In-state undergraduate students who enroll at Florida Polytechnic University next year will get free tuition. The school's Board of Trustees approved the scholarships Monday at its meeting at the Orlando International Airport.
Florida Poly freshmen will receive full in-state tuition for three years, and then more than half tuition for the fourth year of enrollment. Grad students will get about 80 percent of their tuition and fees paid. The University's Foundation board will have primary responsibility in raising the more than $8 million needed for the scholarships.
The University's leaders say that free tuition will help draw competitive students to a brand new school whose accreditation is still in the works.
Florida Polytechnic University became the state's 12th university when it broke off from the University of South Florida. It will be the first in the state to focus exclusively on STEM courses -- science, technology, engineering and math.
Classes start at Florida Poly in the fall of 2014.