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Understanding the Bright Futures Scholarship: A Complete Guide for International Torah Academy Families


For many Florida high school students, the Bright Futures Scholarship is a major key to unlocking affordable college education. At International Torah Academy, we encourage our students to aim high academically and take advantage of this incredible opportunity.


In this article, we’ll break down:

  • What the Bright Futures Scholarship is

  • Who qualifies

  • How much funding you can receive

  • How to apply

  • When and how it’s awarded

  • A comparison of the four scholarship types


What Is the Bright Futures Scholarship?

The Bright Futures Scholarship Program is a Florida-only, merit-based financial aid program funded by the Florida Lottery. It rewards Florida high school graduates for their academic achievements by helping cover tuition and fees at eligible Florida colleges, universities, and technical programs.

Bright Futures can only be used at eligible Florida postsecondary institutions.

Who Is Eligible?

To be eligible for Bright Futures, students must:

  • Be a Florida resident and U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen

  • Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or equivalent (including homeschool or GED)

  • Submit the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) by August 31 of graduation year

  • Meet the GPA, test scores, and service hour requirements

  • Have no felony convictions


Types of Bright Futures Scholarships

Bright Futures offers four main scholarships, each with specific academic and service hour requirements.


Academic Qualifications Comparison

Scholarship Type

GPA (Weighted)

SAT Score

ACT Score

Service Hours

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)

3.50+

1340

29

100 hours

Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)

3.00+

1210

25

75 hours

Gold Seal Vocational (GSV)

3.00 (core) / 3.50 (CTE)

Varies by program

Varies

30 (volunteer) or 100 (paid)

Gold Seal CAPE (GSC)

N/A

N/A

N/A

30 (volunteer) or 100 (paid) + 5 CAPE credits

Service hours can be paid work hours (100+) or volunteer service (75–100, depending on the award).

Award Amount Comparison

Scholarship Type

What It Covers

Avg. Per Credit (Public College)

Can Be Used At

FAS

100% tuition + fees

~$212/credit

Universities, state colleges, technical schools

FMS

75% tuition + fees

~$159/credit

Universities, state colleges, technical schools

GSV

Career/tech education

$39–48/credit

Vocational/career centers, some state colleges

GSC

Tech certifications + AS/AS degrees

$39–49/credit

State colleges, tech centers

FAS students may also receive the Academic Top Scholar (ATS) award — a bonus of $44 per credit hour if they’re the top-ranked student in their county.

How to Apply for Bright Futures

Step-by-Step Process:

  1. Track your GPA starting in 9th grade: aim for 3.0+ or 3.5+ depending on the award.

  2. Take the ACT or SAT: scores accepted through August 31 after graduation.

  3. Complete your volunteer or paid work hours.

  4. Submit the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) at:👉 https://www.FloridaStudentFinancialAidsg.org

  5. Apply to eligible Florida colleges and enroll in at least 6 credit hours per term.

Due Date Alert: The FFAA must be submitted by August 31 of your graduation year — even if you haven’t picked a college yet!

When Is It Awarded?

The Bright Futures award is not given before college acceptance. Here’s the timeline:

Timeline Step

What Happens

Senior Year (Fall–Spring)

Complete testing, coursework, and hours

Before Graduation

Submit FFAA

After Graduation (Summer)

Final GPA, test scores, and hours are verified

After College Acceptance

Your school receives and applies the award to your tuition

You will be notified in summer about your scholarship status through your OSFA student account or your college’s financial aid portal.


Scholarship Renewal

Requirement

FAS

FMS

College GPA to Maintain

3.0

2.75

Completion Requirement

24 credit hours/year

24 credit hours/year

Max Length

Up to 120 credits (usually 4 years)


Students must renew each year by maintaining their grades and full-time enrollment.


Bright Futures at International Torah Academy

At International Torah Academy, we support our students every step of the way:

  • Transcript support and GPA tracking

  • SAT/ACT prep resources

  • Community service hour logging

  • Step-by-step guidance through the FFAA application process

Many of our graduates go on to Florida universities, yeshivot, or joint programs. Bright Futures can often cover the Florida tuition portion, even if attending in partnership with religious institutions.

Useful Links


Final Thoughts

Bright Futures is more than just a scholarship — it’s a reward for hard work, service, and academic excellence. For our students at International Torah Academy, it’s a tangible way to lighten the financial load of higher education while pursuing personal and spiritual growth.

If you're in grades 9–12, start planning now! And remember — we’re here to help.

 
 
 

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