Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship program was first established and funded by the state legislature in 1989 to provide free money for college tuition to gifted in-state students. These days, the program is available for all high school students in the state who achieve specific grades and standardized test scores before graduation. In 1997 the name “Florida Bright Futures” was selected for the scholarship and the “Undergraduate Scholars’ Fund” became known as the Academic Scholars Award.
The scholarship will pay for 75% or 100% of public college tuition cost in Florida. The amount of the award is variable based on the individual’s academic criteria. The student’s course of study in high school also affects the type of awards. To see the specific awards and eligibility requirements, see this fact sheet about Florida Bright Futures.
While Florida faces budget decreases for education,state representatives have assured the voters and news outlets that Bright Futures will be safe for at least another year of Florida high school graduates. If Florida high school graduates do well academically and adhead to the course guidelines of the program, they will receive the scholarship every year of college until the law changes.
If the program went unfunded, it would be probably need to be phased out over a period of time so that high school students who have been working toward the program can have the state’s side of the bargain upheld.
It was suggested early in the year that certain majors get priority funding and increased scholarship amounts. In this proposal, college students majoring in technology, medicine, and computers could have had a 10% scholarship bonus if students in other subjects received a smaller amount. This plan did not get very much traction, but it may be brought up as part of the debate later in the year if the state does not find other solutions to the Florida budget problems.
Florida Bright Futures is a great way to reward Florida high school and college students who excel academically and work toward specific goals. Study hard and plan ahead (or convince your children or students to do so) and they’ll have a great source of money for college tuition.
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