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Bright Futures Requirements 2023-2024
By
Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman
Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman is a content editor and writer at Scholarships360. He has managed communications and written content for a diverse array of organizations, including a farmer’s market, a concert venue, a student farm, an environmental NGO, and a PR agency. Gabriel graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in sociology.
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Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.
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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. Our article covers the Academic Scholars, Medallion Scholars, Gold Seal CAPE Scholars, and Gold Seal Vocational Scholars programs. We’ll also cover the ways in which requirements have been altered by the coronavirus pandemic.
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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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
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.
Florida Medallion Scholars
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.
Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars
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. Here is an outline of the award amount you can expect from the scholarship, based on your field of study.
Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars
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. The award amount structure for the program is outlined in the above table.
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
Florida Academic Scholars must hold a minimum 3.5 weighted GPA. Additionally, they must obtain a minimum score of 29 on the ACT, a 96 on the CLT, or 1340 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. You can read the requirements in detail in the table below.
Related: Top full ride scholarships for high school students
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Florida Medallion Scholars
Florida Medallion Scholars must hold a minimum 3.0 weighted GPA. Additionally, they must obtain a minimum score of 25 on the ACT, an 84 on the CLT, or 1210 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.
The following table from the Bright Futures handbook outlines the requirements of both the FMS and FAS scholarships. Note that the high school credit requirement should not be inhibitory to any Florida university applicants. It is a set of requirements that must be met by any applicant regardless of scholarship status.
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
Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars
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. They must complete at least 30 service hours in order to obtain the award. See below for changes in service hour requirements due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars
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:
Key Takeaways
List of schools eligible for Bright Futures
You can use Bright Futures at any approved program in the state of Florida, public or private. 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
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.
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