Frequently Asked Questions

The Personalized Graduation Experience is an in-person graduation event spread out over two days with no speeches or large gatherings. In a 15-minute session the graduates and guests will hear their names announced, walk across the stage and take a photo.

Caps and gowns are not required for the Personalized Graduation Experience.

Students wanting their regalia shipped can order online until March 18, 2022. Diploma frames, rings, announcements and nursing pins may be purchased online too. Caps, gowns, tassels and hoods will be available for sale at the SF Bookstore beginning March 28, 2022. Sales cannot be processed over the phone for security reasons. 

Graduates are allowed to bring up to 6 guests. 

Yes. The Personalized Graduation Experience is by appointment only. Graduates will be able to schedule their appointments on the Graduation web page.

The deadline to apply and have your name included in the commencement program is published on the Graduation web page. Students with a graduation application created after this deadline are still able to graduate, but their names will not be included in the printed graduation program.

Diplomas will be mailed to your permanent address. Please ensure your diploma is mailed to the correct address by verifying your permanent mailing address. To update your permanent mailing address select “My Information” under the Records menu tab on eSantaFe.

Diplomas are mailed four to six work weeks after grades post at the end of the respective term.

Your diploma is correct. All A.A. Diplomas read “Associate in Arts”. The program of study title is not listed. The A.A. program of study title is used as an advisement tool in order to help direct you with your educational plan for upper division coursework and never appears on diplomas.

To revise/change your diploma name go to your graduation application on eSantaFe. Select  “Graduation” under the “Records” menu tab and then click on “modify” to make the diploma name change.

To update your permanent mailing address go to “My Information” under the Records menu tab on eSantaFe.

Students can make revisions on their applications until the last day of the term. After which point, they must call the Office of the Registrar to request revisions at 352-395-5456 or email graduation@sfcollege.edu.

If you are unable to place an accent mark in your diploma name, contact graduation@sfcollege.edu. 

Duplicates copies can be requested at graduation@sfcollege.edu.  Diploma duplicates will be mailed to your permanent address. To update your permanent mailing address select “My Information” under the Records menu tab on eSantaFe.

Please allow up to three weeks for receipt. There is no charge for a duplicate copy.

Graduating will not stop aid for the current term, but it may impact your financial aid eligibility for future coursework at SF. If receiving financial aid of any type, including Bright Futures, contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss the impact of graduating.

Yes, for example A.A. and A.S., or A.S. and B.A.S. or B.S. You cannot apply for two A.A. degrees.

In most cases, degrees are awarded within one week from the day grades post at the end of the term and appear on official transcripts at that time. Contact the Office of the Registrar at 352-395-5456 or graduation@sfcollege.edu if you applied to graduate and your degree was not awarded within two weeks from grades posting.

To request an official transcript, log in to eSantaFe and select “Transcripts” under the “Records” menu tab.  Click on the checkbox to electronically send, mail or pick-up “after graduation posted” and select the term in which you are graduating from the drop down. The transcript will generate automatically the night the degree is awarded and will be sent, mailed and/or be ready for pick-up in three business days.

The degree audit does not update in such special cases. A notification is sent to the student on the outcome of the petition. The Office of the Registrar individually reviews all “ineligible” applications to prepare to graduate students and affixes “overrides” in cases like these. Overrides are done at the end of the term after grades post. Please understand that the section related to your approved petition may not show correctly on your degree audit. As long as the rest of the degree audit shows you have met the A.A. requirements, your degree will be awarded in a timely manner with no delay.

Yes. A student seeking an A.A. or baccalaureate will have to demonstrate competency prior to being awarded a degree.

Beginning in 2021-22, both an assessment and a course are required to meet the civic literacy competency requirements for A.A. and baccalaureate students.  There are a few options to meet the course and assessment options:

1. Course Requirements -- Students must successfully pass one of the following:

            AMH 2020: United States History from 1877 to Present
            Or
            POS 2041: American National Government

2. Civic Literacy assessment options and standard scores:

• Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE) – Score of 48 (or higher) out of 80 (at least 60%)
• CLEP American Government – Score of 50 (or higher) out of 80
• AP American Government – Score of 3 (or higher) out of 5
• AP United States History – Score of 4 (or higher) out of 5

Students will take the Florida Civic Literacy Examination by scheduling an appointment with Santa Fe College Testing Center. In addition, the examination, which will be proctored, will be administered via a computer-based testing platform developed by Cambium Assessment, Inc. Remote testing and proctoring options will likely become available as well.

Students will be able to re-take the exam as early as the day after an unsuccessful attempt. This policy is under review and may change.

Students initially entering a Florida College System institution or state university in 2018-19 and thereafter must demonstrate competency in civic literacy.  As outlined by statute, civic literacy competencies and outcomes include:

• Understanding of the basic principles and practices of American democracy and how they are applied in our republican form of government;
• An understanding of the United States Constitution and its application;
• Knowledge of the founding documents and how they have shaped the nature and functions of our institutions of self-government; and
• An understanding of landmark Supreme Court cases, landmark legislation, and landmark executive actions, and their impact on law and society.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Naturalization Test serves as the foundation for the Florida Civic Literacy Examination.  The civic literacy exam will draw 80 questions out of a test bank of 100 questions. A score of 48 (or higher) out of 80 questions (at least a 60%) is a passing score. The following resources will help you prepare for the exam:

• FCLE Sample Items (FLDOE.Org) 
  PDF containing a 40-question sample test developed by the Florida Department of Education.

• Supplemental Guide for the FCLE (FLDOE.Org)
  PDF developed by the Florida Department of Education which outlines the Florida Civic Literacy Examination competencies and content.

• Learn About the United States (USCIS.Gov)PDF containing 100 basic questions and answers pertaining to American Government.
  
  
• Civics Flash Cards (USCIS.Gov) Flash cards for the naturalization test.
  
  
• Preparing for the Naturalization Test: A Pocket Study Guide (USCIS.Gov) Pocket study guide for the naturalization test.
  
  
• Civics Practice Test (USCIS.Gov) This interactive practice test includes questions pertaining to US history and government.
  
  
• Civics Questions and Answers (USCIS.GOV) 128 questions and answers, civics flash cards, and a pocket study guide, as well as English language study materials.

 For USCIS exam multimedia resources, see:

• USCIS Civics Practice Test - YouTube Playlist
  100 short videos, each one asks only one question. You can watch the videos in order or shuffle the playlist to play the videos in random order.
  
  
• USCIS: Civics Test Study Tools (Apple)
  Mobile Applications for Apple phone.
  
  
• USCIS: Civics Test Study Tools (Google Play)
  Mobile Applications for Android phones.

The new civic literacy requirement applies to students who are entering into A.A. and baccalaureate programs under the 2021-2022 catalog year, regardless of prior postsecondary coursework. This includes formerly dual enrolled, transfer, out-of-state students, and returning students entering with prior postsecondary coursework. Students who have previously achieved a passing score on an approved assessment or passed an approved course will have met the assessment requirement or coursework requirement, respectively, and will not need to re-take assessments or courses.

Baccalaureate students under the 2021-2022 catalog year are required to meet the civic literacy course and assessment requirement. If the student previously demonstrated civic literacy competency through a course or an assessment during their associate degree program, those passed courses or passing scores could also be used toward demonstration of civic literacy competency for baccalaureate completion. The student would then just need to fulfill the other requirement via an assessment or course.