Written Student Complaints

Student Complaint Procedure

University of Florida Student Grievance Procedure (UF Regulation 4.012) defines a grievance as a dissatisfaction occurring when a student believes that any decision, act or condition affecting him or her is illegal, unjust, or creates unnecessary hardship. Students with a grievance are strongly encouraged to discuss with the University Ombuds office prior to initiating a formal grievance.

The Division of Enrollment Management procedures for handling student complaints are outlined below. These procedures apply to currently enrolled students. Student issues that are not related to the Division of Enrollment Management mission, or that fall under an existing formal and established process, are excluded from this procedure.

• The complaint must be in writing on the complaint form. The complaint form must be signed by the aggrieved student. The complaint must also include the contact information (phone number, email, and address) of the student. Submission of written complaints by email will only be accepted if the complaint form is signed and attached to the email, and must include the student's contact information. Oral, anonymous, or complaints submitted on behalf of another individual will not be considered formal complaints and will not be processed in accordance with these procedures.
• The complaint should include details of the alleged act or condition and how it affects the student. The supervisor or director or designee of the unit from which the complaint arose will review the complaint and respond to the student in writing within 45 business days from the receipt of the complaint. The student may be contacted for additional information and/or clarification if/when appropriate. The 45-day timeline may be extended to allow for additional review of information if necessary. In the event that the complaint is against the director of the unit, the complaint should be submitted to the Office of the Vice President for Enrollment Management.
• Should the issue remain unresolved or if the student is dissatisfied with the response of the unit, the student may appeal to the Vice President for Enrollment Management. The Vice President will review the appeal and respond to the student in writing. The Vice President's decision, whether in the student's favor or not, constitutes final University of Florida action.

Complaint forms should be mailed or submitted in person to:

State Complaint Process

In accordance with 34 C.F.R. 600.9(a) and 34 C.F.R. 668.43(b), the University is required to provide both current and prospective students with contact information for filing complaints with its accrediting body and the appropriate state agency for handling complaints in a student’s resident state. Students can file a complaint at https://sacscoc.org/app/uploads/2020/01/ComplaintPolicy-1.pdf.

FERPA Violation Complaint Process

The Family Education Rights & Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA): How UF Ensures Confidentiality

In accordance with CFR 99.63, parents or eligible students can file a written complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office at: