Financial Obligations

The University will pay for undergraduate in-state matriculation fees, less any Bright Futures Scholarship award, for each child (selected for the scholarship), for up to twelve credits per semester during the academic year and for up to 6 credits per twelve (12) week summer semester at the University of Florida or a Florida public college.

The HEO program only covers at the University of Florida or Florida public colleges. The HEO does not cover private institutions, out of state institutions, or other Florida universities (i.e., UCF, UNF, FSU, etc.).

HEO students may elect to transfer to UF or other HEO-eligible Florida public colleges in future terms and maintain their HEO coverage.

UF Innovation Academy (IA)

IA students, participating in the undergraduate program, will receive the in-state matriculation fees, less any Bright Futures scholarship award, for up to 12 credits per spring and summer semester and to up to 6 credit hours per fall semester.

Bright Futures Scholars

The full amount of the Bright Futures scholarship (medallion and academic) award will be subtracted from the any amount the student can receive from the HEO.

If the student is, or expects to be a Bright Futures scholar, please review the Bright Futures and the HEO Scholarship section below and visit the HEO FAQ page.


HEO Coverage Rates

The university will pay the in-state matriculation fees, for a maximum of 132 credit hours toward an undergraduate degree at the University of Florida or a Florida public college, in the event the child is not admitted to the University of Florida. Please visit the HEO policy page for more information about program eligibility and coverage. 

  • In academic year 2026-27, the HEO coverage rate for UF students is $149.24 per credit hour. This amount includes UF tuition and tuition differential.
  • For students attending other Florida Colleges, please connect with the student’s institution for tuition credit hour rates, or contact heo@admin.ufl.edu.

Calculating HEO Payments

The HEO will cover up to 12 registered credits during the fall and spring and up to 6 credits during the summer. UF Innovation Academy (IA) students receive up to 6 registered credits during the fall and up to 12 during the spring and summer.

The HEO student will receive the HEO coverage rate (based upon the tuition rate for the student’s institution) for the number of registered credits. See below example estimates. 

  • A UF student taking 12 credits will receive 12 credits x $149.24 = $1790.88
  • A UF student taking 6 credits will receive 6 credits x $149.24 = $895.44
  • A SF student taking 12 upper division credits will receive $91.79 x 12 = $1101.48
  • A SF student taking 6 lower division credits will receive $77.98 x 6 = $467.88

HEO Fee Responsibility

UF HEO Program

Responsible for all in-state matriculation fees (the actual instruction fee) less any Bright Futures scholarship award for a maximum of 132 credit hours. 

  • All completed courses, passed or failed, and withdrawals are totaled in the count of credit hours.
HEO Student

Responsible for all other fees, including those related to books, supplies, building, capital improvement, student financial aid, activity and service, athletic, health, transportation, etc.

  • A complete list of the breakdown for fees at UF is maintained on the University Bursar web site. For other Florida colleges, students should contact the financial departments directly.
  • Students are responsible for paying the difference in the in-state matriculation fees the HEO Program covers and the total amount per credit hour by the deadline specified by UF or the Florida public college college. The HEO program does not cover any late fees when the student fails to pay their fees on-time.
  • The students are responsible for payment of all other fees charged by the institution and for any costs associated with attending the institution.
  • To receive the HEO funds for each semester, students must complete the HEO Status Verification web form online during the specified timeframe each term, report GPA performance upon request, and meet HEO continued eligibility requirements.

Florida Prepaid and the HEO Scholarship

The Florida Prepaid College Program does not impact the HEO scholarship. It is important to visit Florida Prepaid to learn more about the Florida Prepaid College Program requirements. For questions about Florida Prepaid and the HEO scholarship, you should connect with your child’s institution of attendance for more information.

For students attending UF, contact the University Bursar at: Ask Bursar Help, or call Third Party Contracts at (352)-392-9545.


Bright Futures and the HEO Scholarship

Florida legislative changes affect the HEO award amount for Florida Academic and Florida Medallion Bright Futures Scholarship students. The full amount of the Bright Futures scholarship award will be subtracted from the (HEO coverage rate) amount the student can receive from the HEO.

Semester Funding Requests

Bright Futures recipients at the Academic and Medallion level cannot stack, combine, or receive additional funds from the HEO during a semester in which the student is receiving Bright Futures funding.

  • In the event the student temporarily or permanently loses Bright Futures funding during a specific semester, the HEO can cover the child at the HEO rate up to a max of 12 credits during fall and spring terms or up to 6 during summer.
  • It the child is a UF IA student, and cannot receive Bright Futures funding during a specific term, the IA student may request HEO funding up to 6 credits during fall and 12 credits during spring and summer at the HEO rate.

If the student loses BF funding and needs to request HEO support, please contact the HEO Coordinator at heo@admin.ufl.edu

Note: The current Bright Futures and HEO pay structure is subject to Florida legislative changes in future academic years.

Florida Academic Scholars

Receive an award amount equal to 100% of tuition and applicable fees; which currently includes the summer semester. Applicable fees include activity and service fee, health fee, athletic fee, financial aid fee, capital improvement fee, campus access/transportation fee, technology fee and tuition differential fee. See chart below.

Fees Amount Covered by Florida Academic BF Scholarship?
Tuition 105.07 Yes
Tuition Differential 44.17 Yes
Capital Improvement Trust Fund 6.76 Yes
Student Financial Aid 5.25 Yes
Technology 5.25 Yes
Activity & Service 19.06 Yes
Athletic 1.90 Yes
Health 15.81 Yes
Transportation Access 9.44 Yes
Total $212.71 $212.71

 

In this example above, the total amount covered by the Florida Academic Bright Futures scholarship ($212.71) is greater than the amount the HEO pays for tuition and tuition differential ($149.24), therefore no HEO funding will be applied in semesters the Bright Futures student receives Bright Futures funding.

Florida Medallion Scholars

Receive an award amount equal to 75% of tuition and applicable fees; which currently includes the summer semester. Applicable fees include activity and service fee, health fee, athletic fee, financial aid fee, capital improvement fee, campus access/transportation fee, technology fee and tuition differential fee. See chart below.

Fees Amount Covered by Florida Medallion BF Scholarship?
Tuition 105.07 Yes
Tuition Differential 44.17 Yes
Capital Improvement Trust Fund 6.76 Yes
Student Financial Aid 5.25 Yes
Technology 5.25 Yes
Activity & Service 19.06 Yes
Athletic 1.90 Yes
Health 15.81 Yes
Transportation Access 9.44 Yes
Total $212.71 $159.53

 

In the Medallion example, the total amount covered by the Bright Futures award ($159.53) is greater than the amount the HEO pays for tuition and tuition differential ($149.24), therefore no HEO funding will be applied in semesters the Bright Futures student receives Bright Futures funding.


 HEO Contact Information

Program Coordinator heo@admin.ufl.edu or 352-273-0149
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