UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Admit-A-Bull // Official Admissions Blog
Financial Aid and Scholarship Central

Financial Benefits for In-State Students

| Last Updated: Oct 14, 2026

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Financial Benefits for In-State Students
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Are you a college-bound student (or the parent/guardian of one) who lives in the Sunshine State? We’ve got good news! Your home state is ranked number one in the nation for higher education. Plus, it offers the lowest in-state tuition rates in the U.S.

Staying in Florida for college can save you tens of thousands of dollars. If you get state-backed grants and scholarships, you might even end up with a fully free education, plus extra money left over for grad school.

To help you snag all the college cash you can, we’ve compiled the biggest scholarships, grants, and prepaid plan opportunities for residents. Check out all these financial benefits for in-state students in Florida.

Take Advantage of Florida's Low In-State Tuition

Attending an in-state, public school is typically your most affordable college option. Just look at this CollegeBoard analysis of the average 2025-2026 tuition and fees for full-time undergrads:

  • Public four-year in-state: $11,950

  • Public four-year out-of-state: $31,880

  • Private nonprofit four-year: $45,000

If you live in Florida, you’re extra lucky. “Florida's in-state tuition has not changed in almost 12 to 15 years,” says Winsome Nisbett, associate director of scholarships and financial aid at USF. “To stay home is quite lucrative because you're already, as an in-state student, paying one of the cheapest in-state rates across the nation.”

Even out-of-state students often find that our rates compare favorably with their in-state schools.

Make Sure Your Florida Residency Is Up to Date

Many Florida students miss out on financial aid opportunities because their residency documentation isn’t correct.

To prove Florida residency, you must submit a residency affidavit and supporting documentation. We go over all the details about Florida residency in this blog article. Review it carefully so you get correctly processed as an in-state student for tuition and scholarships.

Apply for State of Florida Financial Aid

Along with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you should also apply for state aid. To be eligible for any Florida financial aid program, you need to fill out the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA).

Filling out the FFAA is quick and easy. Although it’s optional to include your Social Security number (SSN), we urge you to do so; including your SSN can prevent delays or issues in application processing.

Before submitting, double-check that your name, date of birth, and SSN are all correct, says Dameion Lovett, director of financial aid at USF Tampa. Those are some of the most common errors he sees on FFAA forms.

When to Apply for the FFAA

The FFAA opens October 1 of the first semester of your senior year. Submit it ASAP. The sooner you apply for state scholarships, the more likely you are to receive one before funds run out. Here’s a step-by-step guide to submit your FFAA.

Each state scholarship has specific FFAA submission deadlines. For example, Bright Futures requires you to submit your FFAA by August 31 after you graduate high school, while the following scholarships require you to submit your FFAA by April 1 before you graduate:

  • Scholarships for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans

  • Rosewood Family Scholarship

  • Florida Farmworker Student Scholarship

  • Randolph Bracy Ocoee Scholarship Program

Check each scholarship you’re applying for and keep track of its FFAA submission date.

Earn Merit Awards from Florida Bright Futures

Florida Bright Futures is a state-funded merit scholarship program with different award levels. Your Bright Futures award can help you pay for tuition and fees at eligible Florida colleges and universities.

“It was created so that students would be enticed to stay in the state of Florida and receive their education … to keep our talented students here,” Lovett explains.

Because Bright Futures is merit-based, you must achieve certain grade point averages and college entrance exam scores. You’re also required to log service and/or work hours, so it’s a good idea to start volunteering or snag a part-time job in 9th or 10th grade.

Bright Futures Award Levels

Each Bright Futures award level has its own requirements and level of funding. Check the Bright Futures website for the most up-to-date requirements, as these can frequently change. These are the options for students who aren't attending technical schools:

The Florida Academic Scholars Award

The Florida Academic Scholars Award covers 100 percent of tuition and applicable fees. You will still owe some money for fees that aren’t covered, but it won’t be much. “There's usually only a couple of dollars per credit hour that it does not cover if the university charges additional fees,” says Lovett.

As of 2026, to qualify for the Florida Academic Scholars Award, you must have:

  • Submitted the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) no later than August 31 after your high school graduation.

  • Achieved a 3.50 weighted GPA

  • Logged 100 volunteer service hours, 100 paid work hours, or a combination of 100 total hours

  • Completed the required 16 high school course credits

  • Achieved the required minimum ACT/CLT/SAT scores by August 31st of your high school graduation year

The highest-performing students may be granted additional Academic Top Scholars funding along with the Florida Academic Scholars award. Ask your college counselor whether this applies to you.

The Florida Medallion Award

The Florida Medallion Award covers 75 percent of tuition and applicable fees at qualifying colleges or universities.

As of 2026, to qualify for the Florida Medallion Award, you must have:

  • Submitted the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) no later than August 31 after your high school graduation
  • Achieved a 3.00 weighted GPA
  • Logged 75 volunteer service hours, 100 paid work hours, or a combination of 100 total hours
  • Completed the required 16 high school course credits
  • Achieved the required minimum ACT/CLT/SAT scores by August 31 of your high school graduation year

How to Apply for Bright Futures

Apply for Bright Futures with these easy steps:

  • Create a student account on the Florida Department of Education’s website for scholarships and grants. 
  • Check for an email from the Florida Department of Education and follow instructions to submit your Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA). Submit no later than August 31 after your high school graduation.
  • Complete the required coursework.
  • Earn the required GPA.
  • Complete the required number of service or work hours.
  • Achieve the required test scores.
  • Check your account for award eligibility and any updates or next steps.

View additional eligibility requirements here.

As discussed earlier, make sure your residency information is up to date. (Pro tip: If you’ve been told that you will receive a Bright Futures award but it hasn’t been disbursed yet, your residency information might be the issue.)

Should You Apply for Bright Futures Even If You Prepaid for College?

Yes, you should apply for Bright Futures even if you don’t need the money to cover your tuition.

Bright Futures pays you based on the number of credit hours you take, explains Nisbett. If you already have a Florida Prepaid Plan that covers your tuition, Bright Futures can be used to cover your housing “or come back to you as a refund check.” That’s free money!

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Lock in Tuition with Florida Prepaid

Florida Prepaid prides itself on being the largest, longest-running prepaid college program in the nation. As of 2026, plans start at $29 per month.

Families can purchase a 529 plan in one-year increments. Each plan covers 30 credit hours at a Florida state university or about 55 credit hours at a Florida public college. You can stack four of these plans to cover the cost of a four-year university degree.

A big perk is that you lock in the current tuition price at the time of your purchase, so you won’t have to worry about inflation or future tuition increases.

The sooner a family purchases a plan, the more they save, but if you’re reading this as a high schooler, you can still ask your relatives to enroll you in Florida Prepaid. You can use the money for up to ten years after your projected high school graduation.

Can You Use Florida Prepaid at Out-of-State or Private Schools?

Yes, Florida Prepaid can be used at out-of-state and private schools, but you get the best value if you use it at a Florida public university or college.

Does Florida Prepaid Cover All Tuition and Fees?

There will always be some fees that aren’t covered by your Florida Prepaid Plan. How much you pay for fees once you attend college depends on which plan you purchased, Lovett explains. You can choose from plans covering:

  • Basic tuition

  • Tuition and local fees
  • Tuition and differentiation fees
  • Tuition, local fees, and differentiation fees

Even if you choose the plan that offers the most coverage, you’ll still have to pay some school-specific fees for things like technology or transportation.

What Are the Different Plan Options for Florida Prepaid?

There are two types of 529 Prepaid Plans:

  • The One Year Prepaid 529 Tuition Plan covers tuition and most fees for 30 credit hours at a public university. You can choose how much you want to prepay for fees, as outlined above.

  • The One Year Prepaid 529 Dormitory Plan covers housing for two semesters.

Families can also enroll in an Investment 529 Plan that can be used to pay for any higher education costs, as well as K-12 expenses.

Can You Use Florida Prepaid Along with Bright Futures or Other Scholarships?

Absolutely! USF’s personal budget calculator can help you determine how much you’ll save with both your Florida Prepaid plan and your scholarships.

See If You Qualify for the Benacquisto Scholarship Program

The Benacquisto Scholarship Program is awarded to National Merit Scholars who are Florida residents and have earned a Florida high school diploma or its equivalency. It covers the full cost of attendance for participating in-state institutions, including USF, for up to five years or the completion of a bachelor's degree.

How to Receive the Benacquisto Scholarship

First, you must become a National Merit Scholar:

  • Take the PSAT/NMSQT in 11th grade. (Don’t confuse this with the PSAT. The PSAT/NMSQT is an exam that specifically qualifies you to become a National Merit Scholar. The test is only held once a year, typically in October, so make sure you ask your school counselor about it in advance.)

  • If your scores are in the top one percent for your state, you become a National Merit Semifinalist.

  • Submit materials to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, such as your essay, SAT/ACT scores, high school transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.

  • Designate a higher education institution as your first-choice school to attend. For the Benacquisto scholarship, you must choose one of the participating Florida universities.

  • Once you become a National Merit Scholar, send your National Merit Scholarship award letter to the financial aid office at your chosen school and ask them about the Benacquisto scholarship.

View additional eligibility requirements and next steps for the Benacquisto scholarship here and for the National Merit Scholarship here.

How Do Bright Futures and the Benacquisto Scholarship Work Together?

If you earn both Bright Futures and the Benacquisto scholarship, “they basically work together to cover … the published cost of attendance,” explains Nisbett. Both come from the same pot of money.

Here’s the equation: Your National Merit Scholarship award and your Bright Futures award are added together. This is subtracted from your cost of attendance. Whatever is left over is covered by the Benacquisto scholarship. As a bonus, USF awards Benacquisto recipients an additional $5,000.

If you have a Florida Prepaid Plan, expect a refund check because you will not need that money to cover the cost of attendance.

How Is Cost of Attendance Calculated for the Benacquisto Scholarship?

Benacquisto covers the whole cost of attendance: tuition and fees, on-campus room and board, books, supplies, travel, and other miscellaneous expenses.

You’re entitled to this money whether you live on campus or not. If you decide to live at home and save on housing and food, the remaining money is paid out to you via a refund check.

“A lot of the students that are here in Tampa and they're local, some of them will live at home, and then they’ll save that money for med school and stuff like that,” Nisbett says.

Explore Additional State Grant and Scholarship Opportunities

In addition to Bright Futures and Benacquisto — which are the biggest funding opportunities — Florida offers a ton of grants and scholarships to residents. You can view the full list here, but highlights include:

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Apply for Institutional Aid

Many Florida schools offer specific scholarships and aid to state residents. If you apply to USF by January 15 for a summer/fall admission, you’ll be automatically considered for merit awards. Visit our Florida resident scholarships page for the most up-to-date award amounts and requirements.

Check Out More Scholarship and Financial Aid Resources

With all this potential funding, it’s clear that attending an in-state school as a Florida resident has major financial benefits. If you have any questions about state grants and scholarships, contact Florida’s Office of Student Financial Assistance.

But your scholarship search shouldn’t stop here! Check out these articles on how to fund your college education, from private scholarships and grants to additional resources for low-income students:

Advice for Your Financial Aid Journey

As you continue your quest for college funding, Nisbett offers this final advice:

  • Ask your high school counselor for help identifying and applying for scholarships and grants that are a good fit for you.

  • Contact the financial aid offices at schools on your application list and find out what aid they offer.

  • Familiarize yourself with the Florida Department of Education website. This is where you’ll find requirements, deadlines, and updates to state scholarships and grants, including Bright Futures.

  • Make sure you submit your FAFSA and FFAA on time to give yourself the best chance of receiving aid (and double-check that your residency info is correct!).

Questions about USF scholarships? The University Scholarships & Financial Aid Services at USF is happy to help. Best of luck!

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