Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholarship

About this scholarship

The Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholarship supports Florida students who earn college credit through qualifying Career and Professional Education industry certifications. The student must earn at least five post-secondary credit hours through eligible CAPE certifications before graduation. Unlike the Academic and Medallion awards, the published overview does not impose a Bright Futures GPA or college-admission-test requirement for this pathway. Award payments use fixed rates by program type: the current handbook lists $39 per semester credit for an eligible career certificate or applied technology diploma and $48 per semester credit for technical degree education such as an AS, AAS, or college credit certificate. A recipient who completes a qualifying associate degree may continue in a qualifying Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Applied Science program at the published rate. Applicants still must meet general Bright Futures requirements, including Florida residency, U.S.-citizen or eligible-noncitizen status, an eligible diploma or equivalent, the service or paid-work requirement applicable to their cohort, an on-time Florida Financial Aid Application, and enrollment at an eligible Florida institution. The 2026–27 FFAA deadline is August 31, 2026. Funding is partial and varies with credits, so no annual dollar total is invented.

Eligibility

• Be a Florida resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen under program rules
• Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or qualifying equivalent
• Earn at least five post-secondary credit hours through qualifying CAPE industry certifications
• Complete the volunteer-service, paid-work, or combined-hours requirement for the student’s cohort
• Submit the Florida Financial Aid Application by August 31, 2026
• Enroll in an eligible career certificate, technical degree, or qualifying continuation program in Florida
• Meet the institution’s enrollment and satisfactory-academic-progress requirements