Bright Futures Requirements 2024-2025

The Bright Futures program is an amazing opportunity for Florida residents to earn funding for college. But in addition to being a high-paying opportunity, it is very competitive and has a strict set of requirements.

The requirements outlined in the Bright Futures handbook can be overwhelming, and may deter students from applying. So, we’ve done the hard work for you, and made the requirements more readable! Read on to learn all about the Bright Futures scholarship requirements.

Related: Scholarships for Florida Residents

Requirements for all Bright Futures Scholarships

Each Bright Futures program has a different set of requirements, but there are a few that they all share. Here are the requirements you must meet in order to qualify for any Bright Futures program. You must:

• Be a Florida resident, and a US Citizen or eligible noncitizen. Regardless of where your parents live, as long as you are a Florida resident, you are eligible.
• Earn a diploma from a Florida high school or high school equivalent. You can earn this diploma from a public high school or certified private high school.
• Be enrolled, or enrolling, for at least six credit hours per semester.
• Complete the Florida Financial Aid Application before August 31 of your graduation year.
• Enroll in a postsecondary program in the state of Florida.
• Not have been convicted of a felony.

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Florida Bright Futures Scholarships

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$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship

1 award worth $10,000

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Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Contest

4 awards worth $8,000

Open to HS Seniors, College Freshmen, Sophomores & Juniors

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South Florida Fair Scholarship Sponsored by Palm Beach County Farm Bureau

2 awards worth $1,000

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South Florida Fair Academic Excellence Scholarship

Multiple awards worth $1,000 - $6,000

Open to High School Senior

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Ralph H. And Ruth Frank Gross Memorial Scholarship

1 award worth $500 - $2,500

Open to High School Seniors & College Students

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Capt. Kenneth D. Allen Scholarship

1 award worth up to $5,000

Open to High School Senior

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NAJA Graduate Scholarship Program

Multiple awards worth Varies

Open to Graduate Students

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Jimmy Rane Foundation Scholarship

50 awards worth $500 - $5,000

Open to High School Seniors & College Underclassmen

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Macy’s Emergency Scholarship Fund

Multiple awards worth up to $500

Open to College Students

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Differences between the Bright Futures programs

If you meet all the requirements listed above, congratulations! You may be in the running for a Bright Futures scholarship. Our next step will be to provide an overview of each Bright Futures program. We’ll show you what the award amounts are, and what educational tracks they are meant for. Once you find the right fits for you, read on to learn about each program’s requirements.

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)

The Florida Academic Scholars program provides 100% of funding for a public program of study. This includes all applicable tuition and fees. Students who choose a private institution will receive a comparable award but it may not cover the entire cost. Winners also receive $300 per semester for additional educational costs. This is the most competitive Bright Futures program and has the highest requirements.

Quick overview of the FAS requirements (2025-26 graduates) 

• 3.5 weighted high school GPA
• 29+ ACT score
• 95+ CLT score
• 1330+ SAT score
• 100 hours of volunteer service hours
• 100 hours of paid work hours

Students must earn the required volunteer service hours, work hours or a combination that totals a minimum of 100 hours 

Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)

The Florida Medallion Scholars program provides 75% of funding for a public program of study. This includes 75% of all applicable tuition and fees. Students who choose a private institution will receive a comparable award but it may not cover the entire 75%. This program is less competitive than the Florida Academic Scholars program. So, if you don’t qualify for Florida Academic Scholars, you may still be able to cover 75% of your costs.

Quick overview of the FMS requirements (2025-26 graduates) 

• 3.0 weighted high school GPA
• 24+ ACT
• 82+ CLT score
• 1190+ SAT score
• 75 hours of volunteer service hours 
• 100 hours of paid work hours 

Students must earn the required volunteer service hours, work hours or a combination that totals a minimum of 100 hours 

Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars (GSC)

The Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars program provides a fixed payment per credit hour which varies with program of study. The program is designed for students who already received an Associate’s Degree and are seeking a Bachelor’s. This program is less competitive than Florida Medallion Scholars and Florida Medallion Scholars. Its GPA and test score requirements are less strict. 

Also see: How many credits do you need for an associate’s degree? 

Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV) 

The Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars program provides a fixed payment per credit hour which varies with program of study. This program is designed for students who are pursuing a certificate or vocational degree. It has lower GPA and test score requirements than Florida Academic Scholars and Florida Medallion Scholars. 

Also see: Top colleges and universities in Florida

Specific program requirements

Now, let’s dig into the requirements for each program. This will help you decide which award you’ll have the best shot at obtaining.

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)

Florida Academic Scholars must hold a minimum 3.5 weighted GPA. Additionally, they must obtain a minimum score of 29 on the ACT, a 95 on the CLT (Classic Learning Test), or 1330 on the SAT. They must also complete at least 100 service hours or 100 paid work hours.

Students must also have completed a set of high school coursework requirements. However, these requirements align with the state university system admission requirements. As a result, any student considered for admission at a Florida school would meet these requirements.

Related: Top full ride scholarships for high school students

Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)

Florida Medallion Scholars must hold a minimum 3.0 weighted GPA. Additionally, they must obtain a minimum score of 24 on the ACT, an 82 on the CLT, or 1190 on the SAT. They must also complete at least 75 service hours, 100 paid work hours, or a sum of paid and service hours to equal 100 or more.

Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars (GSC)

Students must be pursuing an applied technology diploma, an associate’s degree in applied science or associate in science, or a career certificate. If students have already received an associate’s degree, they can receive funding for up to 60 hours towards a Bachelor’s. Florida high school students who wish to qualify for the GSC must meet the following criteria: 

• Earn a minimum of 5 postsecondary credit hours through CAPE industry certifications articulate for college credit
• Complete 30 volunteer service hours, 100 paid work hours or the combination of 100 total hours 

Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV) 

Students who meet general Bright Futures requirements and are currently enrolled in a career education or certificate program are eligible. High school students planning on enrolling in a career education or certificate program are eligible if they meet these requirements:

• Minimum weighted 3.0 GPA in non-elective high school courses
• Enroll in at least 3 credits in a single career and technical education program
• Obtain a minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA in career education courses
• Complete at least 30 service hours (See below for COVID chances in service hour requirements)
• Must obtain the minimum scores required in one of the following tests: ACT, SAT or Florida Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT) 

Related: What is a good ACT score? 

Award amounts

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)

100% of tuition and fees at all public Florida institution or a comparable amount at private institutions

Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)

75% of tuition and fees at all public Florida institutions or a comparable amount at private institutions 

Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars (GSC)

• Career certificate program: $39 per credit hour
• Applied technology diploma program: $39 per credit hour
• Technical degree education program: $49 per credit hour 
• Bachelor’s of science or bachelor’s of applied science program: $49 per credit hour

Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV) 

• Career certificate program: $39 per credit hour
• Applied technology diploma program: $39 per credit hour 
• Technical degree education program: $48 per credit hour 
• Bachelor’s of science or bachelor’s of applied science program: $48 per credit hour

Alternate ways to qualify for FAS and FMS Scholarships

Students who don’t meet the test requirements listed above may still be eligible for the FAS or FMS. If you received any of the following awards, you are exempt from testing requirements:

• National Merit Finalist and Scholars
• National Hispanic Scholars
• Advanced International Certificate of Education
• International Baccalaureate Diploma

Renewal requirements

Students who have been receiving Bright Futures’s funds throughout the academic year do not need to re-apply and rather will be automatically evaluated at the end of the spring term. In order to be automatically renewed, you must meet a minimum cumulative GPA which ranges depending on the program you are a part of. 

It is important to note that if you do not meet the minimum credit hours requirement and the minimum GPA requirement you will be unable to continue or re-apply for a Bright Futures program. So, be sure that you are on your A-game if granted a Bright Futures scholarship! 

Here are the minimum requirements for GPA for the following programs: 

• Florida Academic Scholars (FAS): 3.0 GPA

• Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS): 2.75 GPA

• Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV): 2.75 GPA 

List of schools eligible for Bright Futures

You can use Bright Futures at any approved program in the state of Florida, public or private. This also includes community colleges. Here is a sampling of some schools that you can use the scholarship funds at. For a more extensive list, check out our full list of the top Florida colleges.

• University of Florida
• Florida State
• University of South Florida
• University of Miami
• University of Central Florida
• Santa Fe College
• Tallahassee Community College
• Valencia College

Key Takeaways

• To be eligible for a Bright Futures Scholarship, you have to be a Florida resident who is earning or has earned a Florida high school diploma and plans on attending a postsecondary institution in Florida
• The scholarship has several different levels with varying award amounts and varying requirements in terms of coursework, GPA, and test scores
• To apply for the Bright Futures scholarship, you have to fill out the Florida Financial Aid Application before August 31 of your graduation year

Next steps

If you are pursuing a Bright Futures scholarship, there are many ways that you can maximize your chances. You can start by working to make sure your test scores and GPA are as high as possible. You can maximize your test scores by deciding whether to focus on the SAT or the ACT. It’s also important to choose the right tutor and determine the best time to take these tests.

You’ll also want to ensure that you fill out the Florida Financial Aid Application before the deadline. Remember, that deadline is August 31 of your graduation year. Also, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Look around for other scholarships, and apply far and wide! The more opportunities you apply to, the higher a chance you’ll receive one.

Also See:

• Scholarships for high school seniors
• Top Florida scholarships

Frequently asked questions about the Bright Futures Scholarship