Florida Bright Futures Scholarship – Important Updates

Parents with students who are hoping to apply for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship need to be aware of the changes made to the program.

You can see some of the 2009 Legislative updates as well as information on further changes at
http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad/PDF/2009_BF_SummerNotice.pdf

Our Miami college counselors have also listed a few of them below to give you an idea of what you can expect.

For parents new to this, the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program was created by the Florida Legislature in 1997 to reward students for their academic achievements during high school by providing funding to attend postsecondary education in Florida including in Florida, college counselors at International College Counselors know.

The following are some of the more major changes, cut and pasted from the site:
2009-10 Awards

Bright Futures recipients will receive a fixed cost per credit hour award based on:
·award level [Florida Academic Scholar (FAS), Academic Top Scholars (ATS), Florida Medallion Scholar (FMS), or Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholar (GSV)] ·institution type (4-year, 2-year, or Vocational/Technical), and
·credit type (semester, quarter, or clock hour).

See the award amounts on the Bright Futures Web site at
www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/ssfad/bf/newsrenew.htm

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) Expense Allowance is No Longer Available
·The FAS college-related expense allowance is no longer available. The Florida Legislature amended Section 1009.534(2), Florida Statutes, by removing this provision of the FAS award.

Repayment for Courses funded by Bright Futures that are Dropped/Withdrawn
·Students will be required to repay the cost of any course dropped or withdrawn unless an exception is recommended by the financial aid office at their home postsecondary institution.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·Repayment for the cost of dropped or withdrawn courses is required to renew a Bright Futures award for a subsequent academic year.

Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV) Remain GSV
·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.

Renewal Criteria
·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, to renew their award (prorated for part-time students) at the end of the spring term.

The Bright Futures Initial Eligibility brochure for 2010 high school graduates can be printed as a 2-page booklet. For your convenience, we have placed booklet printing instructions on our Web site. The brochure is accessible at: www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/ under Brochures/Posters

The instructions to print Bright Futures and all State Programs brochures booklets are available at
https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/pdf/Bookletprinting.pdf
You must have Adobe Reader to print as a booklet.

Apply for the International College Counselors scholarship at www.internationalcollegecounselors.com We’re awarding 4 scholarships worth $250 each.

The college advisors at International College Counselors are available to help you. Please contact us with any questions you may have.

International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreamsof each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.

International College Counselors
Main Office
Mandee Heller Adler (954) 253-5719
Barry N. Liebowitz (954) 658-4570
mandee@internationalcollegecounselors.com
barry@internationalcollegecounselors.com

International College Counselors
European Office
Kate McKenna
Dialing from the USA call: 011 + 359 + 88-810-9427
Dialing from Europe call: 00 + 359 +88-810-9427
kate@internationalcollegecounselors.com