Can I Get Florida Student Financial Aid and How Do I Apply?

Getting student financial aid in Florida can seem complicated for first-time applicants.

There are options for loans, which you must repay, and for state scholarships as well as grants. These typically do not require repayment. However, you have to meet a stringent set of application criteria. Here’s how to go about applying for financial aid in Florida.

What Qualifies You for Federal and State Funding for Your Education?

Start by checking that your high school is an eligible institution.

If you are a learner at the American High School Academy, for example, the answer is yes.

Next, verify that your target school is a postsecondary facility that is eligible for receiving Florida state aid.

Once you determine the answer to both questions, it is time to move on to the Florida Financial Aid Application.

Now is also the time to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

There are hard deadlines that you must meet. Make a mistake here, and officials will not accept your application for your targeted school year.

If you make an error on the application form, you have a couple of months to correct it.

Keep in mind that Florida’s deadline is earlier – typically in May – than the federal government’s timeline, which is usually in June.

Can I Apply for Funding Online?

Paper forms are gradually becoming outdated. Most colleges now ask that you apply for scholarships that they offer online.

The FAFSA is a document that you fill out via the internet.

Providing the agencies with your email address ensures that you receive timely updates as well as requests for additional information or corrections.

When you apply for loans from third-party lenders, the online application process allows them to alert you when the loans funds and the college of your choice receives the first and second installment of the tuition payments.

For the college student on the move, this is always a good option. You don’t have to worry about missed letters or notifications because you were busy moving into a dorm room.

Are There Private Programs for Student Funding?

There are various grants and scholarships for college-bound Floridians.

Reading through the requirements and applying may take a little extra time. For starters, each program has its own set of application requirements.

Next, the deadlines vary. Almost all require you to fill out the FAFSA before applying.

Below are just a few of the available scholarship and grant programs you might apply for as a Florida resident. There are others, too. Besides that, many large employers offer grants for workers with college-bound learners in their immediate families.

• Access to Better Learning and Education (ABLE) Grant Program

  This program assists undergraduate students at private colleges. Your course of study cannot result in a theology degree.

• First Generation Matching Grant Program

  This program is need-based. You must demonstrate that you have a financial need and prove that your parents did not earn a four-year degree. The award benefits learners at a Florida state university or community college.

• José Martí Scholarship Challenge Grant Fund

  Apply for this scholarship if you have a financial need and are of Hispanic origin. This is an annual award for qualifying learners.

• Pell Grant

  This federal grant is for US citizens with financial need.  As a grant, funds do not require repayment.  In addition to financial need, you must have earned a high school diploma or GED; be enrolled in an undergraduate program and have not already earned a bachelor’s degree.  You apply for this grant when you apply for FAFSA.

• Rosewood Family Scholarship Program

  This scholarship is for descendants of the Rosewood family. Moreover, you must provide genealogy documents that prove your claim.

These are just a few of the available scholarship and grant programs you might apply for as a Florida resident. There are others, too.

Besides that, many large employers offer grants for workers with college-bound learners in their immediate families.

You Need to Have a High School Graduation Date

All of the forms will ask you for your high school graduation date. Florida student financial aid applications put it on par with your social security number and birth date.

However, what happens when you are in jeopardy of not graduating with your classmates? Should you still put on your anticipated graduation date, and hope for the best?

There is a better option. Take the necessary steps now to graduate on time.

American High School Academy routinely works with learners who have fallen a little behind. Frequently, there might be health or behavioral issues that got these students off track. Over time, missed credits accumulate. Making them up now seems like a huge burden.

It does not have to be this way. At this private high school, you participate in a classroom or home-based program. The instructor meets you at your point of need. Certified teachers accept your prior credits and provide you with flexible instruction. You might enroll for just one course that has caused you many problems and now threatens to derail your planned graduation.

Frequently, this is the case when your high school will not offer this course again for a couple of years. However, there is also the option of undergoing a more extensive credit recovery program. You spend your time making up for lost learning opportunities. By doing it at home, you can work at a pace that is not possible in the standard classroom setting.

The goal of these interventions is your high school graduation, which enables you to enroll in college. It also opens the door to applying for financial aid in Florida.

Private scholarships, too, will ask to see proof of graduation before disbursing funds. As a bonus, consider the long-term advantages of having a high school diploma over a GED.

• High school diploma

  You receive a high school diploma versus a GED. It identifies you as a student who went through the steps of earning the honor.

• College placement assistance

  When you are ready to take the next step in your educational career, American High School Academy counselors are there with you. They offer input, advice, and suggestions for narrowing down your search to the ideal trade schools, colleges, or universities.

• FAFSA assistance

  In addition to helping you with finding a great school, the experts also guide you through the FAFSA process. For many first-time financial aid applicants, this can seem overwhelming. It is much easier with the help of someone who has filled out hundreds of them.

Learn more about your options today by contacting the friendly education specialists at the American High School Academy.

American High School Academy, is a private, fully accredited high school based in Miami, Florida that offers both online and classroom high school courses.  We also offer credit recovery, dual enrollment, and study abroad programs among others.

Contact us if you need help deciding or just wish to talk to someone who can answer your questions. We’re here to help!

Your Future is Waiting!

American High School Academy Can Get You There

Make an appointment with an Admissions Advisor to learn more about finishing your High School Diploma with American High School Academy.

BOOK NOW!

DEDICATED TO EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION