COVID-19 Student FAQs

Yes! Registration is open for all spring courses. You will need to complete all the processes required to get registered before you sign up for classes.

Santa Fe College gives students several options for spring semester classes.

• Classes for spring, spring A and spring D begin Tuesday, Jan. 5.
• Classes for spring E will begin Tuesday, Jan. 19.
• Classes for spring B begin Monday, March 1.

Tuition and fees for spring, spring A and spring D classes are due Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. Students taking spring E classes need to pay tuition and fees by Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Fees for spring B classes are due Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. Visit the SF Ways to Pay page to learn about financial aid, discounted tuition or self-pay options to help keep your class schedule. Students who register for classes after the fees due date will need to pay for their fees by the next day.

SF is offering classes in-person, online and hybrid options. Course options for spring are:

1. On-campus courses requiring regular attendance
2. Online courses with no on-campus attendance requirements
3. Traditional hybrid courses that combine on-campus and online instruction
4. Virtualized hybrid courses with no on-campus attendance but required virtual attendance on specific days and time using technology like Zoom or Microsoft Teams

Hybrid courses have reduced time spent in the classroom and either (a) the rest of the work may be done online or (b) the rest of the meeting time takes place in real-time using technology like Zoom.

Learn more by reviewing the spring 2021 class schedule and register for classes via eSantaFe.

Using eSantaFe's Register for Classes tool, 

On campus sections are listed with a day/time and campus, building and room number – listing a specific location where the course meets in person. Here is an example:

Online sections do not have a day/time listed (Online Info is listed in place of a date/time) and their location is listed as Online - as these do not have an in-person requirement. Online sections have an “M” in their section number:

Traditional hybrid sections are listed with a day/time and campus, building and room number – listing a specific location where the course meets in person. These sections are marked with a “Hybrid Info” link that will explain how this section will work:

Virtualized hybrid sections are listed with the day/time the class meets virtually - not in person - and the location is a campus/center name with the *S-YNC entry to denote a synchronous course that only meets online at the set day/time. These sections are also labeled the “Hybrid Info” under the time, and have an addition Hybrid/Virtual label on the right side of the entry:

Yes. Santa Fe College (SF) has a limited number of laptop computers and webcams to loan students taking online or hybrid courses. These are only available while supplies last. Complete the COVID-19 Laptop Loan application.

Advisors may meet with students in person or remotely, using video calls and telephone calls. Students should contact their advisor by phone or email to schedule an advising session, Students can also schedule an appointment to meet with any available advisor through the Academic Advisement Center.

Consistent with CDC guidelines, prior to coming to any SF location, students should perform a self-assessment, and may not come to campus if they have any symptoms of COVID-19. Students should immediately depart campus if they start to feel sick or experience symptoms while at SF. While on campus, until further notice, students are required to wear a cloth face covering, practice physical distancing (maintain 6 feet between you and another person), and wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, please complete this form and notify your instructors in Canvas that your exposure may affect you and your classwork.

At this point, SF expects Subway, located in the Food Court, to be open for spring. Students can also get grab-and-go meals at Café 101 in the Tyree Library.

Online sections with an “M” in their section number (for example, ENC1101.0M1) will have a distance learning fee attached as usual. Standard Hybrid and Virtualized hybrid courses will not have a distance learning fee attached but may have a lab fee to cover ancillary costs of the course, including tutoring, software specialized for specific courses or disciplines, traditional labs, mobile lab kits and supplies that may be distributed by your instructor, and/or other ways of providing lab activities through simulation or virtualization.

All money owed from previous semesters must be paid in order to register for spring classes. Payment toward outstanding obligations can be made by contacting the Cashier’s Office at cashier@sfcollege.edu or 352-395-5227.

Santa Fe College is not requiring COVID-19 testing for all students.  Students enrolled in specific academic programs and student athletes will be required to be tested; this information will come from department chairs, faculty and coaches. 

In addition to traditional on-campus courses, SF will offer numerous classes that either do not require campus attendance or that have reduced campus attendance. Course options for fall are:

1. On-campus courses requiring regular attendance
2. Online courses with no on-campus attendance requirements
3. Traditional hybrid courses that combine on-campus and online instruction
4. Virtualized hybrid courses with no on-campus attendance but required virtual attendance on specific days and time using technology like Zoom or Microsoft Teams

Hybrid courses have reduced time spent in the classroom and either (a) the rest of the work may be done online or (b) the rest of the meeting time takes place in real-time using technology like Zoom.

Learn more by reviewing the spring 2021 class schedule and register for classes via eSantaFe.

Santa Fe College continues to provide student services virtually, with some services in person, but with limited availability or by appointment only. 

RTS bus routes are currently running as scheduled. Please check the RTS website for schedule updates.

Health and mental health resources for students are available via the Counseling Center and the Student Health Care Center, both of which are providing services remotely. For staff, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides free resources including tips for coping, counseling and other referral services to name a few.  The EAP is available to all full and part time employees of the college and their dependents.  To access your EAP benefits you will need the company code, which is available by contacting Human Resources at 352-395-5185 or the Santa Fe College Police Department after hours at 352-395-5519. 

SF’s Center for Academic Technologies and Training has a new webpage – Learn Online Now – with resources for students, as well as HonorLock directions, information about Zoom, and the Learning Commons Zoom links for online tutoring and academic success coaches.

Student Support  

1. The SF Counseling Center is available to support students experiencing high anxiety. 
2. Student Affairs staff are available to meet with self-isolated students by telephone or by video conference. 
3. The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs 352-395-5955 is available to provide support and information to any student needed to self-quarantine and concerned about the implications on their classes. 
4. Our Police Department 352-395-5519 is also available to provide support and/or guidance during non-business hours. 

Employee Support  

1. Our Employee Assistance Plan is available for all full-time and part time faculty and staff who may be experiencing increased anxiety. 
2. Our Human Resources office 352-395-5420 is available to provide information and support for employees who need to self-quarantine or have concerns regarding leave and/or absences. 
3. Our Police Department 352-395-5519 is also available to provide support and/or guidance during non-business hours. 

Travel Information 

1. We are not permitting students, faculty nor staff who have recently travelled abroad to any of the CDC identified countries to go on any SF campus or center. 
2. We require that all students, faculty, and staff who have recently traveled to any of the CDC identified countries to self-quarantine for 14 days. 
3. We require that any and all student, faculty or staff member who has been in close contact with anyone who has recently traveled to any of the CDC identified countries or is showing potential symptoms of COVID-19 to self-quarantine for 14 days. 

Sanitation on Campus 

1. Our Facilities department has cleaned, disinfected and sanitized all classrooms, offices and high touch surfaces in every building on the Northwest Campus and all SF centers. 
2. We have purchased additional cleaning products and disinfectants.  
3. We are installing “sneeze guards” at front desk areas, public performance and exhibit spaces.
4. When the college returns to on-campus activities, we will continue to encourage students, faculty and staff to clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in their workspace. 
5. Our faculty members are prepared to help self-quarantined students stay on track with their courses. 

Preventative Measures  

1. We are assisting students, faculty and staff who may need guidance on returning to work or school or accommodations due to medical conditions or illness. 
2. Upon our return to on-campus activities, we will continue to encourage our students, faculty, staff and guests to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. 
3. We continue to encourage our community members to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. 
4. We continue to encourage people to cover their cough sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. 
5. We continue to encourage our students, faculty and staff to stay home when they are sick and to let others know that they are sick. 
6. We continue to encourage the entire community to avoid close contact with people who are sick. 

Emergency Management 

1. Our Emergency Management team is meeting regularly to review CDC updates and make plans to protect the college. 
2. We are partnering with Alachua County Public Health, Alachua and Bradford County Emergency management so that the College is receiving the latest information. 
3. We are participating in regular local, regional and state conference calls with higher education, public health and emergency management officials to ensure we are acting in accordance with best practices and in line with peers.
4. We provided hard copy coronavirus information to all campuses in addition to all messaging via modes such as the webpage, social media, electronic newsletters and emails. 

Yes. Santa Fe College (SF) has a limited number of laptop computers and webcams to loan students taking online or hybrid courses. These are only available while supplies last. Complete the COVID-19 Laptop Loan application.

Santa Fe College (SF) has a limited number of laptop computers and webcams to loan students taking online or hybrid courses. These are only available while supplies last. Complete the COVID-19 Laptop Loan application.

Beginning in the fall semester, the Northwest Campus and the educational centers will have computer labs for students’ use, and some Library computers will be available, too.  Students will also be able to access Wi-Fi in the parking lots at the Northwest Campus and at the educational centers.

Courses assigned an S or U will have a transcript notation indicating these grades were awarded during the special circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The grade of S will indicate that students have completed the essential requirements of a course, resulting in the award of credit for the course. Additionally, if the course satisfies a graduation requirement, general education requirement, prerequisite requirement for another course, or preprofessional requirement, that requirement is considered fulfilled. However, the grade of S will have no impact on overall GPA. Conversely, a grade of U will indicate that the course was not completed and no credit was awarded, but there will be no impact on GPA. In the vast majority of cases, grades of C or better will be equivalent to an S, and grades of D+ or worse will translate into a U.

More details about opting for a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grade can be found at sfcollege.edu/registrar/grading-policy/index. Students should also carefully review the Special Considerations and consult with an advisor before making their choice.

It depends. Each professor will notify their students about the expectations for exams.

Yes. Each professor will share their office hours with their students that follows a social distancing protocol.

The Disabilities Resource Center remains open and staff are available to assist you by telephone or video conference. You may reach the DRC by calling 352-395-4400 or by sending an email to drc@sfcollege.edu.

• Designate certain times each week to work on your course. Plan ahead, avoid procrastination, and even out your workload so you don’t have too much to do at one time. Plan for a minimum of six hours of study per week for each three-credit course
• Find a quiet place to work. Your work area should be free from distractions, and have all the resources and items you need. 
• Actively participate in discussions. Meaningful interchange will lead to a better understanding of the course and will help you feel connected to your classmates.
• Always use a professional writing style. This is college and your communications in discussions, emails to your teacher, and on assignments should reflect college-level work that is organized, concise and clear.
• Ask questions. Don't be shy. Head off problems early by asking questions of your instructor and/or fellow students as soon as a difficulty arises. Don’t wait; you may not be able to get a response by the time you need it!
• Venture beyond the classroom. Use the SF online library and other Internet resources to supplement the content in the class and provide opportunities for deeper understanding of the course material.
• Watch this video in this U.S. News article where real students share tips for managing their time better in online courses.
• The University of Michigan has also compiled information that can help student success while living in a remote learning environment.
• To help students, SF’s Center for Academic Technologies has a new webpage – Learn Online Now – with resources for students, as well as HonorLock directions, information about Zoom, and the Learning Commons Zoom links for online tutoring. Please direct your students to the webpage for extra support, and let them know it will continue to be updated when we find new resources.
• To help faculty, SF’s Center for Academic Technologies has a new Teach Online Now webpage. If you are new to online, or just a little less experienced, I strongly recommend the guides and other resources on this page. This page will updated periodically with new resources and any changes to directions for services. This page also features a link to CATT workshops – you can also use the standard webpage if you are used to it. Zoom sessions are published for the next few weeks and new trainings (including downloading the SF template and using Canvas Commons) will be added there.

During this time, you will only be required to email a scanned copy of the signed form to the Records Office at mandy.corchado@sfcollege.edu. We will get the appropriate approvals on your behalf. Remember when emailing you must use your official college email (@go.scollege.edu) account. 

You can submit a Petition for Late Withdrawal to the Records Office. During this time you can submit the Petition to Adjust Record Late Withdrawal by emailing it to petitions@sfcollege.edu.

Because of the extraordinary circumstances that led to the class format change, you can petition for a drop with refund for your Spring 2020 courses if the online format did not work out. All petitions to adjust the record must be submitted within one year of the semester in question, so petitions for the Spring 2020 term must be submitted by the end of the Spring 2021 term. You will need to complete a Petition to Adjust Record form Drop Petition Form, attach a typed statement explaining your circumstance and email both documents to petitions@sfcollege.edu.

Welcome to Santa Fe College! Please contact Sandra.Torres-Pintos@sfcollege.edu or Nick.McMillen@sfcollege.edu or call 352-395-5505 to get started.

You need to submit paperwork to VMSS every semester you want to utilize your VA Educational Benefits.

With few exceptions, the VA will only cover classes listed as required for your degree on your degree audit, which may found at eSantaFe -> Advisement -> Degree Audit. Contact the staff at Veterans and Military Success Services for more information

Now! VMSS is able to accept paperwork for fall. 

All the money from the COVID-19 Emergency Aid Grant II/CRRSAA Grant has been allocated to Santa Fe College students who applied. At this point, the application is closed. Students who need assistance can find additional resources on SF’s Emergency Aid/Resources page at sfcollege.edu/studentaffairs/emergency-aid.

Yes, there are team members available to answer questions. Methods of contact may include by email, phone, and video chat.  Go to the financial aid contact page for details on how to connect with a team member.

The Virtual Financial Aid Office is available for convenient self-service 24/7/365: Get personalized account info and submit electronic documents via My FA Status on eSantaFe, or get your financial aid questions answered with Ask SF Chatbot anytime.

Financial aid is active and will continue processing. Currently, Spring B disbursements (payments to students) are scheduled to begin according to the dates on the disbursements page. Note that students must have confirmation of starting class to qualify for the aid.

Normally, dropping or withdrawing from a class almost always affects financial aid. For federal financial aid, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) may be affected. Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress to keep receiving federal financial aid.

If you were impacted by COVID-19, you may be able to have the Spring 2020 semester removed from Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) calculations. Removing these courses from SAP calculation means they will have no impact on your federal financial aid. To request removal, you must go to eSantaFe, select the “Records” menu, and then click on the “Emergency Form”. This form will allow you to submit a statement and documentation about how you were impacted by COVID-19. When this information is received and approved your courses for Spring 2020 will be removed from SAP calculations

For Spring 2020 and going forward, incomplete grades will not be included in calculations for Federal Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress.

For state scholarships like Bright Futures, dropping or withdrawing from classes requires you to pay back the scholarship money you received for that course, or you risk losing your scholarship. For Bright Futures, if you can show that you had a reason to drop, withdraw, or earn a failing grade, you may do the Bright Futures appeal process.

If you were impacted by COVID-19 you may be able to have the Spring 2020 semester removed from Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) calculations. Removing these courses from SAP calculation means they will have no impact on your federal financial aid.  To request removal, you must go to eSantaFe, select the “Records” menu, and then click on the “Emergency Form”. This form will allow you to submit a statement and documentation about how you were impacted by COVID-19. When this information is received and approved your courses for Spring 2020 will be removed from SAP calculations.

For state scholarships like Bright Futures, dropping or withdrawing from classes requires you to pay back the scholarship money you received for that course, or you risk losing your scholarship. For Bright Futures, if you can show that you had a reason to drop, withdraw, or earn a failing grade, you may do the Bright Futures appeal process.

A financial aid team member can sign your petition electronically. To make this process more convenient for students, the financial aid office has created Drop/Withdrawal Financial Aid Impact Review that can be used in place of a conversation with a team member.

Submit your Drop with Refund/Late Withdrawal petition for signature to financial.aid@sfcollege.edu with “Petition” in the subject line . We will activate the Drop/Withdrawal Financial Aid Impact Review in My FA Status within your eSantaFe portal. Once the impact review is completed, you will receive your signed petition within 2 business days.

Additionally, if you were impacted by COVID-19 you may be able to have the Spring 2020 semester removed from Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) calculations. Removing these courses from SAP calculation means they will have no impact on your federal financial aid.  To request removal, you must go to eSantaFe, select the “Records” menu, and then click on the “Emergency Form”. This form will allow you to submit a statement and documentation about how you were impacted by COVID-19. When this information is received and approved your courses for Spring 2020 will be removed from SAP calculations

Depending on when you drop or withdraw from courses, you may have to pay money received, like the Pell Grant, back to the U.S. Department of Education. The CARES Act allows the financial aid office to waive this requirement in cases where the drop or withdrawal is related to a COVID-19 impact.  

As soon as you know you need to drop, withdrawal from or stop attending all your classes, because of a COVID-19 related impact, you must go to eSantaFe, select the “Records” menu, and then click on the “Emergency Form”. This form will allow you to submit a statement and documentation about how you were impacted by COVID-19. When this information is received and approved the financial aid office will waive R2T4.  Once the Financial Aid Office performs the federal return calculation on your account, it cannot be reversed, per federal law. It is important you complete the Emergency Form as soon as possible. 

Before dropping courses, please be to reach out to your instructors and use all the resources available to you for help, especially in online classes!

No. Classes do have to be within your degree plan/ count towards graduation, but online credit hours are viewed and processed the same way that in-person credit hours are viewed.

Attendance can be viewed as a green message on your course schedule. If you are logging in and fully participating in your course but Attendance has not been confirmed for financial aid to pay out, please email the instructor for that specific course from your SF email address so that they can confirm your participation in the course and mark your Attendance in eStaff. This should automatically show on your schedule, and then show for the Financial Aid Office.

There are some special circumstances that allow the Financial Aid Office to review the income amount from your FAFSA. If your income changes enough that it will make a substantial difference in the amount of financial aid you will get, the Financial Aid Office may recommend a Special Circumstances Review.

Please complete the Special Circumstances Orientation on eSantaFe > Finances > My FA Status > Special Circumstances Orientation (link at the bottom) to see if this situation applies, and complete the Professional Judgment form. It may be that the income adjustment is more appropriate for the upcoming year than this year, but it please complete the orientation and the form to see if you qualify.

*If you have a critical need for money or other assistance, please see the SF COVID-19 Emergency Aid Grant.

Most documents can be uploaded straight into My FA Status on eSantaFe by following the steps on the Forms page. If you need to submit documents that say they are required to be submitted in person, please email us at financial.aid@sfcollege.edu for instructions.

The CARES Act impacts all student loans held by the Federal Government as follows:

• Will have their payments automatically suspended. You do not have to take action.
• Will have their interest rates set to 0% until 2021. You do not have to take action.
• This is retroactive to March 13. If you made a payment after March 13, you may contact your servicer for a refund of that payment.
• If you are in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, this time period will count toward qualification as if you had made payments. 

Monitor https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/coronavirus for updates about federal student loans.

Private lenders are also working with impacted students. Please reach out to your lender to ask about help they are offering.

The most typical special circumstances related to financial aid are:

• Changing status from a dependent student to an independent student.
• Adjustments to FAFSA financial information due to a change in circumstances (loss of job, loss of income etc.) 

To request these changes,  you must first complete the Special Circumstances Orientation on your My FA Status page in eSantaFe.  The orientation will help you see if you qualify for these changes. If you meet those criteria, a form to request these changes will appear on your My FA Status. Once the forms and documentation are submitted, your request will be reviewed.

For questions and concerns about special circumstances, contact us at EligibilityCoordinator@sfcollege.edu.

Book charging for summer has begun. While you cannot currently access the bookstore on campus, you may charge your books by ordering them online. All orders include free shipping!

To order your textbooks online, go to eSantaFe >> My Classes Menu >> Select My Schedule >> Click the order my textbooks link and the bottom of your schedule. 

The Learning Commons continues to support SF students with free virtual tutoring and academic success coaching via Zoom and Teams. Log into Canvas and check out the Learning Commons course (or click the pencil icon on the left) to meet with tutors directly and to make appointments with academic Success Coaches.

If you have admissions related documents such as the Florida Residency form or supporting documents, a Status Change Request form or tuition waivers, you may email them to admissions@sfcollege.edu. These documents can be scanned via a scanner or numerous free smartphone apps, or you may simply take a clear quality photo of your document.

High School Transcripts must include a graduation date to be considered official and final. After graduation, transcripts may be submitted via the State of Florida’s electronic system, directly from the high school via the mail, or directly from the high school guidance counselor via email to admissions@sfcollege.edu.

You will need to complete the Florida Residency Declaration For Tuition Purposes Form. We encourage you to check your “My Status” in eSantaFe to see your next steps to completing the residency process.

Due to concern for the health and safety of SF students and continual spread and prevalence of COVID19 around the world, no faculty-led study abroad programs will be offered in the spring or summer of 2021. College officials are monitoring the pandemic in order to determine if study abroad opportunities will be offered in the fall of 2021 or spring of 2022.

The CDC does not recommend travel at this time. Anyone who must travel should follow all CDC recommendations including getting tested before traveling, getting tested again with a viral test 3-5 days after your trip and staying home and self-quarantining for a full 7 days after travel, even if your test is negative. If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.

Additional information is available on the CDC's Travel During COVID-19 webpage.

The CDC has plenty of information available on their Travel During COVID-19 webpage.

At this time, Santa Fe College is planning for all five intercollegiate athletic teams to participate in the spring.

All intramural sports at SF are canceled through the remainder of the academic year.

Santa Fe College plans to re-open the Fitness Center in the spring semester if conditions regarding COVID-19 allow.

In compliance with CDC recommendations, Santa Fe College will celebrate the Spring 2021 graduates with virtual commencement ceremonies. Summer graduates are invited to participate in either the spring ceremony or the fall ceremony. Graduates must have a graduation application created by March 3, 2021, in order to participate in the virtual graduation ceremonies.

Complete details and instructions for graduates to participate in the virtual ceremony are available on SF's graduation webpage.

Schedule of Virtual Graduation Ceremonies

Nurses Pinning (A.S. 3303/3313, B.S. 5400, PN Certificate 7303)
April 29, 2021 at 3 p.m.

Bachelor's, A.S, A.A.S. and Certificates
April 30, 2021 at 3 p.m.

All A.A. Degrees
April 30, 2021 at 7 p.m.

All international students should contact International Student Services so that we can help them maintain their immigration status.

The college currently remains open with all services moving to a virtual environment. Therefore, our current staffing models would not decrease at this time however, there may be a need for flexibility to ask that both part-time and full-time workers assist in different departments temporarily as we adjust to serve student needs. Please feel free to contact Human Resources with any concerns regarding staffing or the need for extra assistance during this time.

A cloth face covering is fabric that covers the nose and mouth. 

They can reduce the release of infectious particles into the air when someone speaks, coughs, or sneezes, including someone who has COVID-19 but feels well. Cloth face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing, washing your hands, and staying home when you are ill, but they are helpful when combined with these measures.

Cloth face coverings should:

• fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
• be secured with ties or ear loops
• include multiple layers of fabric
• allow for breathing without restriction
• be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

Individuals should be careful not to touch their eyes, nose and mouth when removing their cloth face covering and wash hands immediately after removing.

Wash your hands before and after touching and adjusting the cloth face covering.

Wash your cloth face covering frequently, ideally after each use, or at least daily. Masks should be washed with detergent and hot water. Have a bag or bin to keep cloth face coverings in until they can be laundered. 

Discard cloth face coverings that:

• No longer cover the nose and mouth
• Have stretched out or damaged ties or straps
• Cannot stay on your face
• Have holes or tears in the fabric