Frequently Asked Questions

Graduate certificates are a great option for working professionals that would like to supplement their knowledge. The graduate certificate allows you get started on course material that can be transferred into a master’s degree program later, if admitted. Courses are offered every semester and students can apply year-round.

• Certificates consist of 15 credits and all 15 credits can transfer into a master’s degree program as long as:
  • A grade of a “B” or higher was earned in the course / courses
  • The courses pertain to the master’s degree
• Certificate applicants need to complete all the application steps.

International Non-degree Application Requirements

• International non-degree applicants may need to complete the TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language.
  • The TOEFL is required for an applicant whose native language is not English, or for an applicant who earned a bachelor’s degree in a non-English speaking country. Non-English speaking countries are those which are not included in the graduate school’s list of English speaking countries.

Apply as a non-degree student

International Certificate Application Requirements

• Original transcripts or marksheets need to be sent to the Forensic Science Department’s PO Box (below).
  • A 2.0 GPA in the bachelor’s degree upper division courses (or bachelor’s equivalent) is required.
• The original diploma earned needs to be sent to the Forensic Science Department’s PO Box (below).
  • The diploma will be kept in a locked safe and returned to the applicant via First Class Post once a decision is made.

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

• The TOEFL is required for an applicant whose native language is not English, or for an applicant who earned a bachelor’s degree in a non-English speaking country.
• Official TOEFL scores expire after two years. If you have not taken these tests within these time limits, you must retake them.
• A minimum score of:
  • 550 on the paper-based TOEFL
  • 213 on the computer-based TOEFL
  • 80 on the internet-based TOEFL
• Non-English speaking countries are those which are not included in the graduate school’s list of English speaking countries.
• Other Graduate Council approved English language skills tests may be substituted for the TOEFL.
• The TOEFL may be waived if the applicant has attended a US institution for a year or more.

The Forensic Science PO Box is as follows:
University of Florida
Attn: Entrepreneurial Programs
2046 NE Waldo Rd, Rm 2200
Gainesville FL 32609

Apply to the certificate program

International Master’s Application Requirements

• Original transcripts or marksheets need to be sent to the Forensic Science Department’s PO Box (below).
  • A 3.0 GPA in the bachelor’s degree upper division courses (or bachelor’s equivalent) is required.
• The original diploma earned needs to be sent to the Forensic Science Department’s PO Box (below).
• The diploma will be kept in a locked safe and returned to the applicant via First Class Post once a decision is made.

The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

• The TOEFL is required for an applicant whose native language is not English, or for an applicant who earned a bachelor’s degree in a non-English speaking country.
• Official TOEFL scores expire after two years. If the applicant has not taken these tests within these time limits, he or she must retake them.
• A minimum score of:
  • 550 on the paper-based TOEFL
  • 213 on the computer-based TOEFL
  • 80 on the internet-based TOEFL
• Non-English speaking countries are those which are not included in the graduate school’s list of English speaking countries.
• Other Graduate Council approved English language skills tests may be substituted for the TOEFL.
• The TOEFL may be waived if the applicant has attended a US institution for a year or more.

The GRE

• The GRE is required unless the applicant already has a master’s degree, professional’s degree, or doctoral degree.
• GRE scores need to be sent though ETS and the minimum requirements are:
  • Verbal: 153
  • Quantitative: 144
  • Total: 297

The Forensic Science PO Box is as follows:
University of Florida
Attn: Entrepreneurial Programs
2046 NE Waldo Rd, Rm 2200
Gainesville FL 32609

Apply to the master’s program

Earning a master’s degree can help you extend your knowledge base, help you advance in your field, and focus on a particular area of concentration. The master of science degree helps students become more qualified in their career. Courses are offered every semester and students can apply year-round. All courses are offered fully online with no campus visit requirement.

• All master’s programs consist of 32 credits.
• 15 credits can be transferred into a MS program from UF coursework (non-degree and graduate certificate) as long as:
  • A grade of a “B” or higher was earned in the course(s)
  • The courses pertain to the master’s degree
• Master’s applicants need to complete all the application steps.

The non-degree option is great for students that want to see what our online courses are like before formally applying and committing to one of our graduate certificate or master’s degree programs. It is also an option for students that missed an application deadline but still would like to get started on coursework before the next semester while they compile application materials.

• Non-degree seeking students may also be interested in taking some of our elective courses.
• Non-degree seeking students can take up to six credits in total before formally applying to a graduate certificate or master’s program.
• If you take your allotted six credits over the span of two or more semesters, you will need a new non-degree application for each semester you take courses.
• Up to six credits can count toward/be transferred into a higher degree (graduate certificate/master’s) if formally admitted.
• Non-degree seeking students must complete the nondegree application steps.

If you are not enrolled in courses for more than two semesters sequentially, you will need to apply for readmission. Students may take off one semester at a time without needing to reapply.

• If a student needs to take time off, grades will be considered active for up to seven years.
• To apply for readmission, please complete the readmission application and email dess@ahc.ufl.edu to let the admissions team know to expect your readmission application referral.

Enrolling concurrently is when a student would like to earn two master’s degrees within UF’s online programs (forensic science and veterinary forensic sciences) at one time.

Students that are concurrent will take courses within more than one concentration.
Students can enroll concurrently in two of our master’s degree programs by following these steps:

• You must apply and be accepted into a master’s program.
• Once you are accepted, submit a concurrent degree request here. This request must be submitted BEFORE the semester you intend to graduate with your first degree.
• You do not need to put in an application for both master’s degree programs.
• Working with your advisor and program staff, a plan of study will be developed and a concurrent degree form will be sent to you via email.
• You must review, sign, and return this form to our office.
• Students are responsible for checking to make sure that their paperwork is received by our office and approved by the Graduate School.

Important things to note:

• For our online programs, you cannot earn two master’s degrees within the same college. There are no exceptions to this. Below is a table of possible concurrent masters programs:

Choose one from the following Pharmacy degreesChoose one from the following Veterinary Medicine degrees

MS in Forensic Science	MS in Forensic Toxicology
MS in Forensic DNA & Serology	MS in Veterinary Forensic Sciences
MS in Forensic Drug Chemistry
MS in Pharmaceutical Chemistry
MS in Clinical Toxicology

• Students can share up to nine credits between concurrent programs. A grade of B or higher must be earned for all shared credits. There are no exceptions to this.
• You should not take courses toward a second master’s degree until concurrent degree paperwork has been received and approved. If you do, there is no guarantee these courses will count toward a second degree.
• Students are responsible for checking to make sure that their paperwork is received by our office and approved by the Graduate School.

Students may drop their course without becoming fee liable for the course if it is before the drop/add deadline. The course will not show on transcripts and it will be as though the student was never registered for the course.

• Go to the Student Resources Page and click on Dropping a Course.
• You cannot drop your course in Student Self Service. If you drop your course in Student Self Service you will still be liable for tuition.
• You cannot drop your course by contacting your course instructor.

Students may need enrollment verification to prove to a loan company or employer that they are enrolled in courses.

To show, or prove, enrollment in a course, submit a copy of the registrar’s enrollment certification form to the registrar after the drop/add period.

If you forget or cannot locate your eight digit UFID, use the UFID Identifier.

If your name has changed or if your name is not correct in UF’s system, please contact us at dess@ahc.ufl.edu for further instructions.

Please visit Gator1 Central for instructions on obtaining a Gator1 for distance education students.

Incompletes are only awarded under specific circumstances and at the discretion of the instructor and can be requested after the drop/add deadline at any point in the semester.

• You must contact the instructor of the course in which you would like to request an Incomplete (I). The instructors will then give you any further instructions.
• It is not guaranteed that an Incomplete will be granted.

Transcripts are not automatically sent to the student after each term and must be requested by the student.

To gain access to your unofficial transcripts:

• Go to https://student.ufl.edu > click on “Transcripts” > click on “Current Students” > login with your Gatorlink username and password > click on “View and/or print my unofficial transcript.”
• If you have graduated or not taken courses for more than a term, you will not have access to the unofficial electronic transcript.

For official transcripts:

• Go to https://student.ufl.edu > click on “Transcripts” > Follow the Transcript Request Procedures (PDF) to request transcripts from the registrar.

Distance Education and UF Online Students enjoy the same library privileges as on-campus students.
To utilize the University of Florida Library System, click here!

• An IRS Tax Form 1098-T is produced each January for the immediate prior year showing qualified tuition paid and scholarships/fellowships received. The form is mailed to your permanent address unless you have opted to receive it electronically.
• Your 1098-T is available for viewing beginning in mid-February.
• To access it, please go to MyUFL > My Campus Finances > View 1098-T.

• There is a $37 application fee for master’s degree and certificate applications. There is no application fee associated with the nondegree seeking option.
• Some courses do require textbooks.

Master’s degree students are eligible for private and federal loans. Graduate certificate students are not eligible for federal financial aid but may be eligible for private loans. Nondegree seeking students are not eligible for federal or private loans. Please contact our Financial Aid Coordinator about possible private student loan eligibility.

Students seeking Federal Student Loans should complete must complete their:

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application as early as possible.
• Financial aid applicants are responsible for ensuring the timely completion of several steps through FAFSA and UF’s Student Self Service in order for funds to be disbursed by the tuition due date.

Minimum credits for eligibility for financial aid:

• Fall & Spring = 5 credits
• Summer = 4 credits

For more information or questions contact the Pharmacy Financial Aid Coordinator.

Make check payable to the University of Florida and include a copy of your invoice for proper credit. We are not responsible for checks that do not arrive. Mailed payments are considered on time based on the date received by the cashier, and not based on the date of postmark. Please mail check to:

University Bursar
S113 Criser Hall
PO Box 114050
Gainesville, Florida 32611-4050

• All non-degree, certificate, and master’s students can receive the G.I. Bill or V.A. Tuition Assistance.
  • For more information or questions about your benefits please contact:VAcounselor@ufl.edu.

Our program runs by semester: Spring (January – April), Summer (May – August) and Fall (August – December). Students are accepted year-round.

All courses are conducted online with no campus visit requirement.

• Students average 2 ½ – 3 years to complete the master’s degree, but have up to seven years to complete coursework. Coursework taken as a nondegree or certificate student is also part of the seven year time-frame. If the degree is not completed within seven years the coursework taken prior will expire.
• Students average 1 ½ – 2 years to complete the certificate program but have up to seven years to complete.

If you are only earning a graduate certificate you must maintain an overall grade point average of a 3.0.

• If you are a master’s degree student, a passing is a grade of “C” or higher.
• All master’s students must maintain a major and an overall GPA (grade point average) of a 3.0 to avoid academic probation and in order to graduate.
• Please contact your academic advisor (listed under your program’s information) if you have specific questions about your grades or GPA.

If you are a master’s degree student and you have graduate credit from another institution you may transfer up to, but no more than, nine credits to fulfill credit at the University of Florida within your master’s program. Only master’s students are eligible to transfer credits into their program at the University of Florida from another institution and the coursework must meet the following criteria:

• The course(s) must be graduate level
• The course(s) cannot have contributed to a bachelor’s degree in any way
• The course grade(s) must be B or higher (B- grades or lower or Pass/Fail coursework is not eligible for transfer of credit)
• The course(s) must be completed at a regionally accredited US college or its international equivalent
• The course(s) must be no older than 7 years by the term your anticipated date of graduation from the University of Florida

If you meet these criteria, and would like to request a transfer of credit from another institution, email dess@ahc.ufl.edu with the following information:

• The name of your previous institution
• The course name/number from your previous institution
• The term/year the course was completed
• The course in our program for which you think the credits will satisfy
• A copy of your transcripts (unofficial is fine); or a notification that we already have them on file
• A syllabus for the course that you would like to transfer from

If you are a graduate certificate or non-degree seeking student, you must earn a “B” or higher in order for the credit to transfer to a higher degree.

• Each semester we send an email to all graduating students with all necessary graduation information and commencement information contained in it.
  • The email will be sent out about two weeks into the term in which you are graduating.
  • You will apply through Student Self Service following our specific instructions contained in the email directions.
• Upon completion of the program, your diploma will state the college that your degree was earned within. Your transcripts will specify your concentration.

In their final semester, students are required to take:

• Special Topics in their degree concentration (master’s students only)
• Three credits in the fall and spring terms in order to graduate
• Two credits in the summer term in order to graduate

Special Topics is a cumulative final examination conducted completely online.

It is required that students take Literature Survey and Special Topics together in your final semester.

This hold is placed on your account each semester.

Instructions to clear the hold: Go to Student Self Service (https://student.ufl.edu) > click onto the heading “My Record” in the top left of the Student Self Service screen > click on “holds” under that heading. Follow the directions to clear the Emergency Contact hold. Log out of Student Self Service completely, close your browser, and then log back in to Student Self Service to verify that the hold was successfully removed.

If you have a hold for a financial aid exit interview, you will need to clear it before you can obtain a transcript or register for any further courses.

For further instruction, contact:

Tyler Rosenberger
Financial Aid Coordinator
352-273-6202
Email: rosetg@ufl.edu

If you have an immunization hold on your account the registration team will remove this for you. You do not need to have your immunization records sent to the University of Florida. The Distance Education Registration Team will ask the University of Florida Registrar to have this hold removed for you internally.

This hold is placed on your account each semester.

Instructions to clear the hold: Go to Student Self Service click onto the heading “My Record” in the top left of the Student Self Service screen > click on “holds” under that heading. Follow the directions to clear the Registration Preparation hold. Log out of Student Self Service completely, close your browser, and then log back in to Student Self Service to verify that the hold was successfully removed.

This hold is placed on your account each semester.

Instructions to clear the hold: Go to Student Self Service (https://student.ufl.edu) > click onto the heading “My Record” in the top left of the Student Self Service screen > click on “holds” under that heading. Follow the directions to clear the Registration Preparation hold. Log out of Student Self Service completely, close your browser, and then log back in to Student Self Service to verify that the hold was successfully removed.

• You will be able to access your course through our e-learning site, also known as Canvas.
• You will be able to access your course on the first day of classes each term.
• You may be able to see your course title in Canvas before the first day of classes, but you will not be able to view course materials until classes officially begin.

Please view your graduate certificate or master’s degree program to see course listings and recommended course order. If you have specific questions, please contact your academic advisor (listed under your program’s information).

You may take any number of credits unless you meet either of the following criteria:

If you are receiving financial aid:

• If it is the fall or spring semester, you MUST register for at least FIVE credits to receive financial aid.
• If it is the summer semester, you MUST register for at least FOUR credits to receive financial aid.

If this is your final semester:

• If it is the fall or spring semester, you MUST register for at least THREE credits to graduate.
• If it is the summer semester, you MUST register for at least TWO credits to graduate.

Suggested Credits

• For the fall and spring semesters we suggest students take two to three courses.
• For the summer semester we suggest students take one to two courses.

Maximum amount of credits

• We do not suggest taking more than five courses during one semester.

Please see if your course requires a textbook by looking under your program and then within the box of offered courses, click on the course title (e.g. PHA6935 or VME6605), which is a hyperlink. This will bring up details about your course, including required materials.