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What to Know about Bright Futures Florida Scholarships


Florida is one of the states in the country that directly provides scholarships for students who do well in high school coursework. The Bright Futures Florida program bases awards on levels of achievement in the four years leading up to graduation. Three levels exist based on grades, how many credit courses were completed successfully, and other factors. This represents a great way for good students to get money to advance their education in a way that increases career opportunities and future success.

Eligibility Requirements for the Bright Futures Florida Scholarships

Whether you are eligible or not for this valuable financial aid is depends on the rules in place for the specific year of your graduation. Therefore, check back regularly to learn the specifics before you apply. For this year, you need to have a 3.0 unweighted grade-point average in your full-time high school classes to get free tuition and other bills covered.

Also, your high school needs to be on the list of approved schools. In the vast majority of cases, you have no reason to worry about this as all accredited secondary schools are on the list. Finally, you need to attend a full-time post-secondary school on the approved list in Florida. These include everything from exceptional state schools to applied technology programs to trade schools that offer certificates of completion. More than 700,000 students have received money from the Bright Futures Florida program so far.

Different Levels of Financial Rewards Available

Top performers, who are called Florida Academic Scholars, get 100 percent of their tuition and necessary fees covered by the Bright Futures Scholarship. This can include health, athletic, transportation, and activity fees but does not include room and board. People who only have a 2.75 GPA, who are dubbed Florida Medallion Scholars, can get up to 75 percent of all fees and costs covered. 

This money comes in the form of scholarships and never needs to be repaid as long as the student successfully completes the classes it pays for. If a student drops or withdraws from a class, they will have to refund the portion of the money that covers it unless the reasons are verifiable and catastrophic. For example, a valid reason would be if the student withdraws due to a severe illness.

One of the best things about the Bright Futures Florida Scholarships is that they are renewable every year for four years of a post-secondary education. While the student has to maintain a certain level of commitment to their academic future, it only takes a minimum of a 2.75 grade-point average and twelve semester hours to earn a 100 percent tuition coverage. This does not leave part-time students out of this impressive benefit. The program even offers one year of graduate funding to those who successfully completed a bachelor's degree.

In the quest for free money for college tuition, Florida offers a considerable bonus for students who are serious about getting good grades and furthering their education. The Bright Futures Florida program offers the opportunity to attend a state approved school without any tuition costs at all. Hard work, determination, and a focus on completing an accurate application and meeting deadlines is all you need to receive help for a brighter future.