Hello, I got a full ride to a florida university (everything from tuition to housing to all the fees are covered) I was wondering how that would affect my bright futures? I am an in-state student that got the highest tier. Will they give me the money or use it to go to my full ride?
It is up to the school. Bright Futures allows the school to decide how to restrict the funds, if they can be refunded to the student, used for study abroad, etc. At my daughter’s school (it is private) the school only allows the funds to be used for things billed by the school. This semester she is taking 19 credits so should have received money back, but the school will not allow that. Basically the school gets to award less of its own money because BF is paying more.
I’m pretty sure UF and FSU allow the money to be refunded to the student. You need to check with your school. This year you should also get a book allowance from BF. If you do get all the BF money refunded to you, remember that it will be taxable, as will your housing and board, so save some of it for taxes.
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It that’s what you’ve been awarded, then there are still uncovered costs to the COA, which would be personal expenses and travel costs. BF could go towards that if the school allows.
From what I read bright futures pays tuition and fees.
I would think that the school would apply the free money first toward the direct expenses- tuition fees then cover room and board with university expenses since they are not qualified eduacational expenses. Any monies tha Op receives for rooms board would be taxable income.
She should probably ask if any of the bright future can go toward books or the one time cost of a computer.
sybbie, it is up to the school, and BF does allow the funds to be returned to the student. For this year only, the top level of BF was raised to full tuition and a book allowance. For top tier, there is a lot of money floating around. The OP said full tuition, housing, and fees are covered. On top of that there could be a Pell grant, SEOG, Florida SEOG, and now the BF. All are allowed to be refunded to the student by the grantors, but it is up to the school if the school will reduce other grants and apply these first.
The OP doesn’t have to ask to use it for books. It will either be refunded to her or not, per school policy. If refunded, she can spend it on books (which will already be covered by the special allowance this year) or pizza or trips to Disney. My daughter’s was not refunded to her and her school just reduced her other tuition scholarships because that school only uses it for tuition or billed items (and she would have liked it for books!). Most of the public schools do allow it to be refunded.