In this article, we will be sharing some new information about the bright futures requirements.
You might wonder, what exactly is the bright futures scholarship all about? Well, the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship based on academic accomplishment in high school.
At the University of Central Florida, students can obtain either the Florida Academic Scholars Award or the Florida Medallion Scholars Award.
Read on as we talk about the different types of bright futures scholarships and their requirements.
Types of Bright Future Scholarship Programs
Below are the types of bright futures scholarships:
1. Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)
This is the most competitive and valuable Bright Futures scholarship. Florida Academic Scholar (FAS) recipients may receive support for a maximum of 120 semester hours toward the completion of a first baccalaureate degree for up to five years after high school graduation.
The Academic Top Scholars Award will also be given to the Florida Academic Scholar with the highest academic ranking in each county.
The Florida Academic Scholars will receive an award equal to 100 percent of tuition and other miscellaneous fees in the fall, spring, and summer semesters for the 2020-2021 academic year.
Miscellaneous fees, in this instance, cover activity and service costs, health expenses, athletic fees, financial aid fees, capital improvement fees, campus access/transportation fees, technology fees, and tuition differential fees. You need assistance because working to pay loans is hard.
For college-related expenses, Florida Academic Scholars will receive an additional $300 per semester (autumn and spring only).
2. Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)
Although less competitive than the FAS, this scholarship nevertheless has a relatively high minimum exam score and GPA criteria.
FMS recipients may receive money for up to five years after high school graduation for a maximum of 120 semester hours toward the attainment of a first baccalaureate degree.
Florida Medallion Scholars will receive a scholarship worth 75% of their tuition and applicable fall, spring, and summer fees. Activity and service costs, health expenses, athletic fees, financial aid fees, capital improvement fees, campus access/transportation fees, technology fees, and tuition differential fees are all applicable.
The $300 educational expense stipend will not be awarded to Florida Medallion Scholars.
Bright Futures Requirements
Eligibility and application criteria can be obtained at your high school’s guidance office or via the Florida Bright Futures Program website.
Students are not required to file FAFSA in order to be eligible for both initial and renewal Bright Futures funding.
Students are advised to complete the FAFSA in order to determine their eligibility for further state and federal help.
Candidates must be a resident of Florida and a U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizen.
Candidates are expected to fill out the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) by August 31 of the year of their high school graduation.
Candidates will have to earn a regular Florida high school diploma or its equivalent from a Florida public high school or a private school registered with the Florida Department of Education.
Candidates must not have been convicted of (or pleaded no contest to) a felony charge.
Candidates must have been accepted into and enrolled in a degree or certificate program at a Florida tertiary institution.
Exceptions To the Bright Futures Requirements
Students having fewer than the requisite 6 credit hours for graduation may apply for FAS and FMS by submitting a memo on letterhead from an academic advisor indicating:
Name and UCFID of the student
Semester graduation is anticipated.
Graduation requires fewer than 6 hours.
How to Apply for Bright Futures
Students must apply for the award by submitting the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) by August 31 after graduating from high school.
NOTE: To be eligible for the Bright Futures Scholarship, you must select “University of Central Florida” as your post-secondary institution on the Initial Student Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA). If you have already picked another university on the FFAA and want to attend UCF, you must change your institution name selection to “UCF.”
To change the name of your post-secondary institution, go to the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) website or contact 1-888-827-2004.
Deadline
In February, UCF begins awarding Bright Futures prizes for the forthcoming academic year, which begins in August.
From February to the end of May, these awards are calculated based on data held by UCF, such as SAT/ACT scores and high school GPA.
UCF will load the Master Eligibility List (MEL) from the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) by the end of May, which will include students who received the Bright Futures Initial Award Letter from OSFA.
UCF will notify students for whom we predicted an award but whose final determination has not yet been made by the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA).
OSFA provides weekly updates to UCF, so students who are added to the list should expect an award within a week after OSFA’s final conclusion.
Conclusion
We hope this post on bright futures requirements provided all the needed information.
Note that now is the best time to apply for this scholarship. Good luck
