If you’re a student in Florida, you know the importance of finding financial aid to help offset the cost of higher education. Fortunately, there are numerous scholarships available specifically for Florida students. With a little research and effort, you could potentially receive thousands of dollars to put towards your college education. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of 23 scholarships for Florida students that you won’t want to miss out on. From academic achievement to community involvement, these scholarships cover a wide range of qualifications, so there’s something for everyone. Let’s dive in and explore the opportunities that await you.
James H. Davis Memorial Scholarship – Varies
Offered by the National Horticulture Foundation, the James H. Davis Memorial Scholarship is an annual, renewable prize awarded to undergraduate students interested in the horticulture industry. Applicants must be enrolled in or plan to enroll full-time in a horticulture field at a community college, college, university, or other academic program in Florida, intend to graduate in a horticulture field, and have a GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
George Snow Scholarship Fund High School Scholarships – Varies (average award in 2021 was $10,433)
Each year, the George Snow Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to high school students in and around Palm Beach, Florida. Applicants must be high school seniors at any Palm Beach high school, Blanche Ely High School, Pompano Beach High School, or Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate financial need, self-motivation, strong educational and career goals, and involvement in school or community activities.
George Snow Scholarship Fund Palm Health Foundation Scholarships – Varies (average award in 2021 was $10,433)
Each year, the George Snow Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing careers in nursing or behavioral and mental health. Applicants must be residents of Palm Beach County, Broward County, or Martin County and attend Florida Atlantic University, Keiser University (West Palm Beach Campus), Nova Southeastern University (Palm Beach Gardens Campus), Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Atlantic University, or South University (West Palm Beach Campus). Additionally, applicants must show financial need, be accepted to a nursing program by April 1, be enrolled for fall classes, and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Graduate applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and have a bachelor’s of science in nursing.
Arts for Life! Scholarship – $1,000
Arts For Life! supports Florida high school seniors who excel in the visual and performing arts, including creative writing, dance, drama, music, and visual art. The program was launched by former Florida first lady Columba Bush in 1999, and awards 25 graduating high school seniors of each year. To apply, interested students have to submit a portfolio of their work.
Gucci Changemakers North America Scholarship Program – Up to $20,000
Gucci, the luxury fashion brand, offers annual scholarships to diverse students interested in fashion who need extra money to pay for college. The scholarships awards are based on unmet financial need, and are open to students interested in design, marketing, art, film, communications, fashion law, merchandising, and other fashion-related fields. Special consideration will go to students who are currently attending or plan to attend a HBCU and those who currently live in or go to school in one of Gucci’s 12 Changemaker cities.
ExxonMobil Engineering Scholarship – $20,000 (national award paid over 4 years), $2,000 (local award)
Each year, the ExxonMobil Engineering Scholarship Program, which is administered by the League of United Latin American Citizens, awards scholarships to Hispanic high school seniors from select cities who plan to pursue careers in engineering. Applicants must be graduating high school seniors, be Hispanic, be accepted into and planning to attend a full-time program in engineering leading to a bachelor’s degree at an accredited college or university in the United States, be U.S. citizens or have legal permission to work in the United States, meet a minimum GPA requirement of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, have scored 29 or higher on the ACT or 1350 or higher on the SAT, and be from one of the following cities: Oxnard, CA, San Diego, CA, Colorado Springs, CO, Miami, FL, Kansas City, MO, Albuquerque, NM, Philadelphia, PA, Bayamon, PR, Austin, TX, Corpus Christi, TX, Houston, TX, Dallas, TX, El Paso, TX, San Antonio, TX, or Vancouver, WA.
George Snow Scholarship Fund Graduate School Scholarships – Varies (average award in 2021 was $10,433)
Each year, the George Snow Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to Snow Scholars pursuing advanced degrees. Applicants must have been a former recipient of its scholarship program for high school seniors in Palm Beach County and Broward County, and have already been accepted into or currently enrolled in a graduate program.
Selby Scholarship – Up to $12,000
Offered by the William G. & Marie Selby Foundation, Selby Scholarships are annually awarded to residents of Florida’s Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, or DeSoto counties. Applicants can be graduating high school seniors in one of the four counties, current undergraduate students who graduated high school in one of the four counties, or associate’s degree students graduating from a school in one of the four counties. Applicants must pursue a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university on a full-time basis, demonstrate financial need, and meet a minimum 3.0 GPA requirement. The scholarship opens for applications in January each year.
Southern Automotive Women’s Forum Scholarship – $1,000-$5,000
The Southern Automotive Women’s Forum (SAWF) Scholarship is offered to women who are enrolled or enrolling in a STEM field. Students may be enrolled in a two-year technical program, a four-year undergraduate program, or a graduate program that can be used in a career in the automotive industry.
Benjamin Cottone Scholarship – $5,000
Offered by the Unico National Foundation, the Benjamin Cottone Scholarship is annually awarded to Italian American students pursuing careers in medicine. Applicants must be U.S. citizens with Italian heritage who plan to enroll or are currently enrolled in an accredited medical school within the United States and plan to obtain a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy degree.
Bernard and Carolyn Torraco Memorial Nursing Scholarships – $2,500
Offered by the Unico National Foundation, Bernard and Carolyn Torraco Memorial Nursing Scholarships are annually awarded to college students pursuing careers in nursing. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, be currently attending an accredited campus-based nursing degree program in the United States and completing core nursing courses, and meet a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0.
Ralph J. Torraco Scholarships for Special Education – $2,500
Offered by the Unico National Foundation, Ralph J. Torraco Scholarships for Special Education are annually awarded to students pursuing degrees in the field of special education. Applicants must be enrolled full-time in an accredited campus-based college or university program in the United States, be U.S. citizens, and meet a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0.
Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Graduate Scholarship – $3,000
Offered by the Unico National Foundation, the Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Graduate Scholarship is annually awarded to Italian American college seniors who plan to pursue graduate degrees. Applicants must be full-time students attending accredited campus-based college or university programs in the United States, be pursuing graduate study next year, and be a U.S. citizen of Italian descent.
Unico Foundation Undergraduate Awards Scholarship – $6,000 (disbursed over 4 years)
The Unico National Foundation annually awards four scholarships to Italian American college-bound high school seniors. Those interested fill out one application and are automatically considered for all four scholarships. Applicants must be U.S. citizens of Italian descent, be enrolling in college immediately following high school, and meet a minimum GPA requirement of 3.5.
Colonel Kathleen Swacina Scholarship – $1,500
The COL Kathleen Swacina Scholarship Fund awards one female college student a $1,500 scholarship to be applied toward the student’s ongoing higher-level academic education at an accredited four-year school. Community college students in their first two years are eligible if they will continue on to an accredited four-year college or university. Applicants must be: a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or enrolled in a ROTC program, an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, or a direct descendant of an AFCEA member or an honorably discharged member of the Armed Forces; enrolled as a full-time college student at an accredited institution attending schools in or residing in the states of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and Alabama, including community colleges; maintain a 2.8 GPA; and major in a STEM-related area of study. Each year, the scholarship has two deadlines: the spring scholarship opens in January and closes end of May and the fall scholarship opens in October and closes end of November.
Rick and Sherry Murray Medical Futures Scholarship – $5,000
The ALS association, an organization dedicated to fighting the neurodegenerative disease ALS, offers the Rick and Sherry Murray Medical Futures Scholarship. This scholarship is available to students in Florida who have or have had a close family member diagnosed with ALS and are pursuing a degree in a medical-related field. Applicants must submit a 500-word essay on how the student’s experiences with ALS have affected their decision to enter their field of work.
Grocery Manufacturers Representatives Scholarship – $10,000 maximum (over 8 semesters)
The Baton Rouge Area Foundation (BRAF) offers a scholarship in partnership with the Grocery Manufacturers Representatives Association (GMRA). This scholarship is open to students who are employed part-time by a grocery store supported by ADMAX or Associated Grocers. Applicants must write an essay detailing their interest in a career in the grocery industry, or on how their experience working in the grocery industry has helped them prepare for their future career.
Hope Scholarship Florida – $6,519 (Grades K-5), $6,815 (Grades 6-8), $7,112 (Grades 9-12)
Florida’s Hope Scholarship, which is administered by nonprofit Step Up for Children, helps K-12 public school students who are enrolled in a Florida public school and have been bullied, harassed, assaulted, threatened, and/or experienced other violent acts. Families can choose financial assistance toward private school tuition and fees or assistance with transportation to a public school in and out ther school district. To qualify for the scholarship, a student must have experienced and reported an incident of battery, harassment, hazing, bullying, kidnapping, physical attack, sexual offenses, threat or intimidation, or fighting at school.
Bright Futures Scholarship Program – Varies
The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program establishes lottery-funded scholarships to reward Florida high school graduates for their high academic achievement. Bright Futures awards include the Florida Academic Scholars award (FAS), Florida Medallion Scholars award (FMS), Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholars award (GSC), and the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award (GSV). Applicants must be Florida residents, be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens, complete the FFAA no later than August 31 after their high school graduation, earn a Florida high school diploma (or its equivalent) from a Florida public high school or a registered Florida Department of Education private high school (or complete a home education program), be accepted by, and enroll in a degree, certificate, or applied technology program at an eligible Florida public or independent postsecondary institution, and meet other requirements.
Goldman Sachs MBA Fellowship – $35,000 + Summer Associate salary
Global financial institution Goldman Sachs offers a fellowship for students pursuing an MBA. In order to qualify, applicants must be Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, or women. The fellowship is not a traditional scholarship program. Winning applicants are offered a paid Summer Associate position at Goldman Sachs, as well as an additional $35,000 award. Upon successful completion of the summer internship and acceptance of a full-time offer post-graduation, Fellowship recipients are awarded an additional $40,000. The funds do not have to be used toward academics, but for students who need extra funds to pay for their degree, these awards can go a long way and can lead to a full-time position at a leading financial institution upon completion of their MBA. Applicants must: be a first-year MBA student; be Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, or a woman; have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and live in New York City, Washington DC, West Palm Beach (Florida), Seattle, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Philadelphia, Miami, and Los Angeles
Step Up Scholarship – Varies
Step Up For Students, a Florida nonprofit scholarship funding organization, helps administer four scholarships for Florida schoolchildren, which “empowers families to pursue and engage in the most appropriate learning options for their children.” The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program (FTC) is for lower to middle income families. The Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES), formerly known as the Gardiner Scholarship, is for lower to middle income families and students with unique abilities. The Hope Scholarship is for public school students who are bullied or victims of violence. And the Reading Scholarship Accounts is for public school students in grades 3-5 who struggle with reading.
Hope Scholarship – $6,519 (Grades K-5), $6,815 (Grades 6-8), $7,112 (Grades 9-12)
Administered by Step Up For Children, a Florida nonprofit organization, the Hope Scholarship is for public school students in Florida who are bullied or victims of violence. Families can choose financial assistance toward private school tuition and fees or assistance with transportation to a public school in another school district. To qualify for the scholarship, a student must have experienced and reported an incident of battery, harassment, hazing, bullying, kidnapping, physical attack, sexual offenses, threat or intimidation, or fighting at school.
Family Empowerment Scholarship – Varies
The Family Empowerment Scholarship (formerly, the Gardiner Scholarship) is available to Florida students – ages 3 through 12th grade, or up to age 22 – with special needs. A qualifying disability includes anaphylaxis, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, deaf or hearing-impaired, Down syndrome, dual sensory-impaired, emotional or behavioral disability, intellectual disability, language-impaired, muscular dystrophy, orthopedic impaired, Phelan-McDermid syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, rare disease (as defined by the National Organization for Rare Disorders), speech impairment, specific learning disability, spina bifida, traumatic brain injury, or Williams syndrome. Students ages 3-5 who are deemed “high risk” because of developmental delays may also qualify. Families can choose financial assistance toward private school tuition and fees or assistance with transportation to a public school in and out ther school district.
In conclusion, the journey to finding the perfect scholarship doesn’t have to be daunting. Whether you’re just beginning your search or looking to expand your options, our comprehensive scholarship directory offers a wide range of opportunities catering to diverse academic interests and backgrounds. For a more personalized approach, consider leveraging the power of TUN AI, our innovative tool designed to match you with scholarships uniquely suited to your profile. Start exploring today and take a step closer to securing the financial support you need for your educational journey.