Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program

Students earning high school diplomas from non-Florida schools may qualify for Bright Futures scholarships if they meet additional conditions, such as living with a parent/guardian on military or public service assignment away from Florida, or graduating within 12 months of retirement from such service.

The Florida Academic Scholars award now includes earning an Advanced Placement Capstone designation from the College Board as a qualifying achievement, effective for students graduating in the 2025-2026 school year.

New requirements mandate that students document volunteer service or paid work through written documentation signed by the student, parent/guardian, and organization representative, including evaluation and reflection on the experience.

The Advanced Placement Capstone designation is now defined as requiring six AP courses including AP Seminar, AP Research, and one course each in mathematics/science, English, art/history/social sciences, and a student's choice of subject.

Fee waiver reporting requirements under section 1009.26 were updated to clarify how tuition and fees waived for strategic emphasis programs should be reported and disbursed to students.

The act's effective date was set to July 1, 2025, and the AP Capstone eligibility applies to students graduating in the 2025-2026 school year.