Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA)

Students must APPLY for the scholarship by submitting the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) no later than August 31 after high school graduation. If a student does not apply for the scholarship by the deadline, a student cannot receive the scholarship! All eligibility requirements must be met by high school graduation, but scores of ACT®/SAT®/P.E.R.T. tests taken through June 30 are accepted for evaluation purposes.

After submitting the FFAA, the student is responsible for tracking application and award status online and keeping the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) informed of any demographic or institutional changes. Students are responsible for ensuring that funding for an academic year is accurate by contacting their institution’s financial aid office. The Bright Futures Scholarship will renew automatically each year (up to the scholarship limit) if the student maintains the required GPA and earns the required credit hours.

General Requirements

• Be a Florida resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, as determined by the student’s postsecondary institution.
• Complete the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) no later than August 31 after high school graduation.
• Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its equivalent from a Florida public high school or a registered Florida Department of Education (FDOE) private high school; or complete a home education program.
• Not have been found guilty of, or pled nolo contendere to, a felony charge, unless the studenthas been granted clemency by the Governor and Cabinet sitting as the Executive Office of Clemency.
• Be accepted by and enroll in a degree or certificate program at an eligible Florida public or independent postsecondary institution.
• Be enrolled for at least 6 non-remedial semester credit hours (or the equivalent in quarter or clock hours) per term.

If not funded in the academic year immediately following high school graduation, apply within two years of high school graduation to have your award reinstated.

Specific Requirements for the Scholarships

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) – Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)

Florida high school students who wish to qualify for the Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) award or the Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) award must meet the following initial eligibility requirements:

• Graduate high school from a Florida public high school with a standard Florida high school diploma (high school graduation requirements), graduate from a registered Florida
• Department of Education private high school, earn a GED, complete a home education program, or graduate from a non-Florida high school (OOS);
• Complete the required high school coursework;
• Achieve the required minimum high school grade point average (GPA);
• Achieve the required minimum score on either the ACT® or SAT® college entrance exam; and
• Complete the required number of service hours.