Governor Crist recently signed the 2009 Florida Legislative General Appropriations Act (GAA) and the conforming bill (Senate Bill 1696).  Included in this legislation were major changes to the Florida Academic Scholarship, Florida Medallion, Academic Top Scholar, and Gold Seal Vocational programs (each of these scholarship programs are included in Bright Futures).

Highlights of the General Appropriations Act and Senate Bill 1696 are as follows: 

• Specifies each Bright Futures Scholarship program will have awards based on the number of credits each student enrolls for the 2009 fall and 2010 spring semesters (see the chart below for credit information). Therefore, your scholarship funded through Bright Futures will remain in an estimated status until we verify the number of credits you are enrolled after the last date to adjust fall or spring schedule without financial penalty (Thursday 9/3 and Tuesday 1/26). This also means scholarships funded through Bright Futures at public universities and colleges will no longer be funded on the bases of percentages of tuition.

• Requires Stetson to refund the Florida Department of Education for any Bright Futures award amount  a student received for courses which were dropped or withdrawn after the drop and add period. 

• Requires students to submit a refund to Stetson for any award amount received for course(s) which were dropped or withdrawn after the drop and add period.  Failure to submit a refund to Stetson prior to the end of the 2010 spring term will result in you no longer being eligible for funds from the scholarship programs funded through Bright Futures until your refund to Stetson is received.  

• Revises credit requirements for full-time students to earn a minimum of 24 credits (or the equivalent) per academic year (prorated for part-time enrollment) and earn a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average for the Florida Academic Scholarship and a minimum 2.75 cumulative grade point average for the Florida Medallion and Gold Seal Vocational programs.  

• Allows students who lose their award due to not earning the required hours and or cumulative grade point average to restore the award in a subsequent academic year (available to students not meeting the hours requirement in the 2009/2010 academic year and thereafter).  Please note if a recipient cannot meet the Florida Academic Scholarship requirements, they can be awarded the Florida Medallion Scholarship if they meet the renewal criteria for that award.  

2009-10 Award Amounts per Credit Hour
Florida Bright Futures Scholarships 

 If you have any further questions regarding the changes to the scholarship programs through Bright Futures and the other state financial aid programs for the 2009-2010 academic year, please access the following web site:  http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/newsrenew.htm or call the Florida Department of Education at 888-827-2004. If you have any questions regarding your financial aid at Stetson University, please contact the Office of Financial Aid 800-688-7120.