StateFlorida Bright Futures - Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)
Florida Department of Education · Up to $150k
100% tuition and fees at Florida public institutions. Requires 3.5 GPA, 16 college prep courses, 75 service hours, and test scores.
Florida offers one of the strongest state scholarship ecosystems in the country. The Florida Bright Futures program — funded by the Florida Lottery — awarded over $500 million to students in the 2024–25 academic year, covering 75–100% of tuition at Florida public universities for students who meet GPA and community service requirements. The Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG) provides need-based funding for students who file FAFSA by the May 15 priority deadline. Beyond state programs, the Benacquisto Scholarship offers full tuition and living expenses to National Merit finalists who enroll at a Florida public university. Student-athletes in Florida benefit from one of the densest concentrations of Division I athletic programs in the South — the University of Florida, Florida State, Miami, and USF all offer significant athletic scholarship pools. Combined with federal Pell Grants and institutional aid, Florida students have more free-money options per capita than almost any other state.
File your FAFSA at studentaid.gov by May 15, 2026 to maximize state aid eligibility.
Florida Department of Education · Up to $150k
100% tuition and fees at Florida public institutions. Requires 3.5 GPA, 16 college prep courses, 75 service hours, and test scores.
Florida Department of Education · Up to $100k
75% tuition and fees at Florida public institutions. Requires 3.0 GPA, 75 service hours, and test score requirements.
These programs are available to students in every state and can be stacked with Florida state grants.
SWE · $1.6M
Open to undergraduates entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year and new or continuing graduate students.
Bold.org · $665.7k
$665,729
Bold.org · $543.3k
$543,303
National YoungArts Foundation · $500k
High school & college students focused on performing, visual & literary arts.
U.S. Department of Education · Up to $500k
Forgiveness program for loans of those who work full-time in qualifying public service jobs. 10 years of payments required.
Women’s Sports Foundation and ESPN · $430k
Grants aimed at increasing access and opportunity for underserved girls in sports.
United States Bowling Congress · $300k
Must enroll in an undergraduate program at an accredited college/university.
Navy · $300k
Medical students including those studying pediatrics
Bold.org · $270.4k
Khalil Mack 52 Scholars Program
Breakthrough Prize Foundation · $250k
Competition for students ages 13-18 to create a two-minute video explaining a big idea in physics, mathematics, or life sciences. Winner receives $250,000 scholarship plus prizes for their teacher and school.
Deadline: Sep 15, 2026
Posse Foundation · Up to $250k
Full-tuition leadership scholarship for nominated high school juniors/seniors. Students attend college in supportive cohort of 10.
Society for Science · Up to $250k
Oldest, most prestigious science competition for HS seniors.
Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie · $250k
Associate Degree, Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Degree, High School, Professional Development, Vocational
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation · Up to $200k
Last-dollar full-ride scholarship for minority high school seniors with exceptional academic achievement from low-income households.
National Physical Science Consortium · $156k–$200k
US citizens with a GPA of at least 3.0 and relevant Bachelor's or Master's degree holders who have been out of school for at least 12 months
American Cancer Society · $165k
Graduate Degree
Physicians' Services Incorporated Foundation · $100k–$150k
Graduate Degree
American Cancer Society · $135k
Professional Development
Marshall University · $125k
First-time, full-time freshmen in all majors; recommended ACT 30, SAT 1360, GPA 3.5.
University of Missouri – Kansas City (Henry W. Bloch School of Management) · $125k
Business management degree candidates enrolled at the school.
Marshall University · $125k
Open to all first-time, full-time freshmen in all majors, recommend 30 ACT, 1360 SAT, and 3.5 high school GPA.
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine · $120k
N/A
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation · $100k
Graduate Degree, Professional Development
Bush Foundation · $100k
N/A
Siemens Foundation · $1k–$100k
Students competing in regional and national rounds.
Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund · $100k
Academic physicians continuing research at accredited medical schools.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) · Up to $100k
Scholarships for NCAA Division I football (85 scholarships per program). Highly competitive recruiting.
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases · $50k–$100k
Fellows performing clinical research and/or translational research in a liver-related area.
| Scholarship | Award | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Breakthrough Junior Challenge | $250k | Sep 15, 2026 |
The Florida Academic Scholars award (100% tuition) requires a 3.5 weighted GPA and 100 community service hours. The Florida Medallion Scholars award (75% tuition) requires a 3.0 weighted GPA and 75 community service hours. Both require FAFSA filing and specific SAT/ACT scores.
Florida's FAFSA priority deadline is typically May 15. Filing by this date maximizes your eligibility for the Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG) and other need-based programs. Bright Futures eligibility is determined separately through the Florida Lottery, not FAFSA.
Most Florida state scholarships require Florida residency for at least 12 months before enrollment. The Benacquisto Scholarship is the notable exception — it's open to National Merit finalists regardless of residency, as long as they enroll at a Florida public university.
Division I schools like UF, FSU, UM, and UCF offer full and partial athletic scholarships across more than 20 sports. Athletic scholarships are awarded by individual coaches and can be combined with Bright Futures for exceptional student-athletes, subject to NCAA equivalency rules.
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