Florida Bright Futures Scholarship

Program Description

The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program establishes three lottery-funded scholarships to reward Florida high school graduates for high academic achievement. The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program is comprised of the following three awards:

• Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) award (including Academic Top Scholars (ATS) award
• Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) award
• Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV) award

Initial Eligibility Requirements to Receive Funding

The student will:

• Be a Florida resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen. A student’s residency and citizenship status are determined by the postsecondary institution. Questions regarding such status should be directed to the financial aid office or admissions office of the institution the student plans to attend.
• Not owe a repayment or be in default under any state or federal grant, loan, or scholarship program unless satisfactory arrangements to repay have been made.
• Meet specific coursework and minimum grade point average (GPA) and test score requirements that are outlined on the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) Web site www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/acadrequire.htm.
• ATS - The Academic Top Scholars award, announced by the Florida Department of Education before the end of the fall term after all term one disbursements are reported, is awarded to the Florida Academic Scholar with the highest academic ranking in each county (based on the product of multiplying the Bright Futures GPA and the highest qualifying SAT/ACT test score). The recipient receives a cost per credit hour award established by the Florida Legislature in the General Appropriations Act in addition to the Florida Academic Scholars award. For current year award amounts visit: www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/awardamt.htm.

Applying for an Award

For Initial Eligibility the student will:

• Submit a fully completed error free Initial Student Florida Financial Aid Application during the last year in high school (after December 1 and prior to graduation) by accessing www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org online (select State Grants, Scholarships & Applications, then Apply Here). The application gives the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) permission to evaluate the student’s high school transcript and standardized test scores for eligibility for a Bright Futures Scholarship and other state scholarships and grants.
• Apply during the last year in high school, before graduation, or forfeit all future eligibility for a Bright Futures Scholarship.