The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program rewards students for their academic achievements during high school by providing funding for them to pursue postsecondary educational and career goals in Florida.
Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) in the State of Florida Bright Futures Determines your eligibility to receive Bright Futures based upon:
Your Bright Futures Application
Your High School transcript information
Your SAT/ACT test scoresOSFA begins sending Official Bright Futures Award Notices after your 7th semester of High School, provided they have received the information above.
USF Office of Financial Aid (OFA) estimates Bright Futures Eligibility for new students beginning March 1st each year based upon information received by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as follows:
Residency
Overall High School GPA
SAT/ACT scores
If State of Florida does not confirm a student with an estimated award, USF will send an email notice to enrolled students before each term begins.
As always, k eep your email address up to date in OASIS.
First, take a copy of your Florida Pre-Paid (FPP) card to the Cash Accounting Office in the Administration Building (ADM) Room 125.
You can do this immediately after registering for classes.
Your Florida Pre-Paid account will be billed to pay for the tuition according to your type of plan.
If you have the prepaid tuition plan, it will pay for approximately 75% of the total tuition and fees you owe to USF.
If you have the tuition and local fee plans, it will cover all fees except for $3.75 per credit hour.
Then, Florida Bright Futures (FBF) funds are received from the State of Florida at the end of the first week of classes. FBF will send funds in the amount of the scholarship you will be receiving to cover tuition. For example, if you have Florida Academic Scholars, 100% of the tuition and allowable fees will be sent to USF to cover your scholarship.
If you still owe tuition fees after FPP has been used, your FBF disbursement will be applied to pay the remaining tuition charges before being applied to any additional charges owed to USF and posted to your student account.
Payment of charges on your student account occurs in the following order:
Tuition charges, then
On-Campus Housing, then
Bookstore charges, then
Meal Plan
If you know other charges are posted to your student account and there is a credit balance, you will receive a refund via e-Deposit if you have subscribed via OASIS.
Your cumulative GPA earned hours at the end of spring will be sent to the State of Florida if you were paid Bright Futures at USF in the prior fall and/or spring within 30 days after the end of the spring term.
The information USF sends is a “snapshot” of your academic history at that time.
The form will not be available until after grades and hours are transmitted to the State of Florida.
The State of Florida will determine your renewal eligibility and send you a notice of renewal or non-renewal.
USF Office of Financial Aid will send non-renewal students an email notice regarding the State of Florida definition of extenuating circumstances which a student may use for an appeal.
Students who lose a scholarship because of a low GPA can apply to have the scholarship restored.
