Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program; student eligibility requirements for renewal awards.

(1) To be eligible to renew a scholarship from any of the scholarships under the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program, a student must:

(a) Effective for students funded in the 2009-2010 academic year and thereafter, earn at least 24 semester credit hours or the equivalent in the last academic year in which the student earned a scholarship if the student was enrolled full time, or a prorated number of credit hours as determined by the Department of Education if the student was enrolled less than full time for any part of the academic year.

(b) Maintain the cumulative grade point average required by the scholarship program, except that:

1. If a recipient’s grades fall beneath the average required to renew a Florida Academic Scholarship, but are sufficient to renew a Florida Medallion Scholarship, a Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholarship, or a Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship, the Department of Education may grant a renewal from one of those other scholarship programs, if the student meets the renewal eligibility requirements; or

2. For students initially eligible in the 2010-2011 academic term and thereafter, if at any time during a student’s first academic year the student’s grades are insufficient to renew the scholarship, the student may restore eligibility by improving the grade point average to the required level. A student is eligible for such a restoration one time. The Legislature encourages education institutions to assist students to calculate whether or not it is possible to raise the grade point average during the summer term. If the education institution determines that it is possible, the institution may so inform the department, which may reserve the student’s award if funds are available. The renewal, however, must not be granted until the student achieves the required cumulative grade point average. If the summer term is not sufficient to raise the grade point average to the required renewal level, the student’s next opportunity for renewal is the fall semester of the following academic year.

(c) Reimburse or make satisfactory arrangements to reimburse the institution for the award amount received for courses dropped after the end of the drop and add period or courses from which the student withdraws after the end of the drop and add period unless the student has received an exception pursuant to s. 1009.53(11).

(2) For students initially eligible in the 2010-2011 academic term and thereafter, and unless otherwise provided in this section, if a student does not meet the requirements for renewal of a scholarship because of lack of completion of sufficient credit hours or insufficient grades, the scholarship shall be renewed only if the student failed to complete sufficient credit hours or to meet sufficient grade requirements due to verifiable illness or other documented emergency, in which case the student may be granted an exception from academic requirements pursuant to s. 1009.40(1)(b)4.

(3)(a) A student who is initially eligible in the 2012-2013 academic year and thereafter may receive an award for a maximum of 100 percent of the number of credit hours required to complete an associate degree program, a baccalaureate degree program, or a postsecondary career certificate program or, for a Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award, may receive an award for a maximum of 100 percent of the number of credit hours or equivalent clock hours required to complete one of the following at a Florida public or nonpublic education institution that offers these specific programs: for an applied technology diploma program as defined in s. 1004.02(7), up to 60 credit hours or equivalent clock hours; for a technical degree education program as defined in s. 1004.02(13), up to the number of hours required for a specific degree not to exceed 72 credit hours or equivalent clock hours; or for a career certificate program as defined in s. 1004.02(20), up to the number of hours required for a specific certificate not to exceed 72 credit hours or equivalent clock hours. A student who transfers from one of these program levels to another program level becomes eligible for the higher of the two credit hour limits.

(b)1. A student who is initially eligible in the 2017-2018 academic year and thereafter for a Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award under s. 1009.536(2) may receive an award for a maximum of 100 percent of the number of credit hours or equivalent clock hours required to complete one of the following at a Florida public or nonpublic education institution that offers these specific programs: for an applied technology diploma program as defined in s. 1004.02(7), up to 60 credit hours or equivalent clock hours; for a technical degree education program as defined in s. 1004.02(13), up to the number of hours required for a specific degree, not to exceed 72 credit hours or equivalent clock hours; or for a career certificate program as defined in s. 1004.02(20), up to the number of hours required for a specific certificate, not to exceed 72 credit hours or equivalent clock hours. A student who transfers from one of these program levels to another program level is eligible for the higher of the two credit hour limits.

2. A Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholar who completes a technical degree education program as defined in s. 1004.02(13) may also receive an award for:

a. A maximum of 60 credit hours for a bachelor of science degree program for which there is a statewide associate in science degree program to bachelor of science degree program articulation agreement; or

b. A maximum of 60 credit hours for a bachelor of applied science degree program at a Florida College System institution.

(4) A student who receives an initial award during the spring term shall be evaluated for scholarship renewal after the completion of a full academic year.

(5) A student who receives an award and is subsequently determined ineligible due to updated grade or hour information may not receive a disbursement for a subsequent term, unless the student successfully restores the award.