The Florida Bright Future Scholarship is available to Florida high school seniors and is awarded upon completion of the seventh semester of high school requirements. Applications are available for high school seniors each year beginning December 1st. To apply, Florida residents must have their high school guidance counselor submit their information and authorization form to the Florida Bright Futures Program at the Florida Department of Education. Your eligibility is determined based on performance throughout high school.

• Final Deadline for Bright Future Scholarship applications: Your last day of high school
• Where to check the status of your Bright Futures Scholarship Application: Go to the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) website and click “Check My Status” under Applicant Quick Links.

Qualifications

• The scholarship you receive is determined based on academic achievement in high school, SAT and ACT scores, and fulfillment of certain requirements.
• To apply for a Bright Futures Scholarship, submit a completed Florida Financial Aid Application during your last year in high school (after December 1 and prior to graduation). It is your responsibility to know and meet the requirements of the Bright Future Scholarship Program before high school graduation. You may apply online at Florida Student Financial Aid.

Award Amount

• The value of each credit hour will be determined by the State on an annual basis.
• Award amounts will be updated based on the actual number of credits you enroll in after drop/add.
• Florida State University will project the award for the year based on 15 credit hours each semester and at the end of drop/add each term.

Renewing Your Bright Futures Scholarship

• Bright Futures is renewed based off your GPA and credit hours at the end of the Spring term.
• Florida State University will send the Office of Student Financial Assistance your GPA and hours earned.
• Your Financial Aid Recipient History (FARH) report on the OSFA website will post your eligibility for renewal.

Annual Credit Hour Information for Renewals

Credit Hour Renewal Requirement

• Students must earn a certain number of credit hours in order to renew your Bright Futures, based on credit hours funded after drop/add.
• To know better how your individual scenario will affect the number of hours you need to take each term, you should use the Bright Futures Credit Hour Interactive Tool, located on the Bright Futures Home Page. This tool allows students to customize the credit hour requirement to their individual enrollment scenario per term. Students are also required to maintain GPA requirements. For all renewal requirements, visit the Office of Student Financial Assistance website.

 

GPA Renewal Requirement

• GPA Renewal Requirement: 3.0 for Florida Academic Scholar award; 2.75 for Florida Medallion Scholar award
• What Happens if Your GPA Drops and/or You Do Not Meet the Annual Renewal Hours Requirements?
  • Students who failed to meet the renewal GPA requirement in their first-year of funding may have their eligibility restored (one-time).
  • FSU will report an updated GPA for any students who enroll in summer classes immediately following their first year, and if the award was lost on GPA only, it may be restored if the GPA is raised to the required level (2.75 for Medallion or 3.0 for Academic).
  • Students who do not enroll, or who do not meet the GPA at that time, may apply for Reinstatement through the state Reinstatement application at the end of the Spring term, if their GPA at that time meets criteria.

Reinstating/Restoring Bright Futures

Reinstatement

• If you did not receive award funding in the academic year immediately following your graduation from high school, you must apply within two or three years of high school graduation to reinstate the award.
• If you have received funding for a minimum of one term and met annual renewal requirements, you are eligible to apply for reinstatement up to five years from high school graduation.

Restoration

• A one-time restoration opportunity is available under limited circumstances.
• If you fail to meet the minimum earned hours requirement in ANY academic year renewal period (end of spring term), you will NOT be permitted a restoration opportunity.
• If you do not meet the minimum earned hours requirement or fail to meet the minimum GPA requirement after the first year of funding, you will NOT be permitted a restoration opportunity.
• Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) with 2.75-2.99 GPA at the end of the renewal period will renew as Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS). If the GPA improves above a 3.0 in a subsequent renewal period, the student will restore as a FAS, using the one-time restoration opportunity.
• Summer grades and hours earned after spring evaluation may be used to meet the scholarship renewal requirements if the you have a one-time restoration opportunity available. You must ask a financial aid advisor at FSU to submit a summer grades and hours update to the Bright Futures office indicating the adjusted cumulative GPA and hours.
• If your last status was ineligible for not meeting renewal requirements and you did not receive funding during the previous academic year, you will need to submit a Reinstatement/Restoration Application. If you were initially eligible and enlisted in the military or engaged in a full-time religious or service obligation, see “Applying for Reinstatement” in Student Handbook: Chapter 3 for specific information.

Repaying Bright Futures

• You will be required to reimburse the Florida Department of Education for the cost of any courses dropped or withdrawn from after drop/add.
• If not paid back, you will lose your Bright Futures scholarship permanently.
• After repayment, those hours are returned to your hour’s remaining for funding purposes.
• Due to verifiable illness or emergency, you may make a written appeal to FSU for hours dropped or withdrawn after the last day of the drop/add period.

For the latest and additional information on the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship, visit the OFSA Bright Futures website.