Polk State closes 2 p.m. Dec. 12 for winter break 2025, enrollment for spring 2026 continues
Polk State College and its collegiate high schools will close at 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, for winter break. College operations will resume on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.
Staff will be available online throughout the winter break, providing assistance for students registering for the Spring 2026 Semester, which will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
Students requesting assistance via email or voicemail should expect responses to inquiries when staff and faculty return in January. They should note that staff will be answering general questions; any requests for changes to records such as updating residency or removing holds from an account will be addressed when the College reopens.
Associate and certificate students with any issues registering for Spring 2026 Semester classes through the Polk Portal are urged to complete this form and email it to registration@polk.edu. Students pursuing bachelor’s degrees with any issues registering for Spring 2026 Semester classes through the Portal are urged to complete this form and email it to bachelor@polk.edu.
Bookstore Hours
Students should note that the bookstores on the Winter Haven and Lakeland campuses will be open during the break during the following hours.
Dec. 8-12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dec. 16-18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dec. 22-23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dec. 29-31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Jan. 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jan. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Jan. 5-8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Jan. 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jan. 12-15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jan. 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Admission
Prospective students can submit a free online application to Polk State. Information on how to complete orientation and register for classes is included in email communications to students after they apply, as well as in the online admission steps. Assistance with admission is available by emailing one of the below based on the first letter of the student’s last name.
admissionsa@polk.edu (A-M)
admissionsz@polk.edu (N-Z)
Advising
Students who need assistance with advising should email one of the below based on the first letter of their last name.
onlineadvisinga@polk.edu (A-M)
onlineadvisingz@polk.edu (N-Z)
Financial Aid
Students are encouraged to complete the financial aid process as early as possible. The first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students with questions about financial aid may email financial@polk.edu.
Registration
Students should use their existing Polk State email address and password to log in to the Polk Portal.
To begin registration for classes, they will select “Open Registration Dashboard” under the “Registration Self-Service” card. Students will be given a list of options to choose from. To continue to class registration, students will select “Register for Classes.”
After selecting “Spring 2026” on the drop-down menu of terms open for registration, students will be sent to the registration page where they can search for classes by subject, course number, instructional method, professor, or day of the week, among other options. A list of options that match the search will appear. To select a particular course, students should click “Add” in the far-right column.
Once courses are added, they will appear as “Pending” on the student’s summary screen and on the class schedule, which helps students ensure that none of their selected classes overlap. To officially register for the class, students must click “Submit” in the lower right-hand corner of the summary screen. Once that has been clicked, the status of the class will go from “Pending” to “Registered.”
Click here for a video tutorial.
Information Technology Assistance
Polk State provides 24/7 live technology support. Live assistance will be available any time day or night, including weekends and holidays, in the following areas:
- Polk Portal
- Polk Email
- Password Resets
- Software & Systems
Employees and students use the same phone number to reach this 24/7 live assistance: 863.292.3652. After regular office hours, they will be connected with an agent who can assist.
Employees and students can also continue to utilize support.polk.edu to submit tickets for technical support. For resources related to Canvas and the tools accessible within, visit Learning Technology Support.