Students at Valencia College can now transfer into UCF’s STEM majors with less difficulty, and keep their financial aid while doing it.
On Sept. 25, the State Board of Education approved five new Specialized Associate in Arts Transfer (S.A.A.T.) degrees that allow Valencia College students to complete all required math and science courses before transferring to the University of Central Florida.
The new degrees solve a long-standing problem: Students who completed 60 credit hours – the amount required for a standard Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree — lost access to federal financial aid, even though they hadn’t completed all their prerequisites for a STEM major. Now, students can stay enrolled longer, finish their STEM prep and transfer as juniors, all without paying out of pocket.
“These new degrees will enable students to maintain their eligibility for financial aid while completing their (associate) degree, and they also create an extremely clear pathway for students to know which courses to complete for a smooth transition into their major,” Kathleen Plinkse, president of Valencia College, told the members of the State Board of Education at the board’s monthly meeting in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
The board approved the following S.A.A.T.. degree programs, which will create smooth pathways and fewer financial aid obstacles for students transferring from Valencia College to the UCF:
- Biology
- Health sciences
- Civil engineering
- Electrical engineering
- Mechanical engineering
In 2024, Rep. Jennifer Canady (R-40) introduced legislation that to approve this new type of A.A. degree – one that enables majors in select disciplines to take all their lower-division courses at state colleges including all their common program prerequisites, so that they can enter a state university as a junior.
“Once students complete the requirement for a (traditional) Associate in Arts degree, they are no longer eligible for federal financial aid,” Plinske told the board. “This early transfer is detrimental. It reduces the chance of them completing their bachelor’s degree.”
Based on transfer success data from Valencia College and the University of Central Florida, Plinske noted that students who complete all their prerequisites before transferring have a 12 to 14% higher graduation rate than students who transfer before they are ready.
The new Specialized Associate in Arts Transfer Degrees allow Valencia College and the other 27 state colleges to build the state university system’s common program prerequisites into the graduation requirements for students in S.A.A.T. program areas.