How ACT® & SAT® Scores Can Unlock State Scholarships
Every year, students miss out on scholarship funding simply because they do not realize what their ACT® or SAT® score can mean beyond college admissions.
In several states, merit-based scholarship programs are funded through state lotteries or general revenue and tied directly to standardized test scores. The goal is simple: encourage high-achieving students to attend in-state colleges by offering meaningful financial incentives.
These are not competitive, essay-based national scholarships. In many cases, once students meet clearly defined GPA, coursework, service, and test score requirements, the award is automatic. There is no subjective review process. The criteria are published, and qualification triggers eligibility.
For educators working with 11th and 12th graders, understanding these programs matters. A student who is one ACT® point below a qualifying threshold is not just missing a benchmark. They may be leaving thousands of dollars per year in funding on the table.
Below is a state-by-state breakdown outlining available programs, qualification criteria, and key considerations for educators and families in the states of: Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
Florida: Bright Futures Scholarship
What it is: Florida’s Bright Futures Scholarship Program is one of the most well-known and financially significant state merit scholarship programs in the country. Funded by the Florida Lottery, it offers two primary award levels for students pursuing a degree or certificate at an eligible Florida institution.
Score Requirements:
- Florida Academic Scholars (FAS): 29 ACT® composite OR 1330 SAT® (Math + Evidence-Based Reading & Writing)
- Covers 100% of tuition and applicable fees at Florida public institutions, plus $300 per semester.
- Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS): 24 ACT® composite OR 1190 SAT®
- Covers 75% of tuition at Florida public institutions. Students attending eligible private institutions receive a comparable amount based on the public tuition rate.
Bright Futures uses superscoring for both the ACT® and SAT®. The highest section scores from multiple test dates are combined to create the strongest possible composite. Because of this, students who are close to a qualifying threshold should strongly consider retesting. A small score increase can significantly impact long-term financial benefit.
Testing Deadline: Scores from tests taken through August 31 of the student’s graduation year are accepted. However, students applying through their school counselor should plan to complete testing by June 30, which is widely considered the practical deadline. Students graduating mid-year have until January 31.
GPA Requirement: Students must earn a minimum 3.0 weighted GPA to qualify for the Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) award. To qualify for the Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) award, students must earn a minimum 3.5 weighted GPA. In addition, students pursuing the FAS award must complete a more rigorous high school course sequence.
Service or Work Requirement: For students entering 9th grade in 2024–2025 and beyond, 75 hours of community service or 100 hours of paid work are required. Students may combine service and paid work hours to reach a total of 100 hours.
Award Amount: At a Florida public university, FAS currently covers full tuition plus $300 per semester. FMS covers 75 percent of tuition. At eligible private Florida institutions, students receive a comparable dollar amount tied to the public tuition rate, which often does not cover full private tuition.
Guaranteed or Lottery? Guaranteed. Students who meet all published academic, testing, and service requirements receive the scholarship. There is no competitive selection process.
Where It Can Be Used: Eligible Florida public and private institutions only. The scholarship cannot be used at out-of-state colleges.
How to Apply: Students or a parent or guardian complete the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) at FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org. The application deadline is August 31 of the graduation year. A FAFSA is not required to receive Bright Futures, though it is recommended. ACT® or SAT® scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to the Florida Department of Education using CEEB code 0095.
Georgia: HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships
What it is: Georgia’s HOPE program, funded by the Georgia Lottery, includes two merit-based scholarships for students attending eligible Georgia colleges and universities. The HOPE Scholarship requires a minimum 3.0 GPA and does not require a test score. The more competitive Zell Miller Scholarship includes a test score requirement and provides significantly more financial support.
Score Requirements (Zell Miller only):
Students must earn a minimum 25 ACT® composite score or a 1200 SAT® score, calculated using Math plus Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. This score must come from a single test administration. Superscoring is not accepted.
In addition to the test score requirement, students must graduate high school with a 3.7 HOPE GPA and complete four required rigor units.
Testing Deadline: The qualifying score must be earned prior to high school graduation. Georgia does not accept superscores for either scholarship, and the required score must come from one test sitting. For example, a 24 ACT® on one test date followed by a 25 ACT® on another test date does not qualify unless the 25 was earned during a single administration. Students should plan testing timelines carefully and allow enough time for additional attempts if needed.
Award Amount:
- HOPE Scholarship: Covers a portion of tuition at eligible Georgia institutions. The exact amount is set annually and varies by institution type, typically ranging from approximately $1,800 to $4,700 per semester depending on the school.
- Zell Miller Scholarship: Covers 100% of standard undergraduate tuition at eligible Georgia public universities. For example, at Georgia Tech, this currently equals $10,512 for a full academic year. At eligible private Georgia institutions, students receive a comparable tuition award.
Guaranteed or Lottery? Guaranteed. Students who meet the published academic and testing requirements receive the award automatically. There is no competitive selection process.
Where It Can Be Used: Eligible Georgia public and private institutions only. The scholarship cannot be used at out-of-state colleges.
How to Apply: Students apply by completing either the Georgia Scholarship/Grant Application at GAfutures.org, which is a one-time application that remains active for 10 years, or by submitting the FAFSA each year. High schools automatically report transcripts to the Georgia Student Finance Commission for evaluation. Students can monitor their status and estimated HOPE GPA throughout high school through their GAfutures account.
Tennessee: HOPE Scholarship and GAMS
What it is: Tennessee’s HOPE Scholarship, funded by the Tennessee Education Lottery, is the state’s primary merit-based scholarship program for students attending eligible Tennessee colleges and universities. An additional award, the General Assembly Merit Scholarship (GAMS), is available to the highest-achieving students who meet enhanced academic criteria.
Score Requirements:
- HOPE Scholarship: Students may qualify with a 21 ACT® composite score or a 1060 SAT® score. Alternatively, students may qualify with a minimum 3.0 cumulative high school GPA. Students can qualify based on either test score or GPA, whichever is stronger.
- GAMS supplement: Students must earn a 29 ACT® composite score or a 1360 SAT® score and have a minimum 3.75 cumulative high school GPA.
Tennessee does not accept superscores. ACT® residual test scores are also not accepted.
Testing Deadline: Students must take the ACT® or SAT® on a national or state test date prior to the first day of college enrollment. This provides more flexibility than some other states. For example, a strong spring or early summer test score can still qualify, as long as the score is earned before the student begins college.
Award Amount:
- HOPE Scholarship Base Award: Provides up to $2,250 per semester for freshmen and sophomores and up to $2,850 per semester for juniors and seniors.
- GAMS supplement: Provides an additional $750 per semester for students who meet the higher academic requirements.
- HOPE Aspire Award: An income-based supplement available to qualifying students with an adjusted gross income of $36,000 or less. This award provides an additional $750 to $1,350 per semester, depending on eligibility.
Guaranteed or Lottery? Guaranteed. Students who meet the published requirements receive the award. There is no competitive selection process.
Where It Can Be Used: Eligible Tennessee public and private institutions only. The program is designed to encourage students to attend college within the state. Students who initially enroll at an out-of-state regionally accredited institution may transfer to an eligible Tennessee institution within 16 months of high school graduation and still receive the award.
How to Apply: Students apply by completing the FAFSA. No separate application is required. The FAFSA deadline is September 1 for the fall semester and February 1 for the spring and summer terms. Students must also list their preferred Tennessee institution in the TSAC Student Portal at TSACstudentportal.org.
Louisiana: TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students)
What it is: TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students) is Louisiana’s primary merit scholarship program, funded through state general revenues. The program includes four award tiers based on ACT® performance, with higher scores qualifying students for additional funding. TOPS pays tuition directly to eligible Louisiana institutions.
Score Requirements:
An ACT® score is required, though SAT® equivalent scores are accepted using an official concordance table. TOPS uses the highest composite score from a single test administration. Superscores are not accepted.
- TOPS Tech Award: Requires a 17 ACT® composite score or an ACT® Silver WorkKeys credential. This award covers tuition at Louisiana technical and community colleges.
- TOPS Opportunity Award: Requires a 20 ACT® composite score. The minimum score is tied to the prior year’s Louisiana state average and has never been set below 20. This award covers full tuition at any eligible Louisiana institution.
- TOPS Performance Award: Requires a 23 ACT® composite score. This award covers full tuition plus an additional $400 per year stipend.
- TOPS Honors Award: Requires a 27 ACT® composite score. This award covers full tuition plus an additional $800 per year stipend.
Testing Deadline: April is the final test date accepted without penalty. Students who earn qualifying scores on June or July ACT® test dates, or May or June SAT® test dates, may still qualify but will lose one semester of eligibility as a penalty. Scores earned after August 1 of the graduation year are not accepted except in very limited circumstances beyond the student’s control.
Award Amount: TOPS covers full tuition at eligible Louisiana institutions. For the Opportunity Award, this currently equates to approximately $5,000 to $9,000 per year, depending on the institution. The Performance and Honors Awards provide modest annual stipends in addition to full tuition coverage.
Guaranteed or Lottery? Guaranteed. Students who meet all academic requirements, graduate from an eligible Louisiana high school, and complete the required application process receive the award.
Where It Can Be Used: Eligible Louisiana public and private institutions only. The scholarship cannot be used at out-of-state colleges.
How to apply: Students complete the FAFSA, which is encouraged by July 1 of the senior year, and or the TOPS Online Application at myLOSFA.la.gov. Processing begins in June following high school graduation. Students should create a Student Hub account at myLOSFA.la.gov to monitor their eligibility status.
Arkansas: Academic Challenge Scholarship and Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship
Arkansas offers two major state-funded scholarship programs tied to standardized test performance for traditional high school graduates—the Academic Challenge Scholarship and the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship.
Academic Challenge Scholarship
What it is: The Academic Challenge Scholarship is Arkansas’s primary lottery-funded scholarship program. It is available to Arkansas residents attending eligible Arkansas colleges and universities.
Score Requirements: Students must earn a minimum 19 ACT® composite score. Superscoring is accepted for this program. Equivalent scores on approved alternative assessments may also be substituted.
Testing Deadline: There is no specific test deadline prior to graduation. However, the application deadline is July 1 of the senior year, and students should ensure their qualifying scores are submitted and on file before that date.
Award Amount:
- Four-Year Institutions: $14,000 total over four years
- $1,000 freshman year
- $4,000 sophomore year
- $4,000 junior year
- $5,000 senior year
- Two-Year Institutions: $4,000 total over two years
- $1,000 freshman year
- $3,000 sophomore year
Additional funding is available for students with a FAFSA Student Aid Index of 7,999 or below. This supplemental award is capped at $2,500 per semester.
Guaranteed or Lottery? Guaranteed for students who meet eligibility requirements. Although funded by the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, the award is not distributed through a competitive lottery selection process.
Where It Can Be Used: Approved Arkansas public and private institutions only.
How to Apply: Students apply at SAMS.adhe.edu and must also complete the FAFSA. The application deadline is July 1 of the senior year.
Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship
What it is: The Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship is a highly competitive and more lucrative award reserved for Arkansas’s top-performing high school seniors. One student per county is selected as the Governor’s Distinguished Scholar.
Score Requirements: Students must earn a 32 ACT® composite score or superscore, or a 1410 SAT® score, and maintain a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA. The highest-scoring qualifying student in each Arkansas county is selected.
Award Amount: Provides up to $10,000 per academic year for four years, for a total potential award of $40,000.
Where It Can Be Used: Approved Arkansas institutions. Under specific conditions, funding may also be used for graduate study at eligible out-of-state programs.
How to Apply: Students apply at SAMS.adhe.edu and must complete the FAFSA as part of the application process.
Kentucky: KEES (Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship)
What it is: The Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship operates differently from most state merit scholarships. Instead of awarding a one-time scholarship based on a single score threshold, KEES is earned incrementally over all four years of high school. Students earn a base award amount each year they maintain a qualifying GPA and earn a separate one-time bonus based on their ACT® or SAT® score. The combined total is paid out annually during college.
Score Requirements: Students must earn a minimum 15 ACT® composite score or a 710 SAT® score to receive a test score bonus. The bonus amount increases incrementally with each additional point earned on the ACT®, up to the maximum.
- Examples of Annual Test Bonus by ACT® Score:
- 15 ACT®: $36 per year of college
- 20 ACT®: $219 per year
- 25 ACT®: $393 per year
- 28 ACT®: $500 per year, which is the maximum test bonus
Testing Deadline: The highest ACT® or SAT® score earned by the date of high school graduation is used to calculate the test bonus. Students should plan to complete testing prior to graduation.
GPA Base Award:
Students earn a base award for each year of high school in which they maintain at least a 2.5 GPA. That amount is then paid out each year of college.
For each qualifying year of high school:
- 2.5 to 2.99 GPA: $125 per year of college
- 3.0 to 3.49 GPA: $250 per year of college
- 3.5 to 3.99 GPA: $375 per year of college
- 4.0 GPA: $500 per year of college
For example, a student who earned a 4.0 GPA all four years of high school and scored a 28 on the ACT® would receive $2,000 in base funding per year of college, calculated as $500 multiplied by four qualifying years, plus a $500 annual test bonus, for a total of $2,500 per year.
Award Amount: The total award varies based on high school GPA performance and test score. The maximum annual award is approximately $2,500. Funding is available for up to eight semesters and must be used within five years of high school graduation.
Guaranteed or Lottery? Guaranteed. No application is required. KEES is awarded automatically. High school counselors report GPA information to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, and colleges report student enrollment. Students are notified by KHEAA during the summer after graduation.
Where It Can Be Used: Eligible Kentucky institutions only.
How to Apply: No application is required. The award is processed automatically based on high school records. Students should ensure that their Social Security number is on file with both their high school and their college to facilitate processing.
South Carolina: Palmetto Fellows Scholarship
South Carolina offers two major lottery-funded merit scholarship programs. The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship continues to use standardized test scores as a primary qualifying criterion. The LIFE Scholarship removed ACT® and SAT® as a strict requirement beginning with the class of 2023. Students now qualify for LIFE by meeting any two of three criteria, which include GPA, test score, or class rank. While test scores remain relevant for LIFE, they are no longer mandatory.
Palmetto Fellows Scholarship
What it is: The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship is South Carolina’s most prestigious state merit award. It is designed for the state’s highest-achieving high school seniors who attend eligible South Carolina four-year institutions.
Score Requirements:
Students may qualify through one of two pathways.
- Standard Pathway: Students must earn a 1200 SAT® score using Math and Critical Reading only or a 25 ACT® composite score. They must also graduate with a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA calculated under the South Carolina Uniform Grading Policy and rank in the top 6 percent of their graduating class.
- Alternate Pathway: Students must earn a 1400 SAT® score or a 31 ACT® composite score and graduate with a minimum 4.0 cumulative GPA. Class rank is not required under this pathway.
Testing Deadlines:
- Early Award: Application deadline is April 15 of the senior year. Students must complete testing by the March national test administration of the senior year.
- Late Award: Application deadline is June 30 of the senior year. Students must complete testing by the June national test administration of the senior year.
Award Amount:
The total potential award over four years is $29,200.
- Freshman year: $6,700
- Sophomore, junior, and senior years: $7,500 per year
Students who declare an approved major in math, science, education, or accounting may qualify for an additional $2,500 per year beginning in the sophomore year. With this enhancement, the maximum award increases to $10,000 per year for eligible students.
Guaranteed or Lottery? Guaranteed for students who meet all published academic and testing requirements.
Where It Can Be Used: Eligible South Carolina four-year institutions only. The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship cannot be combined with the LIFE Scholarship or the South Carolina HOPE Scholarship.
How to Apply: Applications must be submitted by the student’s high school counselor. Students and parents cannot apply directly. The counselor submits the application through the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. Students should notify their counselor early in the senior year to ensure all materials are submitted on time. Test scores must be sent directly to the Commission on Higher Education using SAT® code 4313 or ACT® code 6326.
The Key Limitation: These Scholarships Stay in State
Every program outlined above shares one important restriction. The funding cannot follow a student to an out-of-state institution. Each scholarship is intentionally structured to keep high-achieving students enrolled at in-state colleges and universities.
For families weighing a Georgia student’s decision between the University of Georgia and an out-of-state option, the financial impact is significant. The difference between receiving the Zell Miller Scholarship and forfeiting it entirely can be worth up to $10,500 per year. That is a substantial number and should be part of the broader college decision conversation.
How Progress Learning Helps Students Reach These Thresholds
For educators, the most actionable part of this conversation happens before graduation. It is the work of helping students earn the scores required to qualify. Progress Learning supports that effort in two key ways.
1. Targeted Practice That Builds Toward Higher Scores
Progress Learning is built around rigorous, standards-aligned practice that strengthens the same skills measured on the ACT® and SAT®. The platform includes dedicated College and Career Readiness content aligned to the skills and question formats students will encounter on these assessments.
Students consistently practice reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, English conventions, and science reasoning across grade levels. That sustained skill development translates directly into stronger test performance.
Unlike traditional test prep programs that begin late in 11th grade, Progress Learning takes a K–12 approach. Students build the foundational knowledge assessed on the ACT® and SAT® over time instead of attempting to relearn or cram content in the final months before testing.
2. Benchmark Data That Makes the Gap Visible
Equally valuable for educators is the ability to clearly see where students stand and how far they need to go. Progress Learning’s benchmark assessment tools allow teachers, counselors, and administrators to monitor growth over time, identify specific skill gaps, and prioritize intervention strategically.
This is especially important in scholarship planning. A student who understands that their current performance level aligns with approximately a 22 ACT® score, but needs a 24 to qualify for Florida’s Medallion Scholars award, has a defined target. Benchmark data makes that gap concrete and actionable. It also allows educators to determine whether the most efficient path forward is in math, reading, or English.
A targeted strategy is far more effective than generalized test prep. When data reveals that a student is strong in math and science but consistently missing points in English grammar and usage, preparation can focus where it will meaningfully impact the composite score. Progress Learning’s reporting tools equip schools with the insight needed to have specific, informed conversations with students and families, ideally well before senior year.
For school leaders and counselors, these scholarships are more than financial aid programs. They represent strategic academic milestones. Knowing the exact score thresholds allows schools to guide students with intention, particularly those who are one or two points below a qualifying benchmark. Get a demo of our dedicated prep for the ACT® and SAT® below.
