Bright Futures
Student Handbook
Chapter 1: Initial Eligibility Requirements
2014-15
Office of Student Financial Assistance
Florida Department of Education
7/9/2014
Chapter 1: Initial Eligibility Requirements
Table of Contents
.......................................................................................................... 2 Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA)
..................................................................................................................................... 2 General Requirements
.................................................................................................... 3 Specific Requirements for the Scholarships
Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) .................................................................................................................. 3
Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) ................................................................................................................ 3
Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV) ........................................................................................................... 6
................................................................................................................................ 7 Non-Traditional Students
Home-Educated (HE) Students .................................................................................................................... 7
General Educational Development (GED) Students .................................................................................... 8
Out-of-State (OOS) Students ....................................................................................................................... 9
Mid-Year Graduates .................................................................................................................................. 11
Sending Electronic Transcripts .................................................................................................................. 12
................................................................................................................................ 12 Notification of Eligibility
....................................................................................................................... 12 Deferment of the Scholarship
........................................................................................................................................ 13 Website Addresses
.................................................................................................................................... 14 OSFA Mailing Address
The Bright Futures Scholarship Program is governed by the following statutes and rule.
Florida Statutes s. 1009.53 s. 1009.538
State Board of Education Rule 6A-20.028
These eligibility requirements are subject to change with each legislative session.
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Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA)
Students must APPLY for the scholarship by submitting the Florida Financial Aid Application
(FFAA) beginning December 1 of their senior year and by no later than August 31 after high
school graduation. If a student does not apply for the scholarship by the deadline, a student
cannot receive the scholarship! All eligibility requirements must be met by high school
graduation but scores of ACT
/SAT
/P.E.R.T. tests taken through June 30 are accepted for
evaluation purposes.
After submitting the FFAA, the student is responsible for tracking application and award
status online and keeping the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) informed of any
demographic or institutional changes.
The Bright Futures Scholarship will renew automatically each year (up to the scholarship limit) if
the student maintains the required GPA and earns the required credit hours. See Chapter 3:
Renewing Your Award for more details.
General Requirements
Be a Florida resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, as determined by the student's
postsecondary institution.
Complete the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) no later than August 31 after high
school graduation.
Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its equivalent from a Florida public high
school or a registered Florida Department of Education private high school.
Not have been found guilty of, or pled nolo contendere to, a felony charge, unless the student
has been granted clemency by the Governor and Cabinet sitting as the Executive Office of
Clemency.
Be accepted by, enroll in a degree or certificate program, and be funded at an eligible Florida
public or independent postsecondary institution within 2 years from the students year of high
school graduation.
(Please refer to the Deferment of Scholarship section at the end of this chapter concerning students who
enlist in the military after graduation.)
Be enrolled for at least 6 non-remedial semester credit hours (or the equivalent in quarter or
clock hours) per term.
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Specific Requirements for the Scholarships
Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)
Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)
Florida high school students who wish to qualify for the Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) award
or the Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) award must meet the following initial eligibility
requirements:
Graduate high school from a Florida public high school with a Florida Standard Diploma
(high school graduation requirements), graduate from a registered Florida Department of
Education private high school, earn a GED, complete a Home Education program, or
graduate from a non-Florida high school (OOS);
Complete the required high school coursework;
Achieve the required minimum high school grade point average (GPA);
Achieve the required minimum score on either the ACT
or SAT
college entrance exam; and
Complete the required number of service hours.
Type 16 High School Credits
1
High School
Weighted GPA
College Entrance Exams
(ACT
/SAT
)
Service
Hours
FAS
4 - English
(three must include substantial writing)
3.50 29/1290 100 hours
4 - Mathematics
(at or above the Algebra I level)
3 - Natural Science
FMS
(two must have substantial laboratory)
3.00
26/1170
2
75 hours
3 - Social Science
2 - World Language
(sequential, in same language)
1
The required coursework aligns with the State University System admission requirements found in regulation 6.002.
2
Home-educated students without official transcripts must score a 27/1220 to meet the FMS award requirement.
High School GPA
Evaluation for Bright Futures includes a weighted high school GPA (calculated to two decimal
places) in the 16 college-preparatory credits. Courses identified as Advanced Placement (AP),
Pre-International Baccalaureate (Pre-IB), International Baccalaureate (IB), Honors, Pre-Advanced
International Certificate of Education (Pre-AICE), Advanced International Certificate of
Education (AICE) or academic Dual Enrollment are weighted in the calculation of the GPA. If
necessary, students may use two additional credits from courses in the above academic areas, or
from AP, IB, or AICE fine arts courses to raise their GPA.
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College Entrance Exams
Bright Futures uses the best section score from any sitting of the same entrance exam to give the
student the best possible overall composite score.
OSFA does NOT use the writing section score from either test.
The ACT
composite score is the average score across the four subject area sections: English,
Math, Reading and Science. Composite scores will be rounded up to the next whole number.
The SAT
composite score is the sum of the Critical Reading and Math sections.
The ACT
/SAT
exams may be taken through June 30 of the students graduation year (or
through January 31 for mid-year graduates).
There is no limit to the number of times a student may retake the test through June 30 of the
students graduation year.
Required test scores are higher for home-educated students who cannot produce an official
transcript documenting coursework.
Request test scores be sent to one of Floridas 12 state universities, Florida state colleges
(public community colleges), or public high schools when the student registers for the
ACT
/SAT
so that test scores will be sent to the Florida Department of Education (FDOE)
repository.
Service Hours
Documentation of service hours must be submitted to the high school or district. Students must
complete service hours during high school and by high school graduation. These hours must be
approved by:
District school boards for public school students;
Administrators of nonpublic schools for private school students; OR
FDOE for students enrolled in a home education program. Districts certify these hours to
the FDOE through an electronic process.
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Other ways to qualify
Students who have demonstrated academic merit through a recognition program may be eligible
for Bright Futures without having to meet one or more of the requirements. Please refer to the
table below for how to qualify based on one of the merit recognition programs.
Merit Recognition Program
College Entrance Exams
(ACT
/SAT
)
Service Hours
Bright Futures
Award
National Merit
/ National Achievement
Finalists and Scholars
100 hours FAS
75 hours FMS
National Hispanic Scholars
100 hours FAS
75 hours FMS
Advanced International Certificate of
Education (AICE) - Diploma
100 hours FAS
75 hours FMS
International Baccalaureate (IB) - Diploma 100 hours
1
FAS
AICE - Curriculum
29/1290 100 hours FAS
26/1170 75 hours FMS
International Baccalaureate (IB) -
Curriculum
29/1290 100 hours
1
FAS
26/1170 75 hours
1
FMS
1
Students meet the service hour requirement through the IB curriculum.
AICE Curriculum
Complete a minimum of 12 AICE credits identified by the University of Cambridge International
Examinations (CIE) in three academic areas as follows:
Two credits from Group 1 Mathematics and Sciences
Two credits from Group 2 Languages
Two credits from Group 3 Arts and Humanities
Six additional credits in any combination from the above three Groups, or from Group 4
(Global Perspectives).
IB Curriculum
Complete a minimum of 10 credits identified by the International Baccalaureate Organization
(IBO):
o Two credits each in three of the following areas and one credit each in the remaining three
areas: Language Arts, World Language, Social Studies, Science, Mathematics and
Arts/Electives. (Each of these credits must be an IB or AP course. Pre-IB courses do
not meet IB curriculum requirements.)
o One credit in Theory of Knowledge.
Complete the Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) requirement.
Complete an extended essay.
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Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV)
Florida high school students who wish to qualify for the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars
(GSV) award must meet the following initial eligibility requirements:
Graduate from high school with a Standard Diploma (high school graduation requirements);
Achieve the required weighted minimum 3.0 GPA in the non-elective high school courses;
o 16 core credits required to graduate from high school within four years
o 14 core credits required to graduate from high school within three years
(excluding Fine/Practical Arts and Physical Education)
Take at least 3 full credits in a single Career and Technical Education program;
Achieve the required minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA in the career education courses;
Achieve the required minimum score on the ACT
, SAT
, or Florida Postsecondary
Education Readiness Test (P.E.R.T.) exams (see table below); and
Complete 30 service hours
College Entrance Exams
Exam types cannot be combined; a student must qualify based on each sub-test score for a single
exam type. Sub-test scores from different test dates may be used to meet the test requirement.
Scores taken through June 30 of the student's senior year (for a regular graduate, or January 31 for
a mid-year graduate) will be accepted for Bright Futures evaluation. There is no limit to the
number of times a student may retake the test, prior to June 30 of the students graduation year.
Request test scores be sent to one of Floridas 12 state universities, Florida state colleges (public
community colleges), or public high schools when the student registers for the ACT
/SAT
so
that test scores will be sent to the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) repository.
Exam Type Sub-test Required Score
ACT
English 17
Reading 19
Math 19
SAT
Critical Reading 440
Math 440
P.E.R.T.
Reading 106
Writing 103
Math 114
Service Hours
Students must complete service hours during high school and by high school graduation. These
hours must be approved by:
District school boards for public school students; or
Administrators of nonpublic schools for private school students.
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Non-Traditional Students
Home-Educated (HE) Students
All home-educated students must be registered with the district where they live for grades 11
and 12. In addition, students must meet the general requirements for the Florida Bright Futures
Scholarship Program. If the student was not registered as home-educated with the district for
grades 11 AND 12, but has the required transcripts and test scores, he/she may be able to apply
as a Florida GED Diploma recipient.
Required Documentation
Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) Students must submit a completed FFAA
online during the final year in a home education program (after December 1 of the last high
school year and no later than August 31). After submitting the FFAA, the student is
responsible for tracking application and award status online and keeping OSFA
informed of any demographic or institutional changes.
Exam Scores (ACT
/SAT
) Students may test through June 30 of the final year in a home
education program (or through January 31 of the final year for a mid-year applicant). Submit
scores in one of the following ways:
o Request test scores be sent to one of Floridas 12 state universities or Florida state
colleges (public community colleges) when the student registers for the ACT
/SAT
so the scores will be sent to the FDOE repository.
o Mail/Fax an official copy (no photocopies) of the test scores in the original sealed
envelope to the attention of Home Ed at the address at the end of this chapter.
Transcripts Submit (in any combination) an official transcript to the FDOE by the
students Florida public high school, FDOE-registered private high school, Florida Virtual
School, and/or dual enrollment coursework from a Florida state college or university. Parent-
generated transcripts are not accepted.
Service Hours Documentation of service hours must be submitted to the district home
education office where the student is registered as a home-educated student. The district will
certify the hours to FDOE through an electronic process. Service hours must be performed
during high school and completed by high school graduation.
The FDOE provides the following guidelines for students in a home education program:
o Service hours may not be hours that benefitted the student financially or materially, or be
service to family members, defined as parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles,
cousins, nieces, nephews, and spouses, including all step relations.
o The agencies where the service hours were earned must provide documentation on agency
letterhead of the number of hours and dates of service completed.
Select Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and the Home-Educated Student for a manual
of home education guidelines.
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General Educational Development (GED) Students
Documentation outlined below is required for the initial eligibility evaluation of students who earn
a Florida high school equivalency diploma (commonly known as the Florida GED diploma) and
wish to be evaluated for a Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
To be determined eligible for the scholarship, GED students must meet the high school
coursework and grade point average requirements before taking the GED exam. Eligibility for a
scholarship will be determined in the academic year in which the GED is earned. For additional
information on the GED, applicants may wish to visit DOEs website regarding the GED.
Required Documentation
Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) Students must submit a completed FFAA
online during the final year prior to taking the GED (after December 1 of the last high school
year and no later than August 31). After submitting the FFAA, the student is responsible
for tracking application and award status online and keeping OSFA informed of any
demographic or institutional changes.
Exam Scores (ACT
/SAT
/P.E.R.T.) Test scores taken through the end of June of the
academic year in which the student takes the GED exam will be admissible. Submit scores in
one of the following ways:
o Request test scores be sent to one of Floridas 12 state universities or Florida state
colleges (public community colleges) when the student registers for the ACT
/SAT
so that test scores will be sent to the FDOE repository.
o Request a school counselor submit test scores on the high school transcript.
o Mail/Fax an official copy (no photocopies) of the test scores in the original sealed
envelope to the attention of GED at the address at the end of this chapter.
Transcripts Submit (in any combination) an official transcript to the FDOE by the
students Florida public high school, FDOE-registered private high school, Florida Virtual
School and/or dual enrollment coursework from a Florida state college or university. The
required coursework must be completed and the minimum grade point average earned before
the Florida GED exam is taken.
GED To qualify for an award, Florida GED diploma will be verified by the Florida
Department of Education. Please follow the GED verification process outlined by the
FDOE GED website.
Service Hours Documentation of service hours must be submitted to the FDOE-OSFA.
Service hours must be performed during high school and completed by the GED date. The
hours must not have been service to family members. The agency or agencies where the
service hours were earned must provide documentation of the number of hours and dates of
completed service.
Mail or fax supporting documentation to the attention of GED to the address at the end of this
chapter.
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Out-of-State (OOS) Students
Eligibility Criteria: A Bright Futures Scholarship requires a standard Florida high school
diploma, unless the student earns a high school diploma from a non-Florida school while living
with a parent or guardian who is on A) military or B) public service assignment away from Florida.
A. Military assignment is defined as active duty in all branches of the Armed Services.
B. Public service assignment is defined as the occupational assignment of a Florida resident
employed by the United States Government or State of Florida, who as a condition of initial
public service employment, is relocated from Florida to work outside the State of Florida.
A student whose parent or guardian is on public service assignment may reside with either
natural parent or another adult designated by either natural parent or guardian.
Qualifying U.S.
Government Assignments
Qualifying State of
Florida Assignments
Disqualifying Assignments
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Embassy
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Immigration
Government officials assigned
outside the State of Florida
Florida Department of
Transportation
Governors Office of Tourism,
Trade and Economic
Development
Companies who contract with the
U.S. or Florida governments.
Red Cross
Peace Corps
Missionaries
Program Requirements (no substitutions):
1. Meet the general requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
2. Have one parent who is a Florida resident and is: A) serving active duty in the military or B) on
public service assignment away from Florida (see above) during the student's last year of high
school.
3. Submit a completed Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) online during the last year in
high school (after December 1 of the last high school year and no later than August 31).
4. Submit official high school transcript(s) showing all high school coursework attempted. A
student's transcript (including courses in progress for the final semester) and other
documentation may be submitted to the FDOE after the first semester of the last year has been
completed. If the student's award status can be improved by including additional information
from the final term, the student's transcript may be resubmitted following graduation.
The 16 required credits for an FAS or FMS award must be approved by FDOE as college
preparatory. Parental transcripts of home-educated students are not accepted.
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5. Submit ACT
/SAT
test scores. Scores of tests taken through the end of June of the
student's last year in high school will be admissible for a Bright Futures evaluation. Submit
scores to FDOE in one of the following ways (preferably the first):
Request test scores be sent to one of Florida's 12 state universities or a Florida state
college (public community colleges) when the student registers for the ACT
/SAT
so
that test scores will be sent to the FDOE repository.
Submit test scores on the high school transcript.
Mail/Fax an official copy (no photocopies) of the test scores in the original sealed
envelope to the attention of Out-of-State Applicant at the address at the end of this
chapter.
6. Submit documentation for OOS assignment.
Proof of Active Duty Military
Copy of Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) from any month of the students last year in
high school, AND
Copy of Military Orders to current location (if requested by OSFA)
Proof of Public Service Assignment
If the parent is employed with the U.S. Government:
o Copy of Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) from any month of the students last
year in high school, AND
o Copy of letter of appointment relocating from Florida to the current location, (DD
Form 1614, DD Form 1617, or a company human resource statement on company
letterhead).
If the parent is employed with the State of Florida:
o Copy of State of Florida Employee Earnings Statement from any month of the
students last year in high school, AND
o Copy of letter of appointment relocating from Florida to the current location, (DD
Form 1614, DD Form 1617, or a company human resource statement on company
letterhead).
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7. Submit Declaration of Florida Residency and include a copy of one of the four documents
below to indicate Florida residency (must be parental document):
State of Legal Residence Certificate (DD Form 2058 for military personnel, available from
base personnel offices);
Enlistment/Reenlistment Document (DD Form 4/1 for military personnel, available from
base personnel offices);
Florida driver's license or Florida voter's registration (current and at least one year old);
Proof of Florida property ownership with a homestead exemption.
Note: The student's postsecondary institution will determine Florida residency for
funding purposes. If the institution determines the student is not a Florida resident, the
student will not receive Bright Futures funding even though the student meets the initial
academic eligibility criteria.
8. Submit Proof of Dependency, provided through a copy of a recent (less than 1 year old)
parental tax return (cover sheet listing dependents only).
9. Submit Documentation of service hours. To qualify for an award, a student must complete
service hours during high school and by high school graduation. The agency or agencies where
the service hours were earned must provide documentation on agency letterhead of the
number of hours and dates of service completed.
Please mail/fax the above documentation to the attention of Out-of-State Applicant at the
address at the end of this chapter.
Mid-Year Graduates
A mid-year graduate is a student who graduates between September 1 and January 31 of an
academic year. The student must submit the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) by August 31
PRIOR TO the intended graduation date. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this application
deadline. The student must meet the scholarship requirements in effect for the academic
year in which he/she graduates. (Example: A December 2014 graduate must meet the 2014-15
scholarship eligibility requirements as well as the general program requirements as outlined earlier
in this document.)
Service hours completed by high school graduation and test scores for test dates through January
31 will be considered in a mid-year graduates Final Evaluation. A students Final transcript
evaluation MUST include a graduation date.
If determined eligible as a mid-year graduate, a student may receive funding for the spring term, if
enrolled. These students will be evaluated for renewal of their scholarships at the end of the next academic year of
funding.
If a student does not graduate mid-year as planned and wishes to apply as an end-of-year graduate,
the student must submit a new FFAA after the new application opens on December 1.
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Sending Electronic Transcripts
If your school is able to send secure electronic transcripts (or if your school contracts with a third-
party transcript service), an official transcript may be emailed to: OSFA.Transcripts@fldoe.org.
We do not accept faxed, photocopied, or unofficial transcripts. Only official transcripts sent to
the Department of Education via this secured method from the originating school or transcript
service may be used in an official evaluation for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
NOTE: Public high schools automatically send student transcripts to FDOE for BF evaluations.
Notification of Eligibility
Early Evaluations (7
th
Semester) Postings may begin in March
All students whose transcripts are submitted electronically to the FDOE for an official early
evaluation (based on academic progress in the middle of the last year of high school and test
scores for tests taken by January 31) will receive an eligibility or ineligibility determination, with
the award status notification posted to their online account.
Students cannot lose an award based on early evaluation unless they fail to earn a standard Florida
high school diploma from a Florida public or FDOE-registered private high school.
Final Evaluations (8
th
Semester) Postings may begin in July
All students whose final transcripts are submitted (following the students last term in high school)
will receive an award status notification (eligibility or ineligibility determination) posted to their
online account.
The Process
The award (or ineligibility) determination will be posted to a student's online Financial Aid
Recipient History (FARH) screen and is viewable by the student. Login credentials will be sent to
the student after the FFAA is submitted and enable a student to:
view award status (eligibility determination);
view/update demographic information;
view/update postsecondary institution;
view the amount disbursed each semester;
view the spring renewal GPA;
monitor hours remaining for the year and for the scholarship; and
view all correspondence posted and/or sent from the FDOE.
Deferment of the Scholarship
Students who enlist in the military may defer the commencement of their scholarship. The 2-year
eligibility period and 5-year renewal period will commence upon separation from active duty.
Please see the Reinstatement section of Chapter 3 for more information.
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Website Addresses
Florida Financial Aid Application
(FFAA)
https://www.FloridaStudentFinancialAidsg.org/ua/sawstua_uaf
orm.asp
Track Application and Award
Status
https://www.FloridaStudentFinancialAidsg.org/home/ApplyHe
re.asp
High School Graduation
Requirements
https://www.fldoe.org/bii/studentpro/grad-require.asp
State University System
admission requirements found in
regulation 6.002.
http://www.flbog.edu/documents_regulations/regulations/6%2
0002_finalversion.pdf
National Merit
/ National
Achievement
Finalists and
Scholars
http://www.nationalmerit.org/
National Hispanic Scholars
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about/nhr
p.html
Advanced International
Certificate of Education (AICE)
- Diploma
http://www.cie.org.uk/programmes-and-
qualifications/cambridge-advanced/cambridge-aice-diploma/
International Baccalaureate (IB) -
Diploma
http://www.ibo.org/diploma/
ACT
http://www.actstudent.org/
SAT
https://sat.collegeboard.org/home
P.E.R.T. http://www.fldoe.org/fcs/pert.asp
Florida Bright Futures
Scholarship Program and the
Home-Educated Student
http://www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/pdf/B
FHomeEdManual.pdf
FDOE GED Website https://ged.fldoe.org/default.asp
Declaration of Florida Residency
http://www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/pdf/de
cflores.pdf
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OSFA Mailing Address
Attn: Home Ed or GED or Out-of-State Applicant
Florida Department of Education
Office of Student Financial Assistance
Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1314
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Fax: 850-487-1809
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