What's New

• Florida Legislative Session 2009 Updates and Legislative History

Student Quick Links

• Important Notice Regarding Changes to Your Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
• First-Time Applicants
• Initially Awarded Student Information Page
• Renewal Students
• Required Hours for Renewal
• Eligible Colleges and Schools
• Award Amounts
• Summer Funding
• Frequently Asked Questions

Administrator Quick Links

• High School Guidance Counselors
• Resources for Postsecondary Institutions
• Comprehensive Course Table

Academic Top Scholars (ATS) Award

One Florida Academic Scholar (FAS) award recipient in each district (including public and private high schools) will be designated as the ATS award recipient.  The ATS recipient will receive a cost per credit hour award established by the Florida Legislature in the General Appropriations Act in addition to the Florida Academic Scholars award. 

For current year award amounts visit: www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/SSFAD/bf/awardamt.htm

• Meet the eligibility requirements for an initial FAS award.
• Have received funding at an eligible Florida postsecondary institution during the fall term of the academic year following high school graduation.
• Be the highest ranked FAS award recipient in the county where the student last attended high school.  For this determination, FAS award recipients will be ranked based on the product of their Bright Futures' grade point average (GPA) and combined SAT score, or equivalent ACT score.

In the event of a tie (until the tie is broken), the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) shall apply the following criteria in the following order to students who are tied in the same county:

• The product of each student's weighted Bright Futures GPA and best combined SAT (excluding the writing section) or equivalent ACT (excluding the writing section) score at a single administration of the test;
• The product of each student's weighted Bright Futures GPA and best combined SAT (excluding the writing section) or equivalent ACT (excluding the writing section) score at the earliest single administration of the test;
• The higher of the total number of high school credits earned

If a tie cannot be broken, more than one award may be given in the county.

The ATS award is determined by the FDOE before the end of the fall term following high school graduation and after term-one disbursements.