Soar in 4

Florida Gulf Coast University offers first-time-in-college (FTIC) students an incentive to graduate within four years provided that students complete a certain set of requirements during their time here. This includes: (1) meeting with an Academic Advisor at least once a year, every year; (2)  declaring a major within the first year; (3) meeting with a Career Adviser in Career Development Services and attending an event hosted by this office; and (4) completing an internship or co-operative experience. Students are also required to graduate within four years and obtain employment in the State of Florida within six months of graduation earning at least $25,000.00.  If a student adheres to these requirements, FGCU will rebate first-year, out-of-pocket, tuition expenses for up to 30 credit hours.

Students' Soar in 4 rebates are calculated by subtracting Gift Aid from the Total Tuition charged during the First Year for up to thirty credit hours. When calculating your rebate, any payment posted to your student account that is not out-of-pocket will be considered to be Gift Aid. Some examples would be scholarships, grants, waivers, third party payments and veteran benefits. The first example below is for a student paying In-State Tuition and the second example is for a student paying Out-of-State Tuition.

Based upon out-of-pocket tuition expenses, it is possible that a student may meet the Eligibility Criteria and complete all Qualifying Activities as a part of the Rebate Criteria, but have $0 as their Rebate Amount.

If you are a degree-seeking FTIC student admitted to Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) during or after the summer 2015 term, then you are considered as eligible. This includes international and out-of-state students. Students can also view their eligibility in Gulfline by selecting the Student tab, followed by Soar in 4: The Governor's Challenge. Students who have transferred from other institutions or those who have entered FGCU after 2021 are not eligible. 

The Rebate Criteria are defined as activities that must be completed for a student to be awarded a Soar in 4 rebate. These are as follows:

1. Receiving academic advising on major selection and the sequencing of degree requirements to stay on track for timely graduate within four years once per year throughout their four years.
2. Selecting a major during the First Year.
3. Utilizing FGCU Career Development Services, including:
   • In-person advising on career decision making, career prospects, resume preparation, interview techniques, career choices, etc.; and
   • Participation in at least one recruitment event hosted by Career Development Services or the Office of Internships and Cooperative Programs.
4. Participating in internships, co-op work experiences, or other similar opportunities with potential employers.
5. Graduating from FGCU in four years or less.
6. Attaining Full-Time Employment (including military service) of at least thirty-five hours per week in Florida within six months of graduation with an annualized salary of $25,000 or higher.

Students can access their Rebate Amount through Gulfline by selecting the Student tab, followed by Soar in 4: The Governor's Challenge. Rebate amounts are calculated after the students' first three terms are completed, including summer. For example, a student who started in the summer 2015 semester will be able to view their rebate after the spring 2016 semester has been completed (summer 2015, fall 2015, spring 2016.) If a student has not yet completed their first three terms, this page will read that it is too early to calculate their rebate amount and they will need to check back once their first three semesters have been completed. 

Please see a full list of admission terms and the corresponding graduation terms below. If a degree program takes you longer than four years to complete (even by one semester), then you will not be eligible for the rebate program.  Students should work with an advisor to be proactive and stay on track for a timely graduation.

If you completed your internship through enrollment in an internship course, a grade of C or better, or S (satisfactory), will allow for this requirement to be marked as complete on your Progress Page. If you are currently enrolled in an internship course, completion of this course with a grade of C or better, or  S (satisfactory), will allow for this requirement to be marked as complete. If you completed an internship without enrolling in an internship course, please complete the Soar in 4 Internship Form.

Students will need to submit a Soar in 4 Rebate Application along with all requested documentation within one (1) year of your graduation date. Students should send a email to SoarIn4@fgcu.edu with the subject line "Ready to Submit Rebate Application" to begin this process and complete the Rebate Application electronically. 

• U S Citizens and Resident Aliens should complete and submit a Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification.
• Non-Resident Aliens should complete and submit a Form W-8BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United State Tax Withholding and Reporting (Individuals).

• For U S Citizens and Resident Aliens, the rebate will be reported to the IRS on Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income if the total rebate is in excess of $600.
• For Non-Resident Aliens, the entire rebate will be reported to the IRS on Form 1042-S, Foreign Person’s U S Source Income Subject to Withholding.

Non-compliance with any and all of the Rebate Criteria may affect students’ ability to receive a rebate under this program. Upon receiving notice that the student has not met the Rebate Criteria to receive a tuition rebate, they will be allowed to request a re-evaluation of the rebate Application by submitting a Denial of Rebate Re-Evaluation Form.

The Rebate Criteria are defined as activities that must be completed for a student to be awarded a Soar in 4 rebate. These are as follows:

1. Receiving academic advising on major selection and the sequencing of degree requirements to stay on track for timely graduate within four years once per year throughout their four years.
2. Selecting a major during the First Year.
3. Utilizing FGCU Career Development Services, including:
   • In-person advising on career decision making, career prospects, resume preparation, interview techniques, career choices, etc.; and
   • Participation in at least one recruitment event hosted by Career Development Services or the Office of Internships and Cooperative Programs.
4. Participating in internships, co-op work experiences, or other similar opportunities with potential employers.
5. Graduating from FGCU in four years or less.
6. Attaining Full-Time Employment (including military service) of at least thirty-five hours per week in Florida within six months of graduation with an annualized salary of $25,000 or higher.

Parents can have conversations with their student early in their college career to ensure that they are taking the appropriate steps to Soar in 4. The topics of these conversations may include...

• Meeting with an Academic Advisor at least once a year, every year
• Choosing a major that is best with your student's interest and strengths 
• Making sure that a major is chosen within the first year, which are the first three semesters including summer
• Encouraging your student to take a minimum of 15 credit hours per semester
• Asking your student about meeting with Career Development Services and attending an event hosted by this office
• Ensuring that your student has confirmed with their Academic Advisor that they are taking the courses needed to graduate in four years 

We can be reached at (239) 745-4637 or you may email us anytime at soarin4@fgcu.edu