Florida Bright Futures - Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV)
Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA)
Per-credit-hour award for Florida high school grads with strong career and technical coursework, for career/technical programs.
- How much
- $39 per semester credit hour (career certificate or applied technology diploma), $48 per semester credit hour (AS/AAS/CCC technical degree), 2026-27
- Who qualifies
- 3.0 weighted GPA in non-elective high school courses; at least 3 full Career and Technical Education credits with a 3.5 unweighted GPA in them; minimum sub-scores on one exam: ACT Reading 19 / English 17 / Math 19, or SAT (Mar 2024+) EBRW 490 / Math 480, or PERT Reading 106 / Writing 103 / Math 114; 30 volunteer hours, 100 paid work hours, or a 100-hour combination (75 volunteer hours for students who entered 9th grade in 2024-25 or later). Florida resident; standard Florida HS diploma (public or registered private school), GED, or registered home education (some out-of-state graduates qualify); no felony conviction unless clemency granted; enroll at an eligible Florida public or independent institution in at least 6 non-remedial semester hours per term.
- For high school seniors, students starting college, trade school students
- U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
- When to apply
- Open now · due August 31, 2027 FFAA opens Oct 1 of senior year and must be submitted by Aug 31 after high school graduation - missing it means no award. Tests must be taken by Aug 31 of graduation year (Jan 31 for mid-year graduates; their FFAA deadline is Dec 31).
- How to apply
- Submit the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) online at FloridaStudentFinancialAidsg.org during senior year (Oct 1, 2026 - Aug 31, 2027 for the class of 2027)
- OSFA evaluates eligibility from your high school transcript and test scores
- No FAFSA is required for Bright Futures itself
- Renews automatically (no annual FFAA) if you meet renewal rules
- What you'll need
- state application + transcript + test scores
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org), page 2, page 3, page 4 and page 5
The details
Bright Futures award for career and technical education students. 2026-27 award: $39 per semester credit hour ($26 quarter, $1.30 clock hour) in a career certificate or applied technology diploma program; $48 per semester credit hour ($32 quarter, $1.60 clock) in a technical degree program (AS, AAS, CCC). Cannot be used toward an associate in arts or a bachelor's degree. Renewal: 2.75 cumulative GPA plus required hours. Funding covers 100% of the program of study up to 72 hours (AS, AAS, CCC, PSAV) or 60 hours (ATD), within 5 years of high school graduation.
More money from Florida
- McKnight Doctoral Fellowshipstipend up to $14,000 per year for up to 3 years
- Mary McLeod Bethune Scholarship Program (MMB)up to $3,000 per year (2025-26; may be prorated)
- Benacquisto Scholarship ProgramInstitutional in-state cost of attendance minus Bright Futures and National Merit awards
- Florida Bright Futures - Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)100% of tuition and applicable fees at Florida public institutions; at private institutions $212 per semester credit hour (4-year, 2026-27); Academic Top Scholars add $44 per semester credit hour
- Florida Bright Futures - Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars (GSC)$39 per semester credit hour (career certificate or applied technology diploma), $48 per semester credit hour (AS/AAS/CCC technical degree), 2026-27; $48 per semester credit hour toward a BS/BAS after an AS/AAS
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Alabama, Georgia
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
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