Types of Aid: Florida Student Aid Programs
The following is a list of State of Florida Student Aid Programs (for a more complete descriptions/listings please refer to Florida State of Education):
Florida Prepaid Program (Florida Prepaid website)
Click here to review changes made to the Higher Education Act by the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 regarding "Treatment of Qualified Education Benefits".
Florida Prepaid Students will no longer have to report to the Prepaid Office to activate billing each semester. Only those students who would like a change in the billing or do not wish to use their Florida Prepaid credits should report to the Prepaid Office. The Florida Prepaid College Program will be invoiced for each term that a student is attending FAU. Students will be responsible for paying local fees by the last day to pay (see Academic Calendar http://www.fau.edu/registrar/acadcal.php). Students who have a local fee contract, in addition to Florida Prepaid tuition, will be responsible for the transportation access fee, photo I.D., orientation fee, and lab fees. Payment for these other fees must be made by the last day to pay. To view your account balance, see the Account Summary on MyFAU (click on the Money Matters! tab and then click on "View My Financial Aid Information") . Click here to for more information and to view a chart that you can calculate the balance you will need to pay before the Florida Prepaid Contribution. Billing for Florida Prepaid occurs after the drop/add day for each semester.
Florida Student Assistance Grant (fact sheet)
This program awards for Florida residents seeking a first baccalaureate degree. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1st each year . Funds are limited and awards are made based on the priority consideration deadline. Students who otherwise qualify but are unable to enroll in a 12-hour course load due to their disabilities, may qualify for financial assistance with part-time enrollment at a prorated award amount. The Office for Students with Disabilities will identify those students based on qualifications outlined in 240.4041 of the Florida Statutes. For more information, students should contact Vera Beach (Assistant Director, State Programs) of the FAU Office of Student Financial Aid or Nicole Rokos of the Office for Students with Disabilities. Also, any undergraduate Nursing student who qualifies for FSAG, enrolled in 9 credits, and participates in a clinical or laboratory practice for which no credit hours can be earned will be considered full time. Talented Twenty students qualify for priority funding if FSAG eligibility requirements are met. Please bring a copy of your Talented Twenty notification letter to the Financial Aid Office.
Bright Futures Scholarship Program (website, fact sheet)
This several state-funded scholarships are based on high school academic achievement and is for students enrolled in an eligible Florida public or private post-secondary educational institution within three years of graduation from a Florida high school. For additional information, contact your high school counselor or call the Florida Department of Education at 1-888-827-2004 (toll free). To determine your balance due, go to the Controller's Office on the Boca Campus in the Student Support Services building or the Cashier's Office at the Davie or Jupiter Campuses. Bright Futures Scholarship is NOT available during the Summer terms.
Due to changes in the Florida Legislature, the FMS and the GSV Scholarships will pay $76 per credit hour and the FAS Scholarship will pay $101 per credit hour. The FAS Scholarship will NO LONGER pay the additional amount towards college-related expenses such as the purchasing of books. In addition, these scholarships DO NOT pay for Owl Card, Transportation/Access Fee, Repeat Course Surcharge, Late Payment Fee, Late Registration, E-college and Nursing fees.
REPAYMENT
- Students will be required to REPAY the cost of any course dropped or withdrawn AFTER the drop/add deadline UNLESS an exception has been made by the Office of Student Financial Aid. Exceptions are medical withdrawal or an emergency beyond the student's control. In addition to being fee liable to the university for any courses dropped after the drop/add deadline, you are also
REQUIRED
to repay your Bright Futures Scholarship for courses dropped after September 7, 2011.
RENEWAL CRITERIA - Full-time students are now REQUIRED to earn at least 24 semester hours or the equivalent to renew their award at the end of the Spring term of each academic year (prorated for Part-time students). Click here to review the Bright Futures Credit Hour Renewal Requirements chart. If a student DOES NOT meet the renewal requirements, they will be able to restore the award in a subsequent academic year.
If you are receiving both BRIGHT FUTURES and Florida Prepaid Tuition:
Students living OFF-CAMPUS can expect to receive a refund. You will not have to pay local fees because it will be deducted from the combination of the Bright Futures and Florida Prepaid. Bright Futures will be applied to your student account first and the Florida Prepaid will be posted approximately two weeks after the drop/add period. Students will receive a refund for the amount that exceeds your tuition.
Students living ON-CAMPUS should deduct the Bright Futures scholarship and the Florida Prepaid contribution from the total charges (Fee Payment).
Florida Work Experience Program (fact sheet)
This program is designed to improve the quality of life for community residents, particularly low-income individuals, or to solve particular problems related to their needs. Services may be in the area of welfare, social service, transportation, public safety, crime prevention and control, recreation or work in service opportunities or youth corps. For more information about student employment opportunities, please visit Office of Student Financial Aid.
First Generation Matching Grant Program (fact sheet)
The funds for this award come from the State of Florida and are matched by the FAU Foundation. For the 2011-2012 academic school year, funding of this grant is limited. House Bill 795 was signed into law on June 2, 2006 and became effective July 1, 2006 creating Section 1009.701, Florida Statutes. This law provides financial, need based assistance to undergraduate, degree-seeking Florida residents who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens and:
| ♦ | attend a state University of Florida, |
| ♦ | are enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours per term, |
| ♦ | demonstrate financial need, |
| ♦ |
whose parents did not complete a baccalaureate degree. If student resides with only one parent who provides full support, that one parent must not have completed a baccalaureate degree for the student to be eligible, and |
| ♦ | meet other criteria established by the individual Universities. |
Please note that the letter refers to meeting Other Criteria established by the University. Those criteria are as follows:
| ♦ | Submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) |
| ♦ | Pell eligible EFC |
| ♦ |
Preference will be give to First Time in College (FTIC) freshman and Florida Community College Transfer students for the initial award year |
| ♦ |
Continuing students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 will be considered if additional funding is available. |
Award amount of $1500 per semester for full time, $1125 per semester for 3/4 time, $750 per semester for half time. Funds are not available for the SUMMER terms.
Renewal Requirements: To be considered eligible for renewal, students must complete a minimum of 12 credits for the prior Fall and Spring semesters combined. In addition students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.500. Exceptions will be reviewed on a case by case basis via the institutional appeal process.
Other Florida Financial Aid Programs
(website)
College Goal Sunday
(website)
