This page is designed to help families understand the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship opportunities available to ALL Florida resident and U.S. citizen high school graduates.
General Requirements:
- Be a Florida resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, as determined by the student’s postsecondary institution.
- Complete the FFAA(Florida Financial Aid Application) 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 student has 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 six non-remedial semester credit hours (or the equivalent in quarter or clock hours) per term.
Additional Requirements:
| Florida Medallion Scholarship | Florida Academic Scholarship | Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship | Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholarship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achieve a minimum 3.0 weighted high school grade point average (GPA) in the 16 college-preparatory credits listed below | Achieve a minimum 3.5 weighted high school grade point average (GPA); in the 16 college-preparatory credits listed below | Achieve the required minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA in the career education courses | Earn a minimum of 5 postsecondary credit hours through CAPE industry certifications that articulate for college credit For Eligible CAPE Certifications |
| Achieve the minimum score on either the ACT of 25 or SAT of 1210 | Achieve the minimum score on either the ACT of 29 or SAT of 1330 | ACT Reading: 19 ACT English: 17 ACT Mathematics: 19 SAT Reading Test: 24 SAT Writing and Language Test: 25 SAT Math Test: 24 PERT Reading: 106 PERT Writing: 103 PERT Mathematics: 114 | |
| 75 service hours | 100 service hours | 30 service hours | 30 service hours |
FAQs
Evaluation for Bright Futures includes an unrounded, weighted high school GPA (calculated to two decimal places) in the 16 college-preparatory credits.
The following courses are weighted .25 per semester course or .50 per year course in the calculation of the GPA: Advanced Placement (AP), Pre-International Baccalaureate (Pre-IB), International Baccalaureate (IB), Honors, Pre-Advanced International Certificate of Education (Pre-AICE), Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), or academic Dual Enrollment.
For example, whereas an ‘A’ equals 4 quality points for an un-weighted course, an ‘A’ would equal 4.5 quality points for a weighted course.
- 4 credits- English
- 4 credits – Math (at or above Algebra I level)
- 3 credits – Natural Science (2 must have lab components)
- 3 credits – Social Studies
- 2 credits – World Language (sequential and in same language)
The ACT/SAT exams may be taken an unlimited number of times through June 30 of the student’s graduation year (or through January 31 for mid-year graduates).
Work with your high school guidance counselor to fulfill all documentation guidelines. Always keep a copy of your service hours that you turn in for your own records.
Generally, the organization you are seeking to receive service hours from must complete a letter on your behalf detailing the following:
- Your name
- How many hours you served
- Date(s) of service hours
- Description of tasks you performed to receive those service hours
- Letter should be on company/organization letterhead if possible
- Signed by the supervisor/organization contact with name and contact information
No. Students that receive an AICE/IB Diploma have an alternative way of qualifying for the Florida Medallion and Florida Academic Scholarships. For specifics, please click here.
Contact your high school guidance department who will handle this for you to ensure they have the correct post-secondary information from you.
See information regarding the process for home education, GED, and mid-year graduate students here.