Students receiving Bright Futures scholarships have it a little easier this upcoming year.
Those who receive this merit-based scholarship will no longer be required to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, or FAFSA, in order to obtain it.
A bill signed April 20 by Gov. Rick Scott has changed the previous law from May 2011 that required students to fill out a FAFSA form. The law takes effect July 1 and will apply beginning the 2013-2014 school year.
“Several thousands of students will be affected by this,” said Rick Wilder, director of the UF Office for Student Financial Affairs.
Wilder said this change allows students who are only interested in the Bright Futures scholarship to avoid an extra step if they do not need other financial aid.
“A number of students…will not have to fill out an unnecessary administrative requirement to receive something based on academic rather than need,” Wilder said.
David Pritchard, a 21-year-old UF environmental science senior, said it’s less time consuming not to have to fill out a FAFSA form in order to receive something that has already been promised.
Brittany Novak agrees.
It will be great not having to worry about filling out a FAFSA by the deadline, the 19-year-old UF food science and human nutrition sophomore said.
“It’s one less thing to worry about,” she said, “especially because my dad has been on my back about filling it out.”
