Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program – Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)

Award Amount
Application deadline
Awarded By:

Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance

Number of Awards & Eligibility: The number of awards offered varies annually based on the number of qualified students. In the 2014-2015 academic year, there were 11,005 initial awards disbursed.
In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:
  1. This award is for U.S. students.
  2. Must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
  3. Must be a graduating high school senior at time of application.
  4. Must be accepted by, enroll in a degree or certificate program, and be funded at an eligible Florida public or independent postsecondary institution within two years from the his/her year of high school graduation (exceptions available for active military and students who complete a religious or volunteer commitment of at least 18 months).
  5. Must have a weighted grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
  6. Must meet ONE of the following academic criteria: have an SAT score of 1290 or higher; have an ACT score of 29 higher; be a National Merit or National Achievement Finalist or Scholar; be a National Hispanic Scholar; receive an Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) diploma; receive an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.
  7. Must be a Florida resident.
  8. Must earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its equivalent from a Florida public high school or a registered Florida Department of Education private high school.
  9. Must complete 100 or more service hours during high school and by high school graduation.
  10. Must be enrolled for six or more non-remedial semester credit hours (or the equivalent in quarter or clock hours) per term.

In order to qualify, students must meet the following criteria:

Description: This award is available to Florida high school seniors who plan to attend a college or university in Florida. Students must have a weighted grade point average of 3.5 or higher and have a SAT score of 1290 or higher or an ACT score of 29 or higher (or meet other academic requirements). Students must have also completed at least 100 hours of community service.

Application requirements for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program – Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) are:

  • Application form
Additional Information: 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 tiers of awards: Florida Academic Scholars (FAS); Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS); and Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV). A student may receive funding for only one award (FAS, FMS, GSV). The highest award earned by the student will be selected. The Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) category also includes the Academic Top Scholars (ATS) award. The ATS award is given to the top Florida Academic Scholar in each district. The rankings of the Academic Top Scholar are calculated using a formula based on the student's Bright Futures grade point average and ACT/SAT test scores. To qualify for the FAS, students must complete a required high school curriculum. Detailed information on the curriculum requirements is available on the OSFA website by clicking on the "Chapter 1: Initial Eligibility Requirements" link. Eligible students also cannot have been found guilty of, or pled nolo contendere to, a felony charge, unless the student has been granted clemency by the Governor and Cabinet sitting as the Executive Office of Clemency. Please note: There are additional eligibility requirements for home-schooled, GED, and military (i.e., out-of-state) students. Such students should consult the information in the "Chapter 1: Initial Eligibility Requirements" link on the OSFA website to ensure they have met all requirements.

Award Amount: Scholarship award amounts are set in the General Appropriations Act each year. Recipients will receive a fixed cost per credit hour based on award level, institution type, and credit type. Students who are designated as the Academic Top Scholar in their district will receive a bonus per credit hours award. Detailed information on award amounts is available on the OSFA website by clicking on the "Chapter 2: Information to Know Now That You Are Eligible" link. Funding is available for 100 percent of the student's program of study and up to five years after the student's high school graduation. Extended hours of funding are available to students in a single program of study requiring more than 120 credit hours. Students have two years from high school graduation to begin receiving initial funding; exceptions are made for active military students.  The total dollars awarded for this scholarship is $2,589.

Deadline Information:

Deadline for this scholarship is Monday, August 31, 2020

Deadline Information:

Deadline for this scholarship is Monday, August 31, 2020

Applications are available from the Florida Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) website. Students must apply online by completing the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA). Students are encouraged to review the documents provided under the "Student Handbook" heading before beginning the application. Please note: It is important that students provide authorization in the application for release of their high school grades and test scores. Students will be asked to provide an estimated grade point average on the application that will be verified and potentially recalculated. Standardized tests must be taken by Jan. 31 for early (seventh semester) evaluations and by June 30 for final (eighth semester) evaluations. The student should note that all other eligibility requirements must be completed by high school graduation. The FFAA may be submitted beginning Dec. 1 of the student's senior year of high school, and must be submitted no later than Aug. 31 following high school graduation.
About Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance:
Contact Information: Theresa Antworth, Director State Scholarship and Grant Programs
Address: 325 W. Gaines St. Suite 1314 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

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