Being a Florida resident has its college perks. All college-bound Florida residents, upon meeting certain eligibility requirements, can receive a Bright Futures Scholarship. The scholarship amount varies based on students’ achievements and whether they hope to apply their winnings to a Florida public or private college. There are also two vocational programs for students to consider.
The Bright Futures Scholarship is an incredible opportunity: it can be applied to all Florida public and private colleges! For a full list of Florida schools that accept the award, see this list. To find out if you are eligible for a Bright Futures Scholarship and for instructions on how to apply and win, read on!
General Bright Futures scholarship requirements
To apply to receive a Bright Futures Scholarship, you must submit the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) by the end of August after your high school graduation. That said, it is best to apply by the end of your fall semester senior year. If you apply in the fall and use standardized test scores from tests taken before January 31st, you will receive your award notification by March.
You’ll also want to complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) between October 1st and June 30th. For more information, check out our article, Everything You Should Know About FAFSA.
The general requirements to receive a Bright Futures Scholarship include:
- Must be a Florida resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.
- Must earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Must be accepted by and enrolled in a Florida public or private school.
- Be enrolled for at least six credit hours per semester.
Financial need is not considered when awarding Bright Futures scholarships. It is entirely based on academic merit and achievement. This is why it’s important to try your best and form good study habits during your freshman year. (Check out our article, High School Freshman Advice: 20 Tips for 9th Graders, for some helpful tips)!
Types of Bright Futures awards
There are two types of Bright Futures Scholarships that can be applied toward your Florida-based college degree: Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) and Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS). Additionally, there are two vocational programs for students enrolled in certificate programs: Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV) and Gold Seal CAPE Scholars (GSC).
If you’re not sure what your plans are after high school graduation, consider taking a personality quiz so that you can better reflect on your goals for the future.
How funding is applied
The Bright Futures award amount varies depending on whether a student applies their FAS or FMS scholarship to a Florida public or private college. It’s also worth noting that once you receive a Bright Futures Scholarship, it is automatically renewed each year — so long as you maintain the required GPA and credit hours each semester.
Public schools
The Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) award covers 100% of Florida public school tuition and applicable fees. Students receiving the FAS award are also eligible for an award during the summer session to cover tuition and applicable fees. It is worth noting, however, that as of 2021, Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholars are no longer eligible for an additional textbook stipend (source).
The Florida Medallion Scholars award covers 75% of Florida public school tuition and fees. Students receiving the FMS award are also eligible to receive an award during the summer session to cover tuition and fees. Again, as of 2021, scholars are no longer eligible for an additional textbook stipend.
Private schools
For private schools, Bright Futures only covers a certain dollar amount of your tuition. The amount covered is determined based on the number of credit hours in which you are enrolled. The amount covered per credit hour also fluctuates depending on whether you are attending an academic institution that uses a semester system or a quarter system. Note that if you are a recipient of the FAS award, you will receive either a semesterly or quarterly stipend for college-related expenses.
To get an idea of how much your Bright Futures award may be at a given Florida private school, consult the tables below. Keep in mind that students completing a four-year degree typically complete 30 credit hours each academic year.
FAS: Private school award for 2023-2024
In addition to having a professional email profile picture and a professional email address for students, there are lots of factors to consider when drafting a professional email. In this section, we will review 20 tips on how to write a professional email to a professor. So if you have questions about email etiquette for students, don’t worry; you’ve come to the right place!
Semester based institutions
| Institution Type | Cost Per Credit Hour |
|---|---|
| 4-Year College | $212 |
| 2-Year College | $105 |
| Vocational/Technical | $86 |
Quarter based institutions
| Institution Type | Cost Per Credit Hour |
|---|---|
| 4-Year College | $141 |
| 2-Year College | $70 |
| Vocational/Technical | $57 |
FMS: Private school award for 2023-2024
Semester based institutions
| Institution Type | Cost Per Credit Hour |
|---|---|
| 4-Year College | $159 |
| 2-Year College | $78 |
| Vocational/Technical | $64 |
Quarter based institutions
| Institution Type | Cost Per Credit Hour |
|---|---|
| 4-Year College | $106 |
| 2-Year College | $52 |
| Vocational/Technical | $42 |
Bright Futures award requirements
Regardless of which award you qualify for, all eligibility requirements must be met before your high school graduation. There is one exception to this: ACT/SAT scores may be submitted from tests taken through June 30th.
To receive a Bright Futures award you must:
- Possess a Florida high school diploma
- Complete required high school coursework
- Send in a copy of your high school transcript
- Achieve the required minimum GPA
- Achieve the required minimum score on either the ACT or SAT exams
- Bright Futures uses students’ SAT superscores. Your best math section score and your best reading/writing section score will be added together.
- Bright Futures uses students’ ACT composite scores calculated from their best section scores across the four subject areas from any test sitting.
- Complete the required number of service hours
- The Bright Futures Student Handbook defines service hours as the following: “Service hours may include, but are not limited to, a business or governmental internship, work for a nonprofit community service organization, or activities on behalf of a candidate for public office.”
- Your hours must be documented in writing, signed by yourself, your parent/guardian, as well as a rep of the organization through which you volunteered.
- You will be required to complete short reflection assignments explaining your service and why you chose a given area of service.
The table below details courses, GPA, standardized test score, and service hour requirements for both types of Bright Futures Scholarships: Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) and Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS).
| Type | 16 High School Course Credits | High School Weighted GPA | College Entrance Exams (ACT, CTL, SAT) | Service Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAS |
|
3.50 | 2023-24 Graduates: 29/96/1340 2024-25 Graduates: 29/96/1340 |
100 hours |
| FMS | Same as above. | 3.00 | 2023-24 Graduates: 25/84/1210 2024-25 Graduates: 25/84/1210 |
75 hours |
Students who complete the Florida Financial Aid Application by the end of their fall semester will receive their final Bright Futures scholarship decision in July. If you initially receive the FMS award in March, you have additional time to work towards fulfilling the eligibility requirements for the FAS award. You have until graduation to complete additional service hours and work on your GPA and until the end of June to retake the SAT/ACT.
If you have completed the AICE curriculum, have an IB diploma, are a National Hispanic Scholar, or are a National Merit Finalist and Scholar, this may excuse you from one or more eligibility requirements. See the Bright Futures Student Handbook for further details.
Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV)
The Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars program is designed for students pursuing a certificate or vocational degree. Like the other Bright Future Scholarships, the award provides a fixed payment per credit hour.
According to the Bright Futures Student Handbook, the GSV requirements are as follows:
- 3.00 minimum GPA (weighted) in non-elective high school courses
- Take 3 full credits in a single Career and Technical Education program
- Achieve a minimum 3.5 GPA (unweighted) in the Career and Technical Education courses
- Achieve the minimum scores on the ACT, SAT, or Florida Postsecondary Education Test (which you can find here)
- Complete 30 service hours
Gold Seal CAPE Scholars (GSC)
The Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars program is designed for students with an associate’s degree who are seeking a bachelor’s. Like the other Bright Future Scholarships, the award provides a fixed payment per credit hour.
According to the Bright Futures Student Handbook, the GSC requirements are as follows:
- Earn a minimum of five postsecondary credit hours through CAPE industry certifications that count for college credit
- Complete 30 service hours prior to graduating from high school
Considerations once you win a Bright Futures award
If you are awarded a Bright Futures Scholarship, the award will be applicable to all Florida public and private schools. If the Florida school you intend to attend has changed since applying, you will need to update this online through your FFAA. The award will not be paid directly to you but will be disbursed to your student financial aid account once you begin college.
The Bright Futures Scholarship is an incredible opportunity for Florida students. College is expensive, and without proper financial planning and assistance, it can feel out of reach. Do not limit how bright your future can be, start working towards winning your Bright Futures Scholarship today! You’ll also want to look into other scholarship opportunities to secure additional funding.
If you have questions about the admissions process, such as what do college admissions officers look for in an applicant?, consider reaching out to learn more about our services. Here at Prepory we have the resources and expertise to help you reach all of your college-related goals.
