Coverage difference
It is an illustration of the difference in tuition-and-applicable-fee coverage between FAS and FMS at UCF’s current rate. It is not a cash guarantee or a payment promised directly to the student.
Florida Bright Futures • Class of 2027
A 140-point SAT threshold gap can correspond to $6,368.40 more coverage.
For an otherwise eligible student, this illustration compares FMS with FAS across 120 UCF credits at the current published rate. It assumes the student satisfies every other Bright Futures requirement and the rate remains unchanged.
Last verified August 27, 2026 at 00:24 UTC
Exact comparison
FMS and FAS side by side
The SAT and GPA thresholds below apply to 2026–27 high-school graduates seeking 2027–28 postsecondary funding. The dollar amounts use UCF’s currently published per-credit values.
| Item | FMS | FAS | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT threshold | 1190 | 1330 | 140 points |
| Weighted Bright Futures GPA | 3.00 | 3.50 | 0.50 |
| General coverage | 75% | 100% | 25 percentage points |
| UCF current rate per credit | $159.21 | $212.28 | $53.07 |
| Current-rate illustration, 30 credits | $4,776.30 | $6,368.40 | $1,592.10 |
| Current-rate illustration, 120 credits | $19,105.20 | $25,473.60 | $6,368.40 |
Core relationship: For an otherwise eligible student, the 140-point difference between the published FMS and FAS SAT thresholds can correspond to approximately $6,368 more tuition-and-applicable-fee coverage across 120 UCF credits at the current published rate.
Read the illustration correctly
What the $6,368.40 means
Fixed-rate assumption
The calculation assumes 120 funded credits at today’s published UCF rate. It does not promise that tuition, fees, or award values will remain unchanged.
Eligibility still matters
Actual enrollment, eligible credits, institution, future rates, continued eligibility, and program rules can change the result. A 140-point score change alone does not establish eligibility.
Eligibility
SAT is not the only requirement
The 3.00 and 3.50 figures are weighted Bright Futures GPAs calculated over the applicable 16 college-preparatory credits; they may differ from the GPA shown by a school.
- 1
Academic requirements
Students must complete the required coursework and meet the applicable weighted GPA and college-entrance-exam threshold.
- 2
Student requirements
Residency, citizenship or eligible-noncitizen status, diploma or equivalent, volunteer service or paid work, and other program conditions apply.
- 3
Funding requirements
The FFAA, eligible institution and program, enrollment, continued eligibility, and other award rules affect whether and how funding is received.
Class of 2027 timeline
Apply and complete qualifying testing on time
The handbook defines the window for students whose high-school graduation date falls between September 1, 2026 and August 31, 2027.
| Milestone | Official date | Parent note |
|---|---|---|
| FFAA opens | October 1, 2026 | Complete the Florida Financial Aid Application during the student’s senior year; the state encourages applying early. |
| FFAA deadline | August 31, 2027 | The application must be submitted no later than this date. |
| Last qualifying test date | August 31, 2027 | ACT, CLT, or SAT tests taken on or before this date may be accepted for evaluation for an end-of-year graduate. |
Plan before the last day. Identify available test dates and official score-reporting steps early. The handbook sets the qualifying test date but does not promise that every test schedule or score-processing timeline will fit a last-minute plan.
SAT score treatment
Bright Futures can combine qualifying SAT sections
The official handbook says the SAT combined score is the sum of the student’s best Reading—Critical Reading or Evidence-Based Reading and Writing—and Math section scores from any timely SAT sitting. In plain language, the qualifying Reading and Writing section and Math section do not have to come from the same test date.
The score combination rule does not remove the testing deadline or the need for official scores in the Florida Department of Education repository.
Important FMS exception
Some Florida College System associate-degree students receive 100%
The award handbook states that an FMS student enrolled in an associate-degree program at a Florida College System institution receives an award covering 100% of tuition and applicable fees. This exception does not turn the general FMS public-university award into 100% coverage.
Parent action checklist
Check the complete path—not only the total score
- 1
Check SAT sections
Record the student’s strongest qualifying Reading and Writing and Math section scores, then compare their sum with 1190 and 1330.
- 2
Check the Bright Futures GPA
Ask for the weighted Bright Futures calculation rather than assuming the school-displayed GPA is the same.
- 3
Check the remaining plan
Confirm coursework and service or paid-work requirements, identify SAT dates before the deadline, and reopen the current official handbook before acting.
Turn the threshold into a study decision
How close is your student to 1330?
Share the student’s current SAT Math score, testing timeline, and areas needing help. Christian will use the existing PassWyze starting-point process to identify a useful next step without promising a score or award outcome.
Sources and currency
Official Florida and UCF sources
Last verified: August 27, 2026 at 00:24 UTC. Scholarship requirements and institutional rates can change; reopen the current official guidance before acting.
Initial eligibility
Class of 2027 thresholds, weighted GPA calculation, application window, test deadline, general requirements, and SAT section-score combination.
Open Bright Futures Handbook Chapter 1Award treatment
FAS and FMS public-institution coverage, applicable fees, and the Florida College System associate-degree exception.
Open Bright Futures Handbook Chapter 2UCF current rates
Current UCF per-credit amounts for Florida Academic Scholars and Florida Medallion Scholars.
Open the UCF Bright Futures page