Financial Aid

Tagged as: bright futures, scholarships  

The 2009 Legislative Session resulted in several changes to the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program for the 2009-10 academic year. Additional information regarding the changes summarized below will be available at http://www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf.

• Bright Futures recipients will now receive a fixed cost per credit hour award based on several factors:

1. Award Level (FAS, ATS, FMS, GSV)

2. Institution type (4-year, 2-year, vocational/technical)

3. Credit type (semester, quarter, or clock hour)

•  Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) Expense Allowance is no longer available.

• Students will be required to repay the cost of any course dropped or withdrawn unless an exception is recommended by the financial aid office at their home postsecondary institution. An exception will be based on a verifiable illness or emergency beyond the student’s control.

• Repayment for the cost of dropped or withdrawn courses is required to renew a Bright Futures award for a subsequent academic year.

• The Legislature removed the provision which allowed GSV recipients to renew as Florida Medallion Scholars. GSV students may receive funding for up to 90 semester hours.

• As of the 2009-10 academic year, Bright Futures recipients are required to meet new minimum credit hour requirements to renew their award each year.  The Florida Legislature now requires full-time students to earn at least 24 semester hours, or the equivalent in quarter or clock hours, in order to renew their award (prorated for part-time students) at the end of the spring term.

• Bright Futures recipients who do not meet the new credit hour renewal requirements will have the opportunity to restore their award in a subsequent academic year.  This applies to students who were funded and did not meet the minimum credit hour renewal requirements at the end of the 2009-10 academic year and thereafter.

If you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact the Bright Futures Program office toll-free at 1-888-827-2004.  Please visit http://www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf after July 1 for additional information regarding recent changes to the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.