The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program will not raise funds to cover the tuition hikes coming this fall after undergoing several changes made by the Florida Legislature.
When UF increases its tuition from $125.91 per credit hour to $145.76 per credit hour, Bright Futures will continue to award $126 per credit hour to Academic Scholar winners and $95 per credit hours to Medallion Scholar winners, according to the Bright Futures Web site.
Students will now have to pay UF the difference of what Bright Futures doesn't cover, said Rick Wilder, associate director for UF Student Financial Affairs.
This will cost students who once received 100 percent tuition about $237 per semester if they are registered for 12 credit hours, the minimum amount of credit hours required to be a full-time student, he said.
Florida Prepaid and other forms of financial aid can be used to cover the difference in costs, he said.
Also, students who drop a class paid for by Bright Futures will now have to repay the state if the class was dropped after drop/add period.
In the past, UF students have had the ability to drop classes with no penalty other than receiving a W on their transcripts.
Wilder said students who drop a course will be charged about $126 per credit hour for Academic Scholar winners and $95 per credit hour for Medallion Scholar winners, the same amount Bright Futures awards students per credit hour.
About 7,000 students dropped a class during the 2008-2009 school year, but Wilder said he believes that number could possibly decrease.
If students can't afford to drop a class, they may be more inclined to accept a failing grade, potentially causing their GPAs to fall, he said.
According to its Web site, Bright Futures will also discontinue funding for deferment of textbooks and other university charges that Academic Scholars have received in the past.
Wilder said the changes to Bright Futures that start this fall will affect both incoming freshmen and students who started UF after fall 2006.
The students who receive financial aid could potentially be hit the hardest, Wilder said.
Depending on a student's income and the income of his or her parents, the student might not receive enough aid to cover the new costs.
"If students think they are going to need aid, they should apply early to get the best financial aid package," Wilder said.
The state will be mailing information regarding the changes to the Florida's Bright Futures Scholarship Program to parents of UF students this fall.
