Staff Reports
Saint Leo University says it will provide free room and board and a discounted tuition rate of $8,500 to students from Puerto Rico, which was hit hard by Hurricane Maria.
“At Saint Leo, we live by six core values, one of which is community,” said Dr. William J. Lennox Jr., the university’s president. “We are happy to extend this helping hand and extend our community to those who have had their college careers interrupted by this devastation.”
Saint Leo, a Catholic university in Pasco County, also will waive student fees to further aid in their ability to continue their educations, a press release said. Federal financial aid and other private scholarships can be used to help pay the discounted tuition rate, but students still must pay for their own books.
The program, offered for the spring semester beginning in January 2018, will be for students currently enrolled in Puerto Rican colleges and universities.
“Our hope is that those displaced will have an opportunity to continue their studies here for a semester and be ready to return to their primary institutions, still on track to graduate on time,” said Dr. Mary Spoto, acting vice president of academic affairs.
Students who enroll at Saint Leo for the spring 2018 semester under this program may choose to continue their studies at Saint Leo for the 2018-2019 academic year, provided they show satisfactory academic performance.
Going forward, regular tuition, fees, and room and board will follow the traditional cost of attendance for full-time students. However, students may be eligible for financial aid and other institutional funding at that time.
For information, contact the Office of Admissions at [email protected] or call (352) 588-8283 or toll free at (800) 334-5532.
