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Bright Futures Scholarship Program

Updated each July 1

Bright Futures Scholarship Program

Bright Futures Scholarship Program Awards

Students may receive funding for ONE of the three awards:
Florida Academic Scholars Award (FAS) Florida Medallion Scholars Award (FMS) Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award (GSV)

New for 2013-14 Graduates

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is no longer required as a condition of receiving a BF award
Recommended for need-based financial aid and federal student loans

Test Score Increases

FAS from 1280 SAT/28 ACT to 1290 SAT/29 ACT FMS from 1020 SAT/22 ACT to 1170 SAT/26 ACT and HomeEducated students test scores from 1070 SAT/23 ACT to 1220 SAT/27 ACT IF students cannot document, with official transcripts, the 16 credits of college preparatory academic courses

Florida Academic Scholars Award

GPA
3.5 weighted GPA (not rounded) in required 16 credits of

college preparatory academic courses

Required Credits

4 English (3 with substantial writing) 4 Math (Algebra I level and above) 3 Natural Science (2 with substantial lab) 3 Social Science 2 World Language (sequential, in the same language one being a completer course)

Florida Academic Scholars Award

Community Service
100 hours approved by district or FDOE-registered private

high school

Test Scores

1290 SAT Reasoning Test or 29 ACT ACT scores rounded up for scores with .5 and higher Writing sections not used in composite SAT Subject Tests not used Deadlines (tests taken by):

January 31 for early (7th semester) eligibility June 30 for final (8th semester) eligibility
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Florida Academic Scholars Award

Other ways to qualify must include 100 community

service hours:
National Merit or Achievement Scholars and Finalists National Hispanic Scholars IB Diploma (based on exams taken prior to high school

graduation) IB Curriculum with 1290 SAT or 29 ACT AICE Diploma (based on exams taken prior to and during high school graduation exam administration series ending mid-June) AICE Curriculum with 1290 SAT or 29 ACT

Florida Academic Scholars Award

Other ways to qualify must include 100 community

service hours:
Home Education, registered with district in grades 11 &

12 and have a best composite score of 1290 SAT or 29 ACT

Florida Academic Scholars Award

Other ways to qualify must include 100 community service hours:
GED with best composite score of 1290 SAT or 29 ACT and a 3.5 weighted GPA in the 16 required credits 3-year standard college preparatory program with best composite score of 1290 SAT or 29 ACT and a 3.5 weighted GPA in the 16 required credits

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Florida Medallion Scholars Award

GPA
3.0 weighted GPA (not rounded) in required 16 credits of

college preparatory academic courses

Required Credits
4 English (3 with substantial writing) 4 Math (Algebra I level and above) 3 Natural Science (2 with substantial lab) 3 Social Science 2 World Language (sequential, in the same language one

being a completer course)

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Florida Medallion Scholars Award

Community Service
75 hours approved by district or FDOE-registered private

high school

Test Scores

1170 SAT Reasoning Test or 26 ACT ACT scores rounded up for scores with .5 and higher SAT Subject Tests not used Writing sections not used in composite Deadlines (tests taken by):

January 31 for early (7th semester) eligibility June 30 for final (8th semester) eligibility
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Florida Medallion Scholars Award

Other ways to qualify must include 75 community

service hours:

National Merit or Achievement Scholars and Finalists National Hispanic Scholars IB Curriculum with 1170 SAT or 26 ACT AICE Diploma (based on exams taken prior to and during high school graduation exam administration series ending mid-June) AICE Curriculum with 1170 SAT or 26 ACT

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Florida Medallion Scholars Award

Other ways to qualify must include 75 community

service hours:
Home Education, registered with district in grades 11 & 12

and 1220 SAT or 27 ACT OR best combined score of 1170 SAT or 26 ACT with 3.0 weighted GPA in the 16 required credits of college preparatory academic courses documented through Florida public schools, FDOE-registered private schools, Florida Virtual School [FLVS], or Dual enrollment coursework documented by transcripts from a Florida state (community) college or university
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Florida Medallion Scholars Award

Other ways to qualify must include 75 community service

hours: GED with best composite score of 1170 SAT or 26 ACT and a 3.0 weighted GPA in the 16 required credits 3-year standard college preparatory program with best composite score of 1170 SAT or 26 ACT and a 3.0 weighted GPA in the 16 required credits

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Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award

GPAs
3.0 weighted GPA in the 16 core credits required for high

school graduation with a four-year diploma 3.5 unweighted GPA in a minimum of 3 Career and Technical Education credits in one vocational program

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Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award

Required Credits (4-year diploma)

4 English 4 Math (including Algebra I) 3 Natural Science (2 with lab component) 3 Social Science (U.S. History, World History, U.S. Government, and Economics) 1 Fine OR Identified Practical Art OR .5 in each 1 Physical Education (to include the integration of health)

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Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award

Community Service
30 hours approved by

Test Scores
SAT Reasoning Test

district or FDOE registered private high school

440 Critical Reading 440 Math 17 English 18 Reading 19 Math

ACT National Test

Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT)

99 Writing 104 Reading 113 Math

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Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award

Other ways to qualify must include 30 community service hours and minimum test scores:
3-year Career Preparatory Diploma with 3.0 weighted GPA

in 14 core credits required for graduation

4 English (3 with substantial writing) 4 Math (including Algebra I) 3 Natural Science (2 with lab component) 3 Social Science (U.S. History, World History, U.S. Government, and Economics)

3.5 unweighted GPA in a minimum of 3 Career and

Technical Education credits in one vocational program

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Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award

Other ways to qualify must include 30 community service hours and minimum test scores:
3-year College Preparatory Diploma with 3.0 weighted GPA

in 16 core credits required for graduation

4 English (3 with substantial writing) 4 Math (Algebra I level and above) 3 Natural Science (2 with lab component) 3 Social Science (U.S. History, World History, U.S. Government, and Economics) 2 World Language (sequential in the same language)

3.5 unweighted GPA in a minimum of 3 Career and

Technical Education credits in one vocational program

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Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award

Other ways to qualify must include 30 community service hours and minimum test scores:
GED with 3.0 weighted GPA in core credits required for the selected high school graduation option (standard, career, or college), and 3.5 unweighted GPA in a minimum of 3 Career and Technical Education credits in one vocational program

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Academic Top Scholars Award

One FAS award recipient per county Ranked on Bright Futures GPA and SAT/ACT score Award established annually by the Florida Legislature in the General Appropriations Act Determined end of fall term following high school graduation and after finalized term one disbursements Students and high schools are notified in November

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General Eligibility Requirements

Graduate from a Florida public high school or FDOEregistered private high school (for GED, Out-of-State & Home Education exceptions see www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/ssfad/bf) Not guilty of, or plead no contest to, a felony charge Florida resident and U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen as determined by the postsecondary institution Seeking undergraduate degree or certificate at an eligible Florida postsecondary institution

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General Eligibility Requirements

Enrolled for at least 6 non-remedial semester credit hours Begin using the scholarship funds within two years of high school graduation (exception: military service)

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How to Apply
Students must complete the Initial Student Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) before high school graduation or forfeit BF eligibility www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org (Select State Grants, Scholarships & Applications/Apply Here/Initial State Student Application) FFAA opens December 1 and closes August 31 Submit ONE application update as needed

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Eligibility Evaluations
Completed twice a year: Early - After 7th semester (fall term) based on:
Required coursework completed and GPA through the first half of the senior year Coursework in progress for 8th semester Community service hours completed by end of 7th semester Test scores for tests taken through January 31

Final - After 8th semester (graduation) based on:

Final transcript submitted required coursework completed and BF GPA Community service hours completed by high school graduation Test scores for all tests taken through June 30
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Eligibility Notifications
Early - 7th semester evaluations begin posting March Final - 8th semester evaluations begin posting:
June based on scores from tests taken through April August based on scores from tests taken through June

Students must graduate to be awarded Students must check their Financial Aid Recipient

History online NO hardcopies or e-mails Students monitor award status online

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Mid-Year Graduates
2013-14 students graduating mid-year, intending to receive funding during 2014 spring must:
Complete the Initial Student Florida Financial Aid Application for funding

year (for example, 2014-15 application, which closes August 31, 2014) 7th semester evaluation after spring term of junior year includes GPA, required coursework completed, courses in progress, community service hours completed by the end of 7th semester, and test scores for test dates through June 30 8th semester evaluation after fall graduation and all grades posted includes GPA in all required coursework, community service hours completed by high school graduation, and test scores for test dates through January 31

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Application Status & Award History

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 Public high school students Visit Florida Virtual Campus

Progress Tracking

Private high school students Counselor

provides Bright Futures Student Evaluation Report and Key

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Student Report Cards

Section 1009.531 (4), Florida Statutes
Public high school student report cards must contain a disclosure that the grade point average calculated for purposes of the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program may differ from the grade point average on the report card.

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Award Amounts
Public and Private Postsecondary Institutions Students will receive the specified award amounts established annually by the Florida Legislature in the General Appropriations Act. Funding begins the fall following high school graduation. For current year award amounts visit
www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/awardamt.htm

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For More Information

Visit the website
http://www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/

Call
Customer Service 888-827-2004

E-mail
OSFA@fldoe.org

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