Updated October 2026 by Carson Flowers, from Missouri's official program pages.
The short answer: For Missouri's 2025 and 2026 graduates, a 32 ACT earned the top Bright Flight award of up to $3,000 a year, and a 30 or 31 ACT earned up to $1,000 a year. There is no GPA requirement to qualify at first. Missouri resets the cutoff each year to the top of its test takers, so check the number for your teen's class.
The score and GPA for each tier
| Tier | SAT | ACT | GPA | What it pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top award (2025 and 2026 graduates) | 800 Math and 800 Reading | 32 or higher | No GPA needed to qualify | Up to $3,000 a year |
| Second award (2025 and 2026 graduates) | 800 Math and 790 to 799 Reading | 30 or 31 | No GPA needed to qualify | Up to $1,000 a year |
Beyond the score:
- Top award (2025 and 2026 graduates): Missouri resident, enroll full-time at a participating Missouri school the year after graduation.
- Second award (2025 and 2026 graduates): Same residency, timing and enrollment rules as the top award.
How the test score counts
Missouri accepts the ACT superscore for the class of 2023 and later, but MDHEWD does not receive it automatically. Your teen must log into the ACT account, enter code 2379 and pay ACT's fee to send it. The qualifying score must come by the June test date right after high school graduation, and the July date does not count.
How the GPA is calculated
There is no GPA requirement to qualify for Bright Flight at first. A 2.5 cumulative college GPA is required for renewal starting in the second year of payments.
Which class year these rules cover
The 32 and 30 to 31 ACT lines are the published cutoffs for the classes of 2025 and 2026. Missouri recalculates the cutoff each year from the prior year's Missouri test takers, so the class of 2027 and 2028 numbers can be different.
Deadlines
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Qualifying ACT or SAT score | By the June test date right after high school graduation |
| Application | None. MDHEWD gets scores and Missouri school choices from testing records about 6 to 8 weeks after each test date |
| ACT superscore request | Send through your teen's ACT account with code 2379 after testing |
Testing has its own clock: see every 2026-27 date in Missouri SAT test dates.
Keeping it in college
Your teen must receive the award for at least one semester each year starting the year after graduation, keep a 2.5 cumulative GPA after the first year of payments, and make satisfactory progress. It pays for up to 10 semesters or until a bachelor's degree, whichever comes first. Award amounts depend on what the legislature funds each year.
Where it pays
Participating Missouri public and private colleges. List at least one approved Missouri school when your teen takes the ACT or SAT to protect eligibility.
The misconception: Bright Flight's cutoff never changes
Families often carry an older sibling's 32 ACT forward as the fixed target. Missouri recalculates the cutoff every year from the top 5% of Missouri test takers. A number from two years ago is not a safe target for your teen.
Free tool
Which of these numbers is your teen's target? Pick the Missouri colleges on their list and get a target score and the gap from today's score in under a minute.
Find my teen's target scoreQuick answers
What ACT score does my teen need for Missouri's Bright Flight?
For 2025 and 2026 graduates it was a 32 for the $3,000 award and a 30 or 31 for the $1,000 award. The cutoff is reset each year, so confirm the number for your teen's graduating class.
Does Bright Flight accept the ACT superscore?
Yes, for the class of 2023 and later, but you have to send it. Your teen logs into the ACT account, enters code 2379 and pays ACT's fee.
Does my teen need to apply for Bright Flight?
No. MDHEWD gets your teen's score and Missouri school choices from testing records about 6 to 8 weeks after the test date.
Is there a GPA requirement for Bright Flight?
Not to qualify. A 2.5 cumulative college GPA is required to renew after the first year of payments.
Can my teen test the summer after graduation?
Only in June. The June test date right after graduation is the last one that counts, and the July date does not.
Can Bright Flight be used at an out-of-state college?
No. It pays only at participating Missouri schools.
Sources
Rules change by class year. Confirm with the program's own pages before you plan around any summary, ours included.
Turn the cutoff into a plan
Knowing the number is the easy part. In a free Strategy Session we put your teen's current score next to the Bright Flight line and the ranges at their Missouri colleges, then build the six to twelve week plan to close the gap. More for Missouri families: Missouri SAT prep and SAT Scores for Missouri Colleges.