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Required Hours for Renewal

As of the 2009-10 academic year, Bright Futures recipients are required to meet new minimum credit hour requirements to renew their award each year.  The Florida Legislature amended Section 1009.532 (1)(a), Florida Statutes, to require full-time students to earn at least 24 semester hours, or the equivalent in quarter or clock hours, to renew their award (prorated for part-time students).   The chart below outlines the new credit hour requirement for students funded in 2009-10 and thereafter.

Students are NOT REQUIRED to attend full-time to receive Bright Futures funding.  Students may continue to attend part-time and receive Bright Futures funding.  Students must enroll in a minimum of 6 semester hours per term (or the equivalent) to receive Bright Futures funding.

Students are NOT REQUIRED to complete more hours than they are funded to renew their Bright Futures award.  Students who are funded for part-time enrollment will need to meet the credit hours for renewal as specified in the chart below.

Bright Futures renewal evaluations are conducted annually after spring term grades and hours are reported by the student’s home postsecondary institution.  Students are evaluated based on the earned credit hours for the entire academic year and their cumulative GPA.

Bright Futures Credit Hour Renewal Requirements

Institution Term
Type		 Credit Hour
Type		 Student Funded
(per term)		 Required Earned Hours
(per term)
Semester Semester Hour 12+ Hours
(Full-Time)		 12
9-11 Hours
(Three-Quarter Time)		 9
6-8 Hours
(Half-Time)		 6
Clock Hour 360+ Hours
(Full-Time)		 360
270-359 Hours
(Three-Quarter Time)		 270
180-269 Hours
(Half-Time)		 180
Quarter Quarter Hour 12+ Hours
(Full-Time)		 12
9-11 Hours
(Three-Quarter Time)		 9
6-8 Hours
(Half-Time)		 6
Clock Hour 240+ Hours
(Full-Time)		 240
180-239 Hours
(Three-Quarter Time)		 180
120-179 Hours
(Half-Time)		 120
Quinmester Clock Hour 180+ Hours
(Full-Time)		 180
135-179 Hours
(Three-Quarter Time)		 135
90-134 Hours
(Half-Time)		 90

Students are required to meet the minimum credit hour requirement for the academic year based on the terms funded.  For example, a student enrolled full-time for two terms in a semester hour institution must earn a minimum of 24 semester hours and the required GPA to be eligible for renewal.

Students with different enrollments (full-time, three-quarter time, or half-time) during an academic year must earn the required hours that correspond to their enrollment for each term.  For example, a student enrolled at a semester hour institution as full-time (12 hours) for the fall term and half-time (6 hours) for the spring term is required to earn 18 semester hours and the required GPA to be eligible for renewal.
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