If you are a Florida student researching the ACT score for Bright Futures, here is the direct answer: you need a minimum ACT score of 29 for the Florida Academic Scholars award and a minimum of 24 for the Florida Medallion Scholars award. Those are the official 2025-26 requirements, and meeting them is one of the most important steps in securing scholarship funding for college.

Here is everything you need to know about the score requirements, what each award covers, and how to hit your target before the deadline.

Bright Futures ACT Score Requirements at a Glance

These are the official requirements for 2025-26 graduates, confirmed by the Florida Department of Education. The same score thresholds apply for 2026-27 graduates.

What Each Bright Futures Award Covers

Understanding what is at stake makes the score targets worth taking seriously.

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) is the most competitive Bright Futures program. It covers 100% of tuition and fees at any public Florida institution. Students who choose a private institution receive a comparable award. FAS recipients also receive an additional $300 per semester for educational expenses. This is full funding. A 29 ACT is the price of entry.

Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) covers 75% of tuition and fees at any public Florida institution. Students who choose a private institution receive a comparable award. If you do not qualify for FAS, FMS is still a significant financial award that covers the majority of your college costs at any public school in Florida.

The Full List of Bright Futures Requirements

The ACT score is one of several requirements. Here is the complete picture for each program so you know exactly what you need across every eligibility category.

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) requirements for 2025-26 graduates:

• Minimum 3.5 weighted GPA in 16 college-preparatory courses
• ACT score of 29 or above, SAT score of 1330 or above, or CLT score of 95 or above
• 100 volunteer service hours, 100 paid work hours, or a combination totaling at least 100 hours
• Submit the Florida Financial Aid Application no later than August 31 of your graduation year
• Graduate from a Florida high school with a standard diploma
• Enroll in at least 6 non-remedial semester credit hours at a Florida institution

Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) requirements for 2025-26 graduates:

• Minimum 3.0 weighted GPA in 16 college-preparatory courses
• ACT score of 24 or above, SAT score of 1190 or above, or CLT score of 82 or above
• 75 volunteer service hours, 100 paid work hours, or a combination totaling at least 100 hours
• Submit the Florida Financial Aid Application no later than August 31 of your graduation year
• Graduate from a Florida high school with a standard diploma
• Enroll in at least 6 non-remedial semester credit hours at a Florida institution

The 16 College-Preparatory Courses Requirement

Both FAS and FMS require students to complete 16 specific college-preparatory courses. These requirements align directly with Florida State University System admission requirements, which means any student being considered for admission at a Florida public university would already meet this coursework standard. The required subjects are:

• 4 credits in English, with at least three including substantial writing
• 4 credits in Mathematics at or above the Algebra I level
• 3 credits in Natural Science, with at least two including substantial laboratory work
• 3 credits in Social Science
• 2 credits in World Language, sequential and in the same language

Alternate Ways to Qualify Without Test Scores

Students who do not meet the ACT, SAT, or CLT score requirements may still be eligible for FAS or FMS through one of the following exemptions:

• National Merit Finalist or Scholar designation
• National Hispanic Scholar designation
• Advanced International Certificate of Education
• International Baccalaureate Diploma

If you hold any of these designations, you are exempt from the standardized testing requirement entirely.

Renewal Requirements Once You Have the Scholarship

Winning the scholarship is step one. Keeping it requires meeting renewal standards each academic year. Here is what you need to maintain your award:

• Florida Academic Scholars: Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (unrounded and unweighted)
• Florida Medallion Scholars: Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 (unrounded and unweighted)
• Earn the required number of credit hours based on your enrollment type per term

Students who are already receiving Bright Futures funds do not need to reapply. Renewal is evaluated automatically at the end of each spring term. If you do not meet the minimum GPA and credit hour requirements, you will not be able to continue or reapply.

What ACT Score Should You Actually Aim For?

The minimums are 29 for FAS and 24 for FMS. But aiming exactly at the minimum is a risky strategy. Here is why.

The ACT is scored in whole numbers and there is no partial credit. A 28 does not get you FAS. A 23 does not get you FMS. There is no rounding. If you are targeting FAS and you score a 28, you have missed the threshold entirely despite being one point away.

The smarter approach is to target at least one point above the minimum for the award you are aiming for:

• Targeting FAS: Aim for a 30 or above to give yourself a buffer
• Targeting FMS as a floor: Aim for a 25 or above so a single bad section does not cost you the award

Every point you add above the minimum also strengthens your college applications to Florida schools and beyond, which makes the additional preparation investment worth it on multiple levels.

How to Hit Your Bright Futures ACT Target

Getting to a 29 or a 24 on the ACT is a straightforward goal with the right preparation. The students who consistently hit these thresholds share a consistent approach:

• They started with a diagnostic baseline that showed them exactly which sections and question types were costing them points
• They focused preparation on their weakest areas rather than reviewing material they already knew
• They practiced with full timed tests to build the pacing habits that prevent avoidable errors under pressure
• They reviewed every wrong answer before moving on and used that analysis to drive the next session
• They retook the test when their preparation showed measurable improvement

The ACT allows you to send only your best score. You can take it multiple times and submit the highest result. There is no penalty for retaking it, which makes early preparation and multiple attempts a low-risk, high-reward strategy for Bright Futures applicants.

One additional note: the Bright Futures test score requirement can also be met with the SAT. If the ACT format is not producing the scores you need after serious preparation, taking an SAT practice test to compare is worth the time. Some students who struggle to hit a 29 on the ACT find the SAT a better fit and reach the 1330 threshold more easily.

How ScoreSmart Can Help You Hit Your Bright Futures Target

If Bright Futures is your goal and your ACT or SAT score is not where it needs to be yet, ScoreSmart’s ACT test prep and SAT test prep platforms are built around exactly the kind of preparation that moves scores across meaningful thresholds. Rather than giving you a generic curriculum, ScoreSmart shows you precisely which sections and question types are costing you points and builds your preparation around closing those specific gaps.

Whether you need to cross the 24 threshold for FMS, push to a 29 or above for FAS, or use the SAT path to improve your SAT score to 1190 or 1330, ScoreSmart gives you the performance analytics that show you what to fix and where to start. The same approach applies if you are using the ACT to improve your ACT score into the qualifying range before your August 31 deadline.

The Bright Futures scholarship can cover 75% to 100% of your college costs. Your ACT or SAT score is what unlocks it. Get there with the right preparation.

The Bottom Line

Here is what every Florida student needs to know about the Bright Futures scholarship ACT score requirements:

• The minimum ACT score for Florida Academic Scholars is 29, covering 100% of tuition and fees
• The minimum ACT score for Florida Medallion Scholars is 24, covering 75% of tuition and fees
• The same thresholds apply for 2025-26 and 2026-27 graduates
• The SAT is an alternative path, requiring a 1330 for FAS and 1190 for FMS
• Tests must be taken no later than August 31 of your graduation year
• Aiming one point above the minimum gives you a buffer against a single section pulling your composite below the threshold
• National Merit Finalists, National Hispanic Scholars, IB Diploma recipients, and AICE recipients are exempt from the test score requirement entirely

A 29 for full funding or a 24 for 75% funding. Both are reachable with focused preparation. Start early, identify your weak sections, and build your preparation around the specific gaps between your current score and your target.

That is how Florida students earn Bright Futures. And that is how they keep it.