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.
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.
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:
Type |
16 High School Course Credits |
High School Weighted GPA |
College Entrance Exams (ACT®/SAT®) 2 |
Service Hours |
FAS |
4 – English (three must include substantial writing) 4 – Mathematics (at or above the Algebra I level 3 – Natural Science (two must have substantial laboratory 3 – Social Science 2 – World Language (sequential, in same language) |
3.50 |
29/1290 |
100 hours |
FMS |
3.00 |
26/1170 |
75 hours |