Students who receive a grade of W, WF or F?

You are required by the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance to repay Bright Futures funds awarded for any course dropped or withdrawn after the last day to drop with a refund. The funds must be repaid by the end of the spring term of the same academic year in order for the withdrawal to not affect the student’s scholarship renewal eligibility. You are encouraged to repay the funds owed to SPC as soon as possible so you do not incur a registration hold for upcoming terms. 

If you do not repay Bright Futures funds for a dropped or withdrawn course that Bright Futures has funded, you will not be eligible for scholarship renewal in future academic years at SPC or any other institution until the funds are repaid to SPC. You will be placed on a “Defaulted State Scholarship and Loan Recipient” list which will prevent the student from receiving other types of state issued financial assistance. Once you repay the debt owed, your name can be removed from the state default list. At the end of the spring term each year, SPC is required to notify the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance if you have not repaid your obligation.

If you experienced a medical illness or emergency (beyond your control) that impacted your academic performance in the fall and/or spring term, please contact Financial Assistance Services for additional information regarding a Bright Futures Eligibility Appeal.

Just like a final grade of “W”, you are required by the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance to repay Bright Futures funds awarded for any course dropped or withdrawn after the last day to drop with a refund. The funds must be repaid by the end of the spring term of the same academic year in order for the withdrawal to not affect the student’s scholarship renewal eligibility. You are encouraged to repay the funds owed to SPC as soon as possible so you do not incur a registration hold for upcoming terms. 

If you do not repay Bright Futures funds for a dropped or withdrawn course that Bright Futures has funded, you will not be eligible for scholarship renewal in future academic years at SPC or any other post-secondary institution in the State of Florida until the funds are repaid to SPC. You will be placed on a “Defaulted State Scholarship and Loan Recipient” list which will prevent you from receiving other types of state issued financial assistance. Once you repay the debt owed, your name can be removed from the state default list. At the end of the spring term each year, SPC is required to notify the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance if you have not repaid your obligation.

A grade of “WF” calculates into your cumulative GPA just as if it were an “F.” A student with a grade of “WF” must maintain the state set GPA requirement by the end of the spring term in order to meet his/her scholarship renewal requirements.

NOTE:  You can enroll in summer term courses within the same academic year to raise your GPA to the state requirement only if the student is eligible for a one-time restoration opportunity. The one-time restoration opportunity is based on your high school graduation date. If you are eligible for a one-time restoration opportunity and would like to have your summer term grades sent to the Florida Department of Education, you must submit an SPC Bright Futures Grade & Hour Evaluation Request form to Financial Assistance Services or Registration or by fax to 727-791-2460.

If you experience a medical illness or emergency (beyond your control) that impacted your academic performance in the fall and/or spring term, please contact Financial Assistance Services for additional information regarding a Bright Futures Eligibility Appeal.

A final grade of "F" can impact your GPA and earned hours requirements for the year. The earned hours requirement looks at the level of enrollment in which you are funded to determine the minimum number of credit hours that you must complete each term. There are three levels of enrollment:

• Full-time (12+ credit hours) - requires you to complete a minimum of 12 credit hours per term
• Three-quarter time (9-11 credit hours) - requires you to complete a minimum of 9 credit hours per term
• Half-time (6-8 credit hours) - requires you to complete a minimum of 6 credit hours per term

If the grade of “F” occurs in the fall term:  If you fail a course(s) in the fall term and do not maintain the level of enrollment in which you were funded for the term, you will have the opportunity to make up the credit hours in the spring term of the same academic year. Please contact Financial Assistance Services to get further information regarding the number of credit hours you will need to enroll in for the spring term to make up for the failed fall term credit hour(s).

If the grade of “F” occurs in the spring term:  If you fail a course(s) and do not maintain the level of enrollment in which you were funded for the term, you will have the opportunity to make up the credit hours in the summer term of the same academic year only if you are eligible for a one-time restoration opportunity based on credit hour completion. The one-time restoration opportunity is based on your high school graduation date. If you are eligible for a one-time restoration opportunity and would like to have your summer term grades sent to the Florida Department of Education, you must submit an SPC Bright Futures Grade & Hour Evaluation Request form to Financial Assistance Services or Registration or by fax to 727-791-2460. Please contact Financial Assistance Services to get further information regarding the number of credit hours that you will need to enroll in for the summer term to make up for the failed spring term credit hour(s).

If you experienced a medical illness or emergency (beyond your control) that impacted your academic performance in the fall and/or spring term, please contact Financial Assistance Services for additional information regarding a Bright Futures Eligibility Appeal.