Florida Bright Futures

The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program rewards high-achieving Florida high school graduates with lottery-funded financial aid for their postsecondary education.

Program Description

The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program establishes lottery-funded scholarships to reward Florida high school graduates for high academic achievement. The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program is comprised of the following 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 high school coursework, minimum grade point average (GPA), and minimum test score (ACT/SAT/CLT) requirements which are outlined on the Florida Student Scholarship & Grant Programs website.
  • UPDATED - Complete the required volunteer service hours, paid work hours, or a combination of both. The required number of hours depends on the specific award tier (e.g., 100 hours for the FAS award) and must be approved by the district school board or the administrators of a nonpublic school.
  • 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. 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.
  • REQUIRED - Complete and submit the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) no later than August 31 after high school graduation. While the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is highly recommended to determine eligibility for federal and other state aid, the FFAA is the specific application required to evaluate a student for Bright Futures.