Bright Futures update regarding students in the
International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
To qualify for the Florida
Academic Scholars award with
the IB Program Diploma
•Receive the IB Diploma
•No SAT or ACT test score is required
•Earn 100 community service hours
(this requirement will be satisfied by
completing the CAS component of the
IB Curriculum)
Note: Please read the Bright Futures
update below.
To qualify for the Florida
Academic Scholars award with
the IB Program curriculum
•Complete the IB Program curriculum
requirements* as determined by the
Florida Department of Education – No
minimum coursework GPA is required
•Meet the appropriate SAT or ACT test
score: SAT 1290 or ACT 29
•Earn 100 community service hours
(this requirement will be satisfied by
completing the CAS component of the
IB Curriculum)
To qualify for the Florida
Medallion Scholars award with
the IB Program curriculum
•Complete the IB Program
curriculum* requirements as
determined by the Florida Department
of Education - No minimum
coursework GPA is required
•Meet the appropriate SAT or ACT test
score: SAT 1170 or ACT 26
•Earn 75 community service hours
(this requirement will be satisfied by
completing the CAS component of the
IB Curriculum)
A
Although your CAS hours will satisfy the Bright Futures Community Service Hours requirement; we strongly encourage
students to complete 50 hours (25 in 9
th
grade and 25 in 10
th
grade) in the event that they choose to leave the IB
program. If a student leaves the IB program at any time and the student has not started Bright Futures, they will be
required to do community service to qualify for the Bright Futures Scholarship as CAS hours are not transferable.
The Florida Legislature is authorized each year to change eligibility and funding requirements. Florida law
recognizes both the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program Diploma and the IB curriculum as methods of
qualifying for a Bright Futures Florida Academic or Medallion Scholars award.
The IB curriculum is defined as follows:
•Complete a minimum of 10 credits identified by the International Baccalaureate Organization as follows:
◦Two credits in three of the following areas, and one credit in each of the remaining three areas: Language Arts, World
Language, Social Studies, Science, Mathematics and Arts/Electives. (Each of these credits must be an IB or AP course.
Pre-IB courses do not meet IB curriculum requirements.) One credit in Theory of Knowledge.
Update for IB and Bright Futures:
IBO has recently restructured the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) component for IB Diploma students. As a result of
this change, the achievement of the IB Diploma will no longer automatically provide a student 100 service hours, as
required in statute, for Florida Academic Scholars (FAS). Districts and schools will now be required to input cumulative
service hours for both Early (7
th
) and Final (8
th
) Evaluation for students participating in the IB program.
•Complete the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) requirement, which includes 100 hours of community service completed in
grades 11-12. •Complete an extended essay.
