Bright Futures Scholarship

Bright Futures Scholarship

The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program is a state-funded scholarship program that provides financial assistance to Florida residents who attend eligible postsecondary institutions. The program offers four different award levels, each with its own eligibility criteria and award amounts. The Bright Futures Scholarship is funded by lottery proceeds and is a fantastic opportunity to receive financial assistance for post-high school education. The program is competitive, however, with only 20% of Florida high school graduates deemed eligible in 2022-2023. To be eligible for any Bright Futures scholarship, students must meet certain requirements, including having a minimum GPA, standardized test scores, and volunteer hours.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for any Bright Futures scholarship, students must meet the following general requirements⁚

• Be a Florida resident⁚ Students must have been a Florida resident for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the date of high school graduation.
• Graduate from a Florida high school⁚ Students must graduate from a Florida high school or an equivalent program approved by the Florida Department of Education.
• Maintain a minimum GPA⁚ All Bright Futures scholarships except the GSC also have minimum GPA and ACT/SAT requirements. Students must have a minimum weighted GPA of 3.0 to be eligible for the Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) or Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) programs. The Gold Seal Vocational Scholar (GSV) program requires a minimum weighted GPA of 3.0, but students must also meet specific course requirements.
• Complete required coursework⁚ Students must complete specific coursework in English, mathematics, science, and social studies, as outlined in the Bright Futures Course Table. These requirements align with the state university system admission requirements.
• Complete required service hours⁚ All Bright Futures scholarships have service hour requirements. Students must complete at least 75 hours of documented volunteer service or paid work (or a combination of both) to be eligible. Eligible volunteer service or paid work may include a business or governmental internship, work for a nonprofit community service organization, or activities on behalf of a candidate for public office.

In addition to these general requirements, students must also meet specific requirements for each award level, including minimum ACT/SAT scores. Students can use superscores when determining their Bright Futures eligibility, meaning that they can take the highest section scores from each time they take the ACT or SAT in order to create the highest possible cumulative score for one exam type.

It is important to note that requirements and deadlines can change with each legislative session, so students should consult the most up-to-date Bright Futures handbook for the most accurate information.

Minimum ACT Score

The minimum ACT score required for the Bright Futures Scholarship varies depending on the award level. The Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) award requires a minimum ACT score of 29, while the Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) program requires a minimum ACT score of 25. The Gold Seal Vocational Scholar (GSV) program does not have a minimum ACT score requirement, but students must meet specific course requirements and a minimum GPA. The General Scholarship (GSC) program does not have a minimum ACT score requirement, but students must meet specific course requirements and a minimum GPA.

For students planning to afford college via the Bright Futures Scholarships, studying for the SAT/ACT will be an essential part of the application process. Consider accessing free online resources, partnering with a qualified tutor, or making a study group of peers to help you earn that 1210/1330 or 25/29 score. The ACT composite score is the average of the best section scores across the four subject area sections from any test sitting⁚ English, Math, Reading and Science. Composite scores ending in 0.50 will be rounded up to the next whole number.

ACT scores are unaffected by the changes made to the SAT in recent years. The minimum qualifying combined SAT score for the Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) program has been raised to 1210. The minimum qualifying combined SAT score for the Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) program has been raised to 1340. Students can use scores from different test dates to meet the test criteria, but test types cannot be mixed. Scores from the CLT test are accepted for Bright Futures evaluation;

Award Levels

The Bright Futures program offers four different award levels, each with its own eligibility criteria and award amounts⁚

1. Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)⁚ This is the highest level of award and requires a minimum GPA of 3.5 and a minimum ACT score of 29 or a minimum SAT score of 1340. The FAS award covers 100% of tuition and applicable fees, including activity and service fee, health fee, athletic fee, financial aid fee, capital improvement fee, campus access/transportation fee, technology fee and tuition differential fee; FAS students will receive an award that covers 100% of tuition and applicable fees for the summer term.
2. Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)⁚ This award level requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a minimum ACT score of 25 or a minimum SAT score of 1210. The FMS award covers 75% of tuition and applicable fees. FMS students will receive an award that covers 75% of tuition and applicable fees for the summer term.
3. Gold Seal Vocational Scholar (GSV)⁚ This award level is for students who have completed a Gold Seal Vocational program. The GSV award covers 75% of tuition and applicable fees. Students must have a minimum weighted GPA of 3.0, complete specific coursework, and meet other requirements.
4. General Scholarship (GSC)⁚ This award level is available to students who do not meet the requirements for the FAS, FMS, or GSV awards. The GSC award covers 75% of tuition and applicable fees. Students must have a minimum weighted GPA of 3.0, complete specific coursework, and meet other requirements.

Students who are awarded a Bright Futures scholarship can defer in order to engage in a military, religious, or service obligation that lasts longer than 18 months. Students do not receive funds directly from the Florida Department of Education. Instead, Bright Futures awards are calculated and disbursed by the financial aid office at the eligible Florida postsecondary institution attended by the student.

Renewal Requirements

Once the scholarship funds are disbursed, the Bright Futures Scholarship will renew automatically each year (up to the scholarship limit) for up to 5 years if the student maintains renewal requirements. Renewal requirements vary based on scholarship type, but typically include minimum enrollment and GPA requirements.

To renew the Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) award, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 and be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester. To renew the Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) award, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 and be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester. To renew the Gold Seal Vocational Scholar (GSV) award, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 and be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester. To renew the General Scholarship (GSC) award, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 and be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester.

Students may transfer their scholarship to another eligible Florida postsecondary institution, though transferring from one institution to another can affect the award (particularly if transferring from a public institution to a private institution). The Bright Futures Scholarship Program offers Florida high school students an incredible opportunity to get all or much of their post-high school education paid for by lottery proceeds no less! You can use Bright Futures scholarships at a wide range of Florida institutions. These include the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of Miami, Palm Beach State College, and the Florida Institute of Technology.