State Financial Aid

How to pay for College

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Barry University participates in a variety of state grant programs offered by the state of Florida. To be eligible for Florida state grants, students must verify their (or their parent’s, if the student is dependent) Florida resident status.

In order to be considered a Florida resident, the student (or parent of a dependent student) must demonstrate legal residence in the state of Florida for at least 12 consecutive months, for purposes other than enrollment in an institution of higher education, prior to the student’s initial enrollment. To confirm your residency status, you must complete and sign the Florida Resident Declaration and submit supporting documentation. The Florida Resident Declaration form only needs to be filled out once and you do not need to submit it every year. The two exceptions are if you are changing from dependent student status to an independent student status or at the discretion of the Financial Aid office.

General Eligibility Requirements

To qualify as a Florida resident for tuition purposes, you must be a U.S. citizen, a foreign national in a nonimmigrant visa classification that grants you the legal ability to establish a bona fide domicile in the United States, a permanent resident alien, or legal alien granted indefinite stay by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. All other persons are ineligible for classification as a Florida “resident for tuition purposes.” Living in or attending school in Florida will not, in itself, establish legal residence.

Must be pursuing your first undergraduate degree program. Depending on the award this requirement may not apply.
For the Florida Student Assistance Grant you must be below a certain EFC threshold.
Must be enrolled at least full time or for Bright Future Scholarships must be at least half time.
Must not be in default on a federal student loan.
Must not owe a repayment of a grant/scholarship unless satisfactory arrangements have been made.

Documentation & Dependency Status

Per the Florida Department of Education, there are two tiers of documents that students/parents must use to establish legal residence in the state of Florida. If you are a dependent student, your parents will need to provide the documents listed below. If you are an independent student, then you will need to provide the documents listed below. If you do not know whether you are a dependent or independent student you may refer to your signed FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) since they will establish your dependency status. If you do not know whether you are a dependent or independent student and will not fill out a FAFSA please click here for more information on your dependency status. Students/parents must submit at least 2 documents and at least one of them must be from the first tier. All documents must have an issue date of one year prior to the first day of classes.

Statutory Exceptions and Qualifications.

Section 1009.21, F.S., permits certain applicants who do not meet residency requirements to be classified as Florida residents for tuition purposes.

Barry University will require documentation in support of the following exceptions; however, the student does not have to show 12 months of residence in Florida prior to qualifying. These exceptions and qualifications categories are as follows:

Persons who were enrolled as Florida residents for tuition purposes at a Florida public IHE, but who abandon Florida domicile and then re-enroll in Florida within 12 months of the abandonment – provided that he/she continuously maintains the re-established domicile in Florida during the period of enrollment. (This benefit only applies one time.)
Active duty members of the Armed Services of the United States residing or stationed in Florida (and spouse/dependent children) and active drilling members of the Florida National Guard [s. 1009.21(10)(a), F.S.]; or military personnel not stationed in Florida whose home of record or state of legal residence certificate, DD Form 2058, is Florida (and spouse/dependent children).
United States citizens living on the Isthmus of Panama, who have completed 12 consecutive months of college work at the Florida State University Panama Canal Branch, and their spouses and dependent children.
Full time instructional and administrative personnel employed by the State of Florida public school system and Florida public IHE (and spouse/dependent children).
Full-time employees of state agencies or political subdivisions of the state when the student fees are paid by the state agency or political subdivision for the purpose of job-related law enforcement or corrections training.
McKnight Doctoral Fellows and Finalists who are United States citizens.
United States citizens living outside the United States who are teaching at a Department of Defense Dependent School or in an American International School and who enroll in a graduate level education program which leads to a Florida teaching certificate.
Qualified beneficiaries under the Stanley G. Tate Florida Pre-Paid College Program per s. 1009.98, F.S. (Pre-Paid ID Card Required).
Linkage Institute participants receiving partial or full exemptions from s. 1009.21, F.S., based on criteria approved by the Florida Department of Education per s. 288.8175(5), F.S., which establishes linkage institutes between postsecondary institutions in this state and foreign countries.

First Tier

Florida Driver License or State of Florida Identification Card
Florida Vehicle Registration Card
Florida Voter Registration Card
Proof of permanent full-time employment in Florida for at least 30 hours per week for 12 consecutive months
Proof of Purchase of a permanent home in Florida that is occupied as the primary residence of the claimant
Proof of a homestead exemption in Florida
History of benefits from Florida agencies or public assistance programs

Second Tier

Florida Professional or Occupational license indicating issue date
Florida Incorporation documents
State or court documents evidencing legal ties to Florida
Declaration of Domicile in Florida
Utility bills and Proof of 12 consecutive months of payments
Lease Agreement and proof of 12 consecutive months of payments
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) already submitted to Barry University

A Florida Residency Declaration submitted without documentation will be rejected. No single document shall be conclusive in establishing residency. Additional documentation, other than what is prescribed, may be requested in some cases. All documentation provided is subject to verification. Expired documents will not be accepted unless it is requested. When submitting documents please make sure they are legible and uploaded in their entirety. If a document is cutoff or if we cannot see the whole document we may ask to resubmit it. Evidence of ties to another state may result in denial of Florida residency for tuition purposes.

Military students have a special exception since not all are able to submit the documents listed above but may be classified as a Florida resident for tuition purposes. If you are an active duty military student residing or stationed in Florida you may submit military documents instead of the documents listed above. If you are military personnel not stationed in Florida but your home of record is Florida you may submit the DD form 2058.

The following are examples of documents that will not be accepted:

Hunting/fishing licenses
Library cards
Shopping club/rentals cards
Birth certificate
Passport
Social Security Card
Florida Concealed Weapons permit
Insurance Card
Non-Utility bills such as cell phone or cable bills

Students who will not complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can download the Florida Residency Declaration. Email the form to finaid@barry.edu.

Effective Access to Student Education (EASE) Grant

This program provides tuition assistance to undergraduate students from Florida attending private, independent colleges and universities located in the state. This program provides approximately $3,500 per academic year, subject to state budget appropriations. To be eligible for the EASE Grant, a student will:

Be a Florida resident and a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen
Not owe a repayment or be in default on a state or federal grant, loan, or scholarship program
Not have previously earned a bachelor’s degree
Enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours per term

Maximum eligibility time frame for this award is nine semesters.

Disbursement
If you are a full-time student for the semester, your EASE award is disbursed after the add/drop date of your semester. However, if your full-time status is split between two 8-week terms (example: Fall/Spring A term & Fall/Spring B term), your EASE award will not be applied to your account until your full-time status is reached during the second term. For example, if you signed up for 6 credits in Fall A and 6 credits in Fall B, you will receive your EASE disbursement after the add/drop date of the Fall B term. Once your full-time enrollment status is met during the Fall B term your EASE award will disburse to your account for both terms. This award is not applied in the summer term.

Deadlines
Students must have a submitted and approved Florida Resident Declaration form with proof of Florida residency. Students must meet these requirements by October 23 to receive a grant during the fall semester and by February 19 for students only attending the spring semester. If your declaration is approved after this deadline the Florida Department of Education will place you on a waitlist. The waitlist is not a guarantee that you will receive the award and there is always a chance that the Florida Department of Education may not release your form from the waitlist. Students on the waitlist are released between the months of April and June at the discretion of the Florida Department of Education.

Renewal
To renew eligibility, students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and complete at least 12 credit hours for each term EASE is received. Eligibility for renewal is determined after the end of the Spring semester each year. Credits earned during the previous Summer semester may be counted toward the total number of credits required for renewal.

Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement may receive EASE on a probationary basis for the following year; however, a 2.0 must be achieved after the probationary year for continued eligibility. Students who do not meet the minimum credit hour requirement are not eligible for renewal.

Students who are denied aid due to not meeting state academic progress requirements, but have experienced an extenuating circumstance, such as illness or other emergencies beyond your control, may submit an appeal.

Barry University’s EASE Grant Performance Measures on Access Rate, Affordability Rate, Graduation Rate, Retention Rate and Postgraduate Employment Rate are specifically listed on the ICUF Dashboard at this link: icuf.org/dashboard.

Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG)

The Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG) is a need-based grant program available to degree-seeking, resident, undergraduate students who demonstrate substantial financial need and are enrolled at an eligible institution. This program provides approximately $2,000 per academic year, subject to state budget appropriations. Funding is limited and is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

To be eligible for FSAG, a student will:

Be a Florida resident and a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen
Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Not owe a repayment or be in default on a state or federal grant, loan, or scholarship program
Not have previously earned a bachelor’s degree
Enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours per term

Maximum eligibility time frame for this award is nine semesters.

Disbursement
If you are a full-time student for the semester, your FSAG award is disbursed after the add/drop date of your semester. However, if your full-time status is split between two 8-week terms (example: Fall/Spring A term & Fall/Spring B term), your FSAG award will not be applied to your account until your full-time status is reached during the second term. For example, if you signed up for 6 credits in Fall A and 6 credits in Fall B, you will receive your FSAG disbursement after the add/drop date of the Fall B term. Once your full-time enrollment status is met during the Fall B term your FSAG award will disburse to your account for both terms. This award is not applied in the summer term.

Renewal
To renew eligibility, students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and complete at least 12 credit hours for each term FSAG is received. Eligibility for renewal is determined after the end of the Spring semester each year. Credits earned during the previous Summer semester may be counted toward the total number of credits required for renewal.

Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement may receive FSAG on a probationary basis for the following year; however, a 2.0 must be achieved after the probationary year for continued eligibility. Students who do not meet the minimum credit hour requirement are not eligible for renewal.

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program

Recipients of the Florida Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholars or Florida Medallion Scholars awards can utilize these funds at Barry University. The award amount is based on the number of credit hours for which the student enrolls each semester. The value of each credit hour is determined by the state and is subject to change. For academic year 2024-2025, Bright Futures awards are disbursed as follows:

Florida Academic Scholarship: $212 per credit hour
Florida Medallion Scholarship: $159 per credit hour

The Florida Department of Education will place eligible students on the Master Eligibility List. Students must be on the Master Eligibility List before having an estimated award. Awards are initially estimated based on 12 credits after July 1^st. Students may be added to the Master Eligibility List later in the year. Therefore, if you believe you should receive the Bright Future award but have not received it, you may contact our office. Disbursement is based on actual enrollment after the add/drop date. To receive Bright Futures funding, a student will:

Earn a standard Florida high school diploma
Be a Florida resident and a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen
Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student in at least six non-remedial credit hours per semester

Florida Bright Futures recipients may receive funding for a maximum of 120 credit hours or 5 years whichever comes first.

Note: Students must repay the Bright Futures Scholarship award to the institution for any courses dropped or withdrawn after the add/drop period. The student will not be eligible for scholarship renewal until the amount is repaid.

Disbursement
Due to the differences between term and semester student enrollment, Bright Future is handled one of two ways on a student account. If you are at least a half-time (6 credits or more) student for the semester, your Bright Future award is disbursed after the add/drop date of your semester. However, if your half-time status is split between two 8-week terms (example: Fall/Spring A term & Fall/Spring B term), your Bright Future award will not be applied to your account until your half-time status is reached during the second term. For example, if you signed up for 3 credits in Fall A and 3 credits in Fall B, you will receive your Bright Future disbursement after the add/drop date of the Fall B term. Once your half time enrollment status is met during the Fall B term your Bright Future award will disburse to your account for both terms

The Florida Department of Education, will not include remedial courses into the award calculation for Bright Future. For example, if you registered for 12 credits and you have a 3 credit remedial class, the financial aid office will process the award based on 9 credits. The list of remedial courses is provided by the registrar’s office and the financial aid office follows their guidelines.

The Florida Department of Education has approved summer Bright Future awards for the 2024 summer term. The same disbursement rules apply as in the fall and spring semesters.

Bright Future students who receive a bachelor's degree before reaching the 120 credit hour limit or before the 5-year limit may be entitled to a one-time award as a graduate student. This is up to the discretion of the Florida Department of Education and you may contact them to determine your eligibility. If eligible, you would be allowed a one-time disbursement at the same rate as the undergraduate level. The same disbursement rules would still apply but the Florida Department of Education will not exceed funding for more than 15 credits.

Renewal
Barry University reports GPA and hours earned for each Bright Futures recipient at the end of each Spring semester. Students will be notified by the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) regarding their renewal eligibility status.

Each Bright Futures scholarship award has different renewal criteria. Students who do not meet the renewal requirements may be eligible for reinstatement or restoration through the state; refer to the Bright Futures Home Page for the criteria, instructions, and deadline dates.

Students who do not meet the renewal requirements may appeal to the institution if they experienced a verifiable illness or other emergency circumstance outside of their control. Along with a statement describing the circumstance, the student must provide pertinent documentation. After reviewing the appeal, the institution will send an approval/denial recommendation to OSFA. OSFA will notify the student regarding the final determination.

Additional State Programs

Barry University also participates in the following state of Florida grant and scholarship programs:

Honorably Discharged Graduate Assistance Program (HDGAP)
Scholarship for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans
Minority Teacher Education Scholarship

Information about these programs can be obtained from the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance.

Florida Pre-Paid College Program

The Florida Prepaid College Plan is a program through which families can prepay for their child’s education. Florida Prepaid plans can be used at Barry University via fund transfer authorization. Additional information on Florida Prepaid Plans can be found at www.myfloridaprepaid.com. For assistance with transfers and additional questions on how to use the program at Barry University, please contact the Student Accounts Office.

State Grant Programs Outside Florida

Incoming students from the District of Columbia and Vermont should know that their state grants are portable. Students from these states who qualify, based on financial need, can use these grants to attend a college or university outside their state. These grants can, therefore, be applied towards a student's cost of education at Barry University. Students should contact their State Department of Education for further details, since there may be a deadline for application.