Summer Program FAQs

For most programs, yes, non-Florida and international students may apply.  Spots for out-of-state students are limited. If accepted, students and their families are responsible for all travel arrangements and/or travel requirements such as passports/Visa, etc.  Unfortunately, due to funding requirements, Gator Vet Camp does NOT accept out of state applicants. 

All of our applications, endorsements, and invitation paperwork are completed using our online application portal, which is powered by SurveyMonkey Apply. This software assists us in collecting your paperwork easily and efficiently, so we can spend more time designing incredible programs, and less time compiling forms. We try to lay out all the details on these webpages, so please read thoroughly before reaching out to our office. If you are having an issue with logging into the system, please use the online portal to resolve this issue – our office does not have access to your login information.

In order to use this system, you must first make an account. After making an account you will fill out an eligibility form, which will narrow the programs seen to only the ones you are eligible for based on your grade level. We use your rising grade level for the summer on our forms, so if you are a 9th grader now, for example, you will be a rising 10th grader for the summer program. Please note that our programs also have age requirements- if you have skipped a grade, are an accelerated homeschool student, or are from outside the US, you may not meet the age requirement. Double check before proceeding.

While the online system automates some aspects of the application process, it doesn’t take away the work being done by our staff on the back end. If you are waiting for an offline task to be accepted by our office, please note that this is not automated and that we must actually verify receipt and go into the system to mark as accepted. Please give us 3 business day for faxed items and 2 weeks for mailed items.

Please check out these Frequently Asked Questions regarding using Survey Monkey Apply: https://smapply.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001445354-Applicant-FAQ 

Quick Tips:

• Website: ufcpet.smapply.us, must register and take eligibility quiz
• Emails will come from: noreply@smapply.io

• Check SPAM or junk folder. Make this email address a contact or safe-sender
• All application progress will save and you can come back to complete at any point. We suggest writing and editing essays in word to check spelling, grammar, and word count.
• Offline tasks (transcripts, registration fees, academic records) must be SUBMITTED by student before a UF CPET administrator can approve that these documents have been received.

• After these have been received and approved by an administrator, student will have to LOG BACK IN to submit their final application.
• Teacher endorsements must be sent via online portal. If teacher is not receiving email, be sure that their email address is entered correctly.  Make sure that emails from noreply@smapply.io are not going to junk mail.  Have endorser add this email to safe sender list.

• Once teacher endorsements are submitted, applicant must log back in and click “mark as complete” on the teacher endorsement tab.
• We do not give updates on applications, all status updates can be found by logging into your account.
• Student may add a parent account by clicking “add collaborator” on the left hand side of their application portal.

• Collaborators cannot edit applications, but can view them. If student is accepted to program, a collaborator account will have to be made for parent to fill out program forms.

Students must add collaborators to their applications in order for parents to view their applications.  If a student is accepted a Parent/Guardian collaborator must be added in order to complete the final attendance paperwork.  See steps below to creating your collaborator account. 

Student, on the left side of your application, select 'Add a Collaborator'.  Then enter your parent/guardian email address to send the invitation email

Parent/Guardian, once you receive the email: 

• 1.  Create a SMApply Username & Password (If you haven't already).  
  • If you already have your OWN username and password set to this email address, skip to step #2. - COLLABORATOR ACCOUNT MUST BE A UNIQUE USER ID AND PASSWORD (Be sure your system is automatically logging you into your student's account)
  • Go to ufcpet.smapply.us, select the green 'Register' button on the top right corner 
    • We suggest NOT using the 'Register with.... ' options as this has caused problems in the past, particularly with 'autofilling' from various users of the computer.
    • This must be using a separate email address than the applicant
  • Be sure that you are not getting automatically logged-into your student's or another account.  The top right should show YOUR name, not your students. 
• 2. Come back to this email and click the 'Accept Invitation' Button
  • You will be asked to log-in, USE YOUR PARENT account NOT your child's account
    • Check and make sure Google is not using 'autofill' to sign in as your student. 
  • You should now see your name in the top right and your student's applications in the main section of the page.
• 3. Click on the application to see:
  • Application Tasks
  • Application Status 
  • Parent/Collaborator Tasks

IMPORTANT REMINDERS to COLLABORATORS:

- Only STUDENTS can enter and complete their program application.  We encourage parents to assist students if needed but you cannot submit an application on behalf of your student. 

- Only STUDENTS receive formal emails notifying them if they are accepted.  However, as a collaborator, you can always log-in and see the status of your child's application.  This email will go to whichever email they used to create their SMApply Account

- If your student is ACCEPTED/INVITED TO ATTEND, then collaborators will receive communications and must also use their portal to complete important paperwork such as emergency contact information and sign waivers. 

When requesting an endorsement, we encourage you to take the time to speak with your teacher or mentor to share a little about what you are applying for and why you want to attend. Be sure to respect their time and seek out endorsements as early as possible.

See program application guideline for the specific number and types of endorsements. Some programs require endorsements from certain teachers, counselors, deans, etc.

Students applying to UF SSTP should have at least one endorsement from a teacher in the subject area you wish to study while at the program.

Once you enter your endorser’s information in our online application portal, they will be sent an online endorsement form. Contact endorsers directly to request their support prior to filling out your online application. 

If they do not receive an email from our system, please double-check that you have their correct email address before contacting us.  This is the #1 reason why teachers do not receive the endorsement form.

Endorsers, if you did not receive the email invitation or having trouble with the online form please contact us at cpet@cpet.ufl.edu 

You will be asked to submit a copy of your transcripts that include your most recent semester grades (FALL).  We know this means that we may receive all your other application material first while you wait for 1^st semester grades to be posted.  Please do not send your transcripts until your current-year first semester grades are posted.

For most of our programs, unofficial transcripts or report cards are okay and may be sent directly by the applicant. We ask that transcripts be faxed (see below for fax information).

For the UF SSTP, please send us an official transcript via mail (USPS: PO Box 112010, Gainesville, FL  32611; FEDEx or UPS: Yon Hall 334, 1908 Stadium Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611) and ask your guidance counselor to fax an unofficial copy from your school.

Our FAX: 352-392-2344  Not sure how to FAX?  Ask your guidance counselor for help.    Our fax machine gets really busy during application season, especially as deadlines approach.  Make sure your fax sends before walking away!

Please note that our system may be automated, but our process isn’t!  When you send your transcript, we still need to look it over and make sure it has everything we need before a person goes into the system to let you know that we’ve received it.  This can take up to three business days based on how many applications we are receiving simultaneously.  Please don’t wait until the last minute to send your transcripts!

Application Fees are required to apply for our programs. It is preferred for application fees to be paid via Eventbrite, however, checks can also be mailed to our office.  Please note that you will not be able to submit your online application until our office has received and processed your payment. Checks must be made out to the University of Florida with the student’s name and the program(s) they are applying for in the memo line. 

If you are financially unable to pay the application fee, are a Florida resident, and qualify for free and reduced lunch, please fill out this form to request that your application fee be waived.

Students may check application status through their on-line portal in SMApply.  We do not give status updates over the phone or email.  Parents may join the application process as a “collaborator” in SMApply.  The only portion of our process which is not automated is the receiving and entering of transcripts.  Allow 3 business days for faxed transcripts and 2 weeks for mailed transcripts to be entered into our system.  Please note that our fax machine becomes very busy during application season, especially as deadlines approach.  We encourage you to make sure your fax sends before walking away!

UF CPET staff abide by FERPA and University application standards and therefore do not discuss applications, applicant data (individual or aggregated), nor selection with students or parents. Neither originals nor copies of a student’s application material will be returned. Once an application is submitted, students may view and download, but not edit, their application through the online portal.

Once the first round of applications is received, they are reviewed by our Selection Committee.  This review process can take 3 or more weeks, so please be patient.  Each member of our committee carefully reads each application, transcript, and teacher endorsement we receive.  This process takes time.  Frequent calls can slow this process.  Once we have reached a decision, we will send out an email through our online application portal.  Notifications regarding your account and application progress will come from noreply@smapply.io. Please add this address to your email safe senders list, address book, or contact list. Please note that applicants, not their parents, receive all correspondence from our office.  At any time applicants and parent “collaborators” may check on acceptance status in the on-line portal.

The three possible decisions are as follows: invited to attend, waitlist, or not invited.

INVITED TO ATTEND

If you are invited to attend, congratulations! UF CPET programs are competitive and you are about to have the experience of a lifetime. At this point, you will be in the “Invited to Attend” stage in our application portal. You will have 10 days to decide to attend the program or defer your acceptance (see Defer Option below).

Once you accept your invitation, you’ll have basic forms to return using the same on-line portal, including your Response to Invitation, Participation Agreement and Release of Liability, and a few more, depending on the program. You will also need to add a parent or guardian as a collaborator on your paperwork if you have not done so already. Some programs will require a deposit. After this invitation paperwork is returned, you are officially attending! You’ll move on to the “Attending” stage, where we’ll continue to collect the specific information and forms needed for your program.

Florida Youth Institute also imposes a Preliminary Invitation.  Once the World Food Essay is submitted the student will be Invited to Attend.

DEFER OPTION

If you are invited to attend, but do not know if you can attend, you can defer your acceptance. If you choose to defer, we will not hold a place for you in the program. Instead, once you are able to make a commitment to attend, please contact our office to inquire if space is still available.

WAITLIST

We receive more applications than space and unfortunately, that means some students are placed on a waitlist. The waitlist is unranked and is not a reflection of the quality of your application. We are building programs of students from diverse backgrounds, schools, experiences, and interests. We also have limited residence hall space and must fill suites single gender. All of this means that there are many moving parts to our enrollment process.

If you are placed on the waitlist, we encourage you remain on the waitlist as long as you feel comfortable.

If you choose to remain on the waitlist, your application will continue to be considered for selection. We will only notify you again if you are invited to attend or the selection processes is completed.

NOT INVITED

Sadly, some students will not be invited to our program. We know this is difficult news to receive. As hard as it is to not invite a student, we feel it is fairer to be upfront and honest with students when we know that we will not be able to offer them a spot in our program. Many programs place all students on a “waitlist” to avoid the difficult decisions. It does not do any good when students hold out hope for an invitation what will not be coming. Instead, we hope that being upfront about the enrollment process will encourage students to seek out many of the other great summer programs out there.

Financial aid is only available to Florida residents attending an in-state school. Students who have a need for financial aid in order to attend a UF CPET program may apply by completing and returning this form during the UF CPET application process.  It is encouraged to submit your financial aid during the application period.  Please note that you may be asked to submit a copy of your tax return.  If you prefer to submit a hard copy form rather than using our online form please contact our office.

Admission to the program is not dependent upon ability to pay. Aid requests will be evaluated on the basis of the applicant’s financial need, the amount of funds available for scholarships, and the criteria set by the donor.  Scholarship recipients are required to write thank you letters, to provide a copy of their final projects to be submitted to funding agencies as requested, and to provide updates to the UF CPET Office in a timely manner when requested.

There is no set deadline for the Financial Aid Application, however only the completed program and financial aid applications received at the time each funding agency is granting scholarships will be considered. Therefore, please submit your UF CPET Application and Financial Aid Application as early as possible.