The short answer: For the class of 2027, Florida Medallion Scholars (1190 SAT) pays 75% of tuition and applicable fees, about $19,100 over four years, and Florida Academic Scholars (1330 SAT) pays 100%, about $25,500 (2026-27 UCF rates, 120 credit hours). That makes the 140-point gap worth about $6,400 in direct scholarship money, or about $45 a point, before you count the admissions leverage. For the class of 2028 and later, the lines are 1200 and 1350, so the 150-point gap is worth the same $6,400, or about $42 a point.
Update for the class of 2028: the August 2026 handbook raises the qualifying scores for students graduating in 2028 and later. Florida Academic Scholars moves from 1330 to 1350 SAT (ACT stays at 29; CLT moves from 95 to 96), and Florida Medallion Scholars moves from 1190 to 1200 SAT (ACT from 24 to 25; CLT from 82 to 83). Students graduating in 2027 keep the current lines. Details in our handbook walkthrough.
The two tiers, side by side
- FMS: 1190 SAT for the class of 2027 (1200 for 2028), 3.00 weighted GPA, 75 service hours, which pays 75% of tuition & fees (about $4,776 a year at UCF, 2026-27)
- FAS: 1330 SAT for the class of 2027 (1350 for 2028), 3.50 weighted GPA, 100 service hours, which pays 100% of tuition & fees (about $6,368 a year at UCF, 2026-27)
The honest math (because some sites inflate this)
You may see claims that jumping tiers is “worth $50,000.” It isn't, and we'd rather you trust our numbers. At 2026-27 UCF rates, the jump from FMS to FAS is worth about $1,600 a year, about $6,400 over a degree. The bigger money is qualifying at all: a class of 2027 student who misses 1190 (1200 for the class of 2028) leaves about $19,100 on the table.
Why 1330 (1350 for the class of 2028) is still the most valuable number in Florida
The FAS score isn't just a scholarship tier. It's an admissions signal. FSU's admitted range starts at 1340; UF's middle 50% for its Class of 2030 admitted students is 1420-1520. A 1330 student is ten points from FSU's floor with tuition fully covered. The same training that earns the money earns the acceptance. That's the real return on those 140 points.
Confused by the official rulebook itself? We walk through it section by section: The Bright Futures Handbook, explained.
Which target is right for your teen?
It depends on their current score, grade, and remaining test dates. A sophomore at 1080 should build toward 1330 in stages; a senior at 1150 in October may need to lock 1190 first. This staircase (1190, then 1330, then the college range, for the class of 2027) is exactly what we map in the free Florida Acceptance Strategy Session: your teen's number, their gap, and a 6 to 12 week plan. Yours to keep either way.
Sources: 2026-27 Bright Futures Student Handbook and FAS/FMS fact sheet (FLDOE OSFA); UCF Student Financial Assistance Bright Futures rates, 2026-27; UF Admissions freshman profile, Class of 2030. Reviewed October 2026.