Congratulations! You have almost completed high school, you’ve been accepted into a college of your choice and you have earned one of the Florida Bright Futures scholarships (Florida Academic Scholarship or the Florida Medallion Scholarship).  The college application journey may have seemed complicated. Coordinating the financial details of paying for college is equally confusing.

At Class 101 of the Treasure Coast, we are frequently asked, how does the Bright Futures work with my Florida Prepaid College Plan?  The team at Class 101 has put together this list of FAQ’s and links to help you navigate the process.

FAQs: Florida Prepaid and Bright Futures Scholarships

Where can I find the Bright Futures scholarship eligibility requirements?
Follow this link and select the correct scholarship program (most often the Florida Academic Scholarship/Florida Medallion Scholarship) for the most up-to-date eligibility requirements: https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/SAPBFMAIN/SAPBFMAIN 

How do I officially apply for Bright Futures?    

Follow this link to the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA): https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/SAPHome/SAPHome 

This application must be completed no later than August 31st following high school graduation (the earlier, the better). In addition to this form, be sure to meet the initial eligibility requirements:  

• Earn the weighted GPA necessary to qualify. Senior year courses count, so don’t let your senior grades slip!
• When you take the SAT/ACT, if you send scores to a Florida public college or university they will automatically be sent to the FLDOE and be used to assess Bright Futures eligibility.
• Community service hours or paid work hours should be submitted in the proper format to the high school guidance counselor and will then be displayed on the official HS transcript. Specific methods of documenting service or work hours for approval differ at different high schools. Reach out to your guidance counselor or consult your school’s website for more information. 

How do I use my Florida Prepaid to pay for college? 

In the spring before a student will enroll in college or university, they will receive a notification from Prepaid explaining how to use the plan benefits and what to expect. Payments to a Florida College or State University are automatic. The school will bill Florida Prepaid directly each semester for the tuition and fees covered by your plan. You simply need to inform your school’s financial aid office that you have a Florida Prepaid College Plan. 

How will Florida Prepaid work alongside Bright Futures? 

If your child has a Bright Futures scholarship and a Florida Prepaid plan, they will be used in combination. In most cases (unless otherwise directed), the college will bill Florida Prepaid first, and then the Bright Futures awards can help cover any remaining expenses (such as books, transportation or lab fees).The remaining balance of the Bright Futures award will be deposited to the student’s bank account. Those funds can then be used toward housing and living expenses. If you have a dormitory plan through Prepaid, it will be billed first and Bright Futures will still be dispersed the same way into the student’s bank account. 

My child will be attending a Florida university with a Bright Futures scholarship. Do I need to do anything to ensure the funding arrives? 

If you have followed all the steps to ensure initial eligibility and officially enrolled at the institution, the credit should automatically apply. Renewal is also automatic but dependent upon maintaining the GPA minimum and taking the correct number of credit hours to be a full-time student. Consult your university financial aid office with any issues.  

Links: 

Florida Prepaid College Plans
https://www.myfloridaprepaid.com/prepaid-plans/

Using a Florida Prepaid Plan – very helpful FAQ
https://www.myfloridaprepaid.com/existing-customers/using-plans/ 

Florida Prepaid Customer Service
https://www.myfloridaprepaid.com/existing-customers/ 

Florida Prepaid FAQs
https://www.myfloridaprepaid.com/prepaid-plans/faqs/

Bright Futures Handbook (2022/23) 

Initial Eligibility Requirements: https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/BFHandbookChapter1.pdf 

What You Need to Know Now that You Are Eligible:
https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/BFHandbookChapter3.pdf 

Renewing Your Award:
https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/BFHandbookChapter3.pdf