarded will be returned. The Return of Title IV Funds calculation may result in the student owing a balance to the Federal Government and, in some cases, to Full Sail University.
Refunds are made within thirty (30) days of the date that the institution determines that the student has withdrawn
If a student is provided with living expense funds originating from a student financial assistance program and the student fails to complete the semester for any reason, the student is required to return the unearned funds. Full Sail will notify the student of the amount owed. If the student fails to satisfy the repayment, he or she will be ineligible for any further federal student financial aid assistance.
Disbursement of living expense funds due to the student may be withheld or delayed pending receipt of payment for any outstanding account balances owed by the student. Students not actively attending classes may not receive living expense disbursements.
Students with an excused absence who are eligible to make up work should contact the appropriate Course Director(s) within seven days to make arrangements.
Due to the nature of on-line courses and the accelerated pace, make-up work is not offered. In extenuating circumstances, the Course Director may choose to allow a short extension for the submission of an assignment, but this must be arranged in advance with the Course Director. Authorization for an extension is solely at the discretion of the Course Director.
Maximum Time Frame for Program Completion
All students are encouraged and expected to complete their education within the maximum time frame (MTF) for their program of study. To complete a program within the maximum time frame, a student will complete the program requirements by attempting no more than 1.5 times the program’s required credit hours, for example:
Additional costs, such as living expenses and tuition, are associated with longer terms of enrollment. A student will also become ineligible for additional student financial aidassistance programs once the maximum time frame is reached or when it becomes apparent that the student will not complete the program requirements within the maximum time frame. Students approaching maximum time frame are encouraged to speak with their academic and financial aid advisors.
A copy of the University’s Annual Security Report (ASR) is distributed annually to all students, faculty, and staff. The ASR can be accessed on the University’s website at thefollowing link:
Prospective students must read the University’s Catalog and Student Manual before enrolling. As part of this requirement, prospective students must review the information in the ASR.
This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occured on-campus; in certain off-campus buldings or property adjacent to andaccessible from campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security and other matters. Prospective students can obtain a copy of the ASR by contacting their Admission Representative or by accessing the link above.
A physical copy of the ASR may be obtained by contacting the Security Department, located in Building 1, Room 120 or by calling (407) 679-0100 ext. 8800.
Full Sail University includes all mandatory program items and fees in tuition as a convenience to our students. However, a student may choose to opt-out of receiving certain program items prior to each payment period. If a student opts-out of receiving an item from the University, the student must still obtain the item by the start of the term. The program items subject to the opt-out can be viewed on the opt-out form available on Full Sail One.
If a student elects to opt-out of any item included on the opt-out form, the student will receive a tuition credit for the item. Opt-out requests must be received prior to the semester start date. Students may not opt-in at a later date in the semester. Once a student opts-out of a mandatory program item, the request cannot be reversed.
Full Sail University serves a large community of diverse individuals. To ensure that all students enjoy a supportive school environment, students may choose to use a Preferred Name, such as a middle name, not necessarily their Legal Name under this policy. This opportunity is also available for international students who want to use an Americanized name, any student who prefers to go by a middle name or shortened first name, and LGBTQ students.
Additionally, when a student notifies the school administration that the student will assert a gender identity that differs from previous representations or records, the school will begin treating the student consistent with the student’s gender identity. There are no legal or medical documents required, nor will the school ask for any documents if the student makes this request.
Students with satisfactory attendance who fail a course are permitted to retake the course. Students must maintain satisfactory progress throughout the second attempt and complete all course work given. If a student withdraws from the University prior to graduation, all weeks of attendance (even repeats for academic failure) will be counted toward the weeks of attendance for percentage of tuition owed.
Students will be assessed a course retake fee of $789 for each course they are required to repeat, effective September 25, 2023.
There are some courses in degree programs that a student must complete within two attempts or that student will be dismissed from the program. This information is provided to the students in the syllabus received on the first day of those classes.
Students should be aware that GPA and pace of completion are affected by course incompletes, withdrawals, or repetitions or transfers of credit from another institution.
included in Credits Attempted and SAP
included in SAP, but not credits attempted
included in credits attempted and SAP
included in credits attempted and SAP
included in credits attempted, SAP and GPA
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE STUDENTS
Undergraduate degree students must successfully complete a course with a grade of D or above. Financial aid students who do not maintain Satisfactory Progress may not be able to receive federal and/or private aid funds until their progress is satisfactory.
To maintain academic progress for the purpose of Satisfactory Progress toward a degree, students must achieve a satisfactory grade point average as well as a satisfactory rate of progress (ROP).
Undergraduate students must achieve the following GPA:
A student’s ROP is calculated by dividing the number of credits earned by the number of credits attempted. For instance, if a student has attempted 110 credits but only successfully earned 75 of those credits, the ROP would be 68.2 percent.
Undergraduate students must also achieve the following ROP:
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be monitored at the end of each semester in order to provide an intervention for those who do not meet the SAP standards. Failure to obtain these averages may result in the student being placed on Academic Probation.
GRADUATE DEGREE STUDENTS
Graduate degree students must successfully complete a course with a grade of C or above. Financial aid students who do not maintain Satisfactory Progress may not be able to receive federal and/or private aid funds until their progress is satisfactory.
To maintain academic progress for the purpose of Satisfactory Progress toward a degree, students must achieve a satisfactory grade point average as well as a satisfactory rate of progress (ROP).
Graduate students must achieve the following GPA:
A student’s ROP is calculated by dividing the number of credits earned by the number of credits attempted. For instance, if a student has attempted 60 credits but only successfully earned 48 of those credits, the ROP would be 80 percent.
Graduate students must also achieve the following ROP:
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be monitored at the end of each semester in order to provide an intervention for those who do not meet the SAP standards. Failure to obtain these averages may result in the student being placed on Academic Probation.
CERTIFICATE STUDENTS
Undergraduate certificate students must successfully complete a course with a grade of D or above. Post-baccalaureate certificate students must successfully complete a course with a grade of C or above. Financial aid students who do not maintain Satisfactory Progress may not be able to receive federal and/or private aid funds until their progress is satisfactory.
To maintain academic progress for the purpose of Satisfactory Progress toward certificate completion, students must achieve a satisfactory grade point average as well as a satisfactory rate of progress (ROP).
Certificate students must achieve the following GPA:
A student’s ROP is calculated by dividing the number of credits earned by the number of credits attempted. Certificate students must achieve the following ROP:
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be monitored at the end of each semester in order to provide an intervention for those who do not meet the SAP standards. Failure to obtain these averages may result in the student being placed on Academic Probation.
INTENSIVE ENGLISH CERTIFICATE STUDENTS
Students in the Intensive English certificate are required to make regular progress in the English language. This requires the following:
Students who do not meet these requirements for progress will be placed on Academic Probation. During this time, students are advised as to the level of improvement or the action necessary to rectify the probationary status through meetings with their advisor(s) and written notification via the Academic Recovery Plan. Students are removed fromAcademic Probation when student progress standards have been met.
Students who do not make academic progress for four terms will be dismissed from the Intensive English certificate. A term at Full Sail University is one month in length. This policy requires that students in Intensive English make continuous progress
and must not fail four terms at any point in the certificate. If a student on the F-1 student visa is dismissed from the Intensive English certificate, his or her SEVIS record and I-20 will be terminated immediately. Students in Intensive English courses may only withdraw from a course based on documented extenuating circumstances.
All withdrawals must be approved by students’ Academic Advisor and International Advisor/designated school official (DSO), if applicable.
Students who do not meet Full Sail grading, attendance, financial, or conduct standards may be placed on probation. During this time, students are advised as to the level of improvement or the action necessary to rectify the probationary status through meetings with their advisor and written notification via the Academic Recovery Plan. Students are removed from probation when satisfactory progress standards have been met. Students who do not meet satisfactory progress requirements at the end of their probationary period are subject to termination.
Progress records are permanently maintained by the school. Grades and attendance for each course are posted on the student’s personal page on the Student Intranet site. Unofficial transcripts of student progress are available by completing a Transcript Request Form.
Parents seeking access to this progress must have students sign an authorization to release records and, that being done, may call the college for a verbal check on academic progress.
Transcript requests must be in writing from the student. To request a transcript, the student may either complete a Transcript Request Form in the Education Reception Area, on the Student Intranet site, or by sending a letter that includes the student’s full name, date of birth, social security number, program of study, and the student’s signature. Requests for transcripts will be processed within 14 days of receipt.Transcripts will be available for pick-up at the Education Reception desk unless instructed otherwise by the student. There is a $5.00 charge for each official transcript.
Students wishing to re-enter school must contact their Academic Advisor. Re-entry will depend on the academic progress made by the student in their previous enrollment at the university. A student who was dismissed or administratively withdrawn by the university may not be eligible for re-entry, depending on the severity of the situation surrounding the withdrawal. To re-enter, a Change of Enrollment (COE) will be initiated by the Academic Advisor and/or COE Assessment Team Member and the student mustbe cleared by all departments before a schedule to return to classes is generated. Re-entry requests must be initiated by the student. Family members may not request a Change of Enrollment (COE) on the student’s behalf. Any balance of tuition must be paid prior to re-entry.
If withdrawn for more than one year, reentering students will be charged the currently applicable tuition price and will be responsible for any increased amounts. Students may receive credit only for the common classes that were passed prior to their withdrawal.
Typically, the re-entry process may require students to make appointments with several different departments; therefore, no less than a 30-day notice is required for a standard re-entry. If a student withdraws with plans to immediately re-enter (for example, due to an IOT for more than 90 days), 60 days notice prior to the intended start/enrollment date is required.
Students are encouraged to discuss academic progress, career goals, suggestions, and/ or concerns with Full Sail staff members and/or administrators. Appointments with an Academic Advisor, the Director of Student Affairs, and/or any other staff member may be scheduled. In the event of a concern, grievance or complaint that is not satisfactorilyaddressed in a meeting with the appropriate staff/faculty member, a student may acquire a complaint form from an Academic Advisor and submit in writing the concern to the Director of Student Affairs. The Director of Student Affairs will review each complaint with all appropriate staff members and provide a written response to the student within 30 days of receiving the grievance.
Schools accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges must have a procedure and operational plan for handling student complaints. If a student does not feel that Full Sail has adequately addressed a complaint or concern, the student may consider contacting the Accrediting Commission. All complaints considered by the Commission must be in written form with permission by the complainant(s) for the Commission to forward a copy of the complaint to the school for a response. The complainant(s) will be kept informed as to the status of the complaint as well as the final resolution by the Commission. Please direct all inquiries to:
A copy of the Commission’s Complaint Form is available at the school and may be obtained by contacting Debbie Mills, Director of Student Affairs.
For information Full Sail’s grievance/complaint policy, please visit:
Out-of-state distance education students participating under SARA, who have completed the internal institutional grievance process and the applicable state grievance process, may appeal non-instructional complaints to the FL-SARA PRDEC Council. For additional information on the complaint process, please visit:
FLORIDA
Students may contact the Commission for Independent Education as the last resort for grievances after all other avenues have been contacted and a satisfactory resolution has not been made.
For students in distance education programs, Full Sail University considers the mailing address provided by students upon enrollment as their location [mailing address]throughout their period of enrollment at the University. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the University within 30 days if their address changes. Students may changetheir address of record in Full Sail One
one.fullsail.edu/support/knowledge_base_articles/administrative/1034
Students receiving veterans benefits with previous postsecondary training or work experience must have this training or work experience evaluated and receive credit when appropriate. An official transcript or documentation of work experience must be sent to the Director of Student Affairs. These students must also successfully complete the final exam for each course to be credited. The Director of Student Affairs evaluates all relevant information, and credit for previous training is granted where appropriate. If credit is given, the training time within the program may be shortened and the tuition reduced accordingly.
A standard system of percentages is used for measuring progress in each course. Students are given periodic examinations, both written and practical. Those receiving veterans benefits are evaluated at the end of each class. In order to maintain satisfactory progress, students must have a 1.0 term GPA at the end of each evaluation period and have a cumulative grade point average at the 25%, mid-point and end of the program that meets the same graduation requirements for all degree program students. Those who do not achieve satisfactory progress at the end of each evaluation are placed on probation for eight weeks. Students who do not achieve satisfactory progress on or before the end of the eight week probation period have their veterans benefits terminated and are subject to termination from Full Sail. In this event, students are responsible for payment of any remaining tuition balance.
Students are responsible for reporting changes in their enrollment status to Full Sail’s certifying official and to the VA. The law requires that education benefits to veterans be discontinued when students cease to maintain satisfactory attendance, progress, or conduct during training.
Students receiving veterans benefits who are dismissed for unsatisfactory progress, poor attendance, misconduct or any other reason must seek re-entry through the Academic Advisors in the Education Department. These students may be re-admitted into the program at the discretion of the Director of Student Affairs. They re-enter under a probationary status and those receiving veterans benefits are evaluated one month after re-entry. A term grade point average of at least 1.0, satisfactory attendance and good conduct are required to continue training and, at that point, students are again eligible to apply for veterans benefits. Students must maintain satisfactory progress and attendance for the remainder of the program. If satisfactory progress is not maintained, veterans benefits are denied and the students are responsible for the balance of the tuition owed.
A student may terminate their enrollment agreement by giving written notice to the Office of Academic Advising at Full Sail University. Withdrawals are subject to the Institutional Refund Policy section of this catalog.
Full Sail University reserves the right to terminate the enrollment agreement in the event of (i) disruptive behavior by a student, (ii) destruction of property by a student, (iii) nonpayment of tuition, (iv) unsatisfactory progress, (v) poor attendance and/or participation, or (vi) failure to satisfactorily complete all required courses prior to attempting 150% of the credit hours required to complete the semester.
A student’s dissatisfaction with or non-receipt of educational services offered by
Full Sail University does not excuse the student from repayment of any private loan, grant, federal loan, or other loan whatsoever made to the student for enrollment and completion of training at Full Sail University.
Full Sail University, located at 3300 University Boulevard, Winter Park, FL 32792, Facility Code 21970110, in accordance with Title 38 U.S. Code § 3679 subsection (e), adoptsthe following additional provisions for any student using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA.
The University will not:
However, to qualify for this provision, students will be required to:
This addendum is true and correct in content and policy. Full Sail University officially adopted this policy in September 2014, but is publishing this statement as part of this addendum and will include this policy in the next edition (November 2019) of its Catalog.