TL;DR: A student at a Lee County private school can take Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) courses for free to the family, as long as the school signs FSW's yearly articulation agreement. Under the 2025-26 agreement the school pays fall and spring tuition and can't pass it on, fees are waived and FSW lends the textbooks. 47 schools on the Lee register reach grade 12.
Can a Lee County private school student dual enroll at FSW?
Yes, if the school has a current articulation agreement with FSW. The agreement is annual: the school submits it to FSW's Accelerated Pathways office before August 1 each year. FSW posts agreement documents for individual schools, and Lee names appear among them, including Crosspointe Academy in Fort Myers (2025-26) and 3 Oaks Academy in Estero (2022-23). An older document doesn't mean a school is current, so ask your school's counselor which year it has on file.
The 47 Lee schools whose grades reach 12, 33 of them flagged for the state scholarship, are on our Lee high schools page.
Who pays for what?
Mostly the school, and none of it can be billed to the family. The 2025-26 private school agreement FSW publishes sets out the split:
| Cost | Who covers it (2025-26 agreement) |
|---|---|
| Fall and spring tuition | The private school is billed FSW's per-credit rate; FSW passes along any state reimbursement it receives |
| Summer tuition | FSW covers it and seeks state reimbursement |
| Registration, matriculation and lab fees | Waived for dual enrollment students |
| Required textbooks | Lent by FSW; lost or late books are charged to the student |
| Specialized program costs and course travel | The student |
| Transportation and internet | The student |
The agreement says plainly that private schools may not pass dual enrollment costs on to students. That's why the Private School Scholarship rarely comes into it: the $8,001 Lee high school award pays the school's tuition, and the school absorbs the FSW bill.
Who qualifies?
A 3.0 unweighted high school GPA, qualifying placement scores and approval from the school's designee. Students in grades 6 through 9 also need two letters of recommendation. Once enrolled, a student has to keep a college GPA of at least 2.0, with one semester of academic warning before dismissal. Grades, including withdrawals, go on a permanent college transcript, so treat the first course seriously.
A few other terms in the agreement are worth knowing before a student signs up. Withdrawing after the add/drop period needs the school designee's approval. Students who have already graduated from high school can't dual enroll. And not every course counts toward an associate degree's general education requirements, so check how a class will transfer, especially if the student is aiming at a state university such as Florida Gulf Coast University in south Lee.
Dual enrollment vs. early admission: what's the difference?
Dual enrollment is part-time; early admission is a full-time college year. Under the FSW agreement, a dual enrollment student takes up to 12 college credits and at least one high school course each fall and spring term. Early admission is for juniors and seniors, who take 12 to 18 credits a term at FSW, no high school courses, and a required college success course. Both run under the same agreement and the same no-cost rule for the family.
How much can a Lee student save?
Potentially a semester or more of college. Each FSW course a student finishes with a good grade is a course that doesn't have to be paid for later, and early admission can cover a full year of credits. For a family already stretching the $8,001 high school award to meet private tuition, that later saving is part of the value of choosing a school with a current agreement. When you tour a Lee high school, ask three things: is the FSW agreement current for this year, how many students used it last year, and does the school have a designee who handles registration.
What about PEP and FES-UA students?
They can dual enroll too. Step Up's 2026-27 PEP guide says PEP students may dual enroll at an approved postsecondary institution and lists eligible postsecondary tuition and fees as allowed expenses. The FES-UA guide says FES-UA students may participate in dual enrollment and that doing so doesn't affect dual enrollment funding. Families using the standard Private School Scholarship don't need to touch their award at all, because the school handles the FSW invoice under its agreement. Homeschool and hybrid families should ask FSW which route applies to them before registering; our dual enrollment spending page compares the three programs.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Lee County private school student dual enroll at FSW?
Yes, if the school has a current FSW articulation agreement, which must be renewed before August 1 each year.
Who pays for dual enrollment at FSW?
Under the 2025-26 agreement the private school pays fall and spring tuition, FSW covers summer, fees are waived and textbooks are lent; the school can't pass these costs to the student.
Who qualifies?
Students with a 3.0 unweighted GPA, qualifying placement scores and school approval; grades 6-9 also need two recommendation letters.
What is the difference between dual enrollment and early admission?
Dual enrollment is up to 12 credits alongside high school; early admission is 12-18 credits a term for juniors and seniors with no high school courses.
Related questions
- How does college credit work for Lee private school students?
- What does the Lee award pay for grades 9-12?
- Which Lee private schools reach grade 12?
- Which scholarship dates are coming up?
Sources
- FSW: Cape Coral Christian School 2025-26 private school articulation agreement
- FSW: Crosspointe Academy 2025-26 articulation agreement
- Step Up For Students: 2026-27 PEP Purchasing Guide
- Step Up For Students: FES-UA Purchasing Guide
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