Bright Futures Scholarship Program in Florida is a merit award established on high school academic performance. Students may receive the Florida Medallion Scholars Award or the Florida Academic Scholars Award at the University of Central Florida.
What Are The Scholarship Programs Under Bright Futures?
There are two scholarships programs under Bright Futures:
- Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)
- Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)
1. Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)
The Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) is the most competitive and generous Bright Futures scholarship. Florida Academic Scholar (FAS) recipients may be funded for up to 5 years from high school graduation for a maximum of 120 semester hours towards completing a first baccalaureate degree.
The Florida Academic Scholar with the highest academic rank in each county also receives the Academic Top Scholars Award.
The FAS Awards
Florida Academic Scholars receive an amount equal to 100% of tuition and applicable fees. Applicable fees include:
- Activity and service fees.
- Health fees.
- Sports fees.
- Financial aid fees.
- Capital improvement fees.
- Campus transportation/access fees.
- Technology fees.
- Differential tuition fees.
The Florida Academic Scholars Award cost per credit hour is $212.28.
The Academic Top Scholars Award costs $44 per credit hour.
2. Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)
This scholarship is less competitive than the FAS but has relatively high GPA requirements and minimum test scores.
Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) recipients may be funded for up to five years from high school graduation, from a maximum of 120 semester hours toward completing a first baccalaureate degree.
The FMS Awards
Florida Medallion Scholars will receive an award of 75% of tuition and applicable fall, spring and summer fees. Applicable fees include:
- Service and activity fees.
- Healthcare fees.
- Sports fees.
- Financial aid fees.
- Capital improvement fees.
- Campus access/transportation fees.
- Technology fees.
- Differential tuition fees.
Florida Medallion Scholars award is $159.21 per credit hour.
How Do I Get A Full Bright Futures Scholarship?
Each Bright Futures program has distinct requirements, but there are some that they all have in common. You must meet these requirements to qualify for a Bright Futures program.
To be eligible for any Bright Futures program, you must:
- Acquire a diploma from a Florida high school or high school equivalent. You can earn this diploma from a public or certified private high school.
- Be a resident of Florida and a Citizen of the US or an eligible noncitizen. Regardless of where your parents live, you are eligible as long as you are a Florida resident.
- Be enrolled in a postsecondary program in Florida state.
- Have completed the Florida Financial Aid Application before 31st August of the year of your graduation.
- Be enrolling for a minimum of six credit hours per semester.
- not have been convicted of a felony.
How To Apply For Bright Futures
Students must apply for the Bright Futures scholarship by submitting the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) no later than August 31 after graduating from high school.
NOTE: To be eligible for the Bright Futures Scholarship, your post-secondary institution choice must be identified as “University of Central Florida” on the initial Florida Financial Aid Application(FFAA). Suppose you have selected a different institution On the FFAA and intend to attend UCF, In that case, you will need to update your institution’s name choices to reflect “UCF”. To update the name of your post-secondary institution, you can call 1-888-827-2004 or visit the website of Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistant (OSFA).
What GPA Do You Need For Florida Bright Futures Scholarship?
- The Minimum Cumulative GPA (unweighted & unrounded) for Florida Academic Scholars Award is 3.0.
- The Minimum Cumulative GPA (unweighted & unrounded) for Florida Medallion Scholars Award is 2.75.
- The Minimum Cumulative GPA (unweighted & unrounded) for Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award is 2.75.
How Much Does Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Pay?
The Florida Academic Scholars Award cost per credit hour is $212.28; The Academic Top Scholars Award costs $44 per credit hour while the Florida Medallion Scholars award is $159.21 per credit hour.
How Much Does The Highest Bright Futures Pay?
Bright Futures’ highest scholarship amount covers 100% of tuition and fees at any Florida state university, approximately $6,800 per year.
Books, housing, or food (accommodation and meals) are not covered. That cost is roughly $14,000 per year!
Is Bright Futures Only For Florida Colleges?
The Bright Futures Scholarship program offers scholarships based on merit for Floridians who stay in Florida to attend college or vocational school (unfortunately, you are not eligible for an award if you attend college outside Florida).
What Happens To My Bright Futures If I Fail A Class?
In a situation where you withdraw from classes or drop/fail after your bright futures has been disbursed:
- Your Bright Futures will be billed for classes withdrawn or dropped after the initial drop/add period.
- The amount due is based on the number of credits you have dropped during the term.
- Classes dropped through the Academic Regulations Committee (ARC) petition process do not exempt a student from repaying Bright Futures.
- You must monitor and pay for your student’s account balances that may result from dropping out of class or withdrawing from a term.
How Long Does Florida Bright Futures Last?
Students can be funded for a maximum of 120 semester hours (five years) to complete their first baccalaureate degree.
Funding for extended hours is available to FAS and FMS students enrolled in a single degree program that requires more than 120 hours by completing the Application for Extended Hours of Eligibility form and mailing it to the address given on the form.
Can I Get Bright Futures After High School?
Yes. Students who do not enroll in a post-secondary institution immediately after graduation may apply for a Bright Futures Scholarship within two years from graduation date to earn a Bright Futures Scholarship.