The Best Florida Scholarships with Upcoming Deadlines in 2024

Florida students and student debt

Florida is home to a diverse group of students who are interested in higher education and are a part of the next generation of bright minds. Florida hasn't been immune from the growing student debt crises which has resulted from rising tuition. As a result, many degree-seeking Florida residents may be deterred from pursuing a college education and entering their desired career fields.

Here at Bold.org you can apply to exclusive scholarships just for you. Sign up here and check which scholarships you are eligible to apply for right now.

About Florida students

With a population of more than 21 million people, Florida is the third most populated state in the US. While Florida residents are numerous, only about 30% of people above 25 in Florida have a bachelor's degree or higher. When compared with the national average, these numbers are slightly low. In 2020, about 37.5 percent of the U.S. population who were aged 25 and above had graduated from college or another higher education institution

Despite its low levels of college degree completion, the state has plenty of state universities and community colleges that Florida students can attend. Only 13.1% of residents leave the state to attend college, meaning that a significant portion of Florida residents stays in-state for college.

The public colleges with the highest enrollment rates are the University of Central Florida and Florida International University. The University of Florida and Florida State University also have high enrollment rates as well as the University of South Florida. Among Florida's private institutions, the University of Miami is one of the state's most well-known universities, although the school is slightly smaller with a student population of around 17,000.

Enrollment in Florida

Despite the fact that almost 90% of Florida's population above 25 years old has completed high school, there are significantly fewer people pursuing a college degree. As mentioned above, enrollment in Florida has fallen slightly below the national average. The steady decline of college enrollment in Florida has been ongoing for about a decade.

Florida public colleges now have about 100,000 fewer students than they did at the height of enrollment a decade ago. If this trend continues, college enrollment is projected to decline by 9.3 percent by the 2026-27 academic year.

When students do go to college, they often pursue a two-year degree rather than a four-year degree. It is also very common for students to attend school part-time, with more than 100,000 more students choosing to attend part-time rather than full-time in 2021 according to the Florida Department of Education.

In terms of diversity in enrollment, Florida colleges often find themselves above the national average. Women are more likely to pursue a college degree, as 59% of those in college in Florida are women. While other colleges only have 55.5% of undergraduate and graduate students are women

In terms of race and ethnicity, Florida colleges are extremely diverse. Around 17% of students in Florida are Black or African-American, compared to 9.6% of college students nationally. Additionally, Florida colleges have a significant Hispanic and Latino population. While only 19.5% of the national student population is Hispanic or Latino, they make up around 30% of Florida students. With such a diverse population, it is important that students in Florida receive the financial support that they need to complete their college degrees.

Student debt in Florida

In order to prevent the decline in enrollment in Florida universities, it is important to consider what may be causing it. Florida colleges and universities often have significant costs that many Florida residents cannot afford. The average annual in-state tuition in Florida is low, only $6,071 for full-time students at public universities.

Despite the low cost of tuition, many Florida residents have to turn to student loans. Florida has the tenth-highest average student loan debt. Florida borrowers owe an average of $35,496 in federal and private student loan debt, which is only 3% less than the average borrower in the United States.

In order to prevent students in Florida from having substantial financial need and debt after college, it is important that Florida college students can find scholarships that can help pay for their tuition.

How to apply for Florida scholarships

Attending school shouldn't have to be expensive. Luckily, it only takes a few easy steps for students interested in financial aid to begin applying for Florida scholarships on Bold.org! Start by creating your free Bold.org profile.

By clicking on any of the listed scholarships, you are able to create an account and unlock financial resources. From there, you can begin browsing hundreds of exclusive scholarships offered by Bold.org for postsecondary education and you can bookmark any scholarships of interest that you come across.

High school is a great time to start scouting and applying for college scholarships and looking for other financial aid opportunities to fund your college education. Many scholarships are available for high school students or exclusively for graduating high school seniors, but don’t worry if you haven’t started your search yet.

There are plenty of scholarship opportunities for qualified applicants in Florida whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student. It's never too late to start taking charge of your financial aid and get on the path towards a college degree.

Once you've decided on the scholarships that are best for you, begin applying. The scholarship application process is set up specifically to make applying as easy as possible and each scholarship description will state what applicants must do to enter. This way, you can apply for more Florida scholarships and maximize your Bold.org winnings with as little effort as possible.

What scholarships are available in Florida?

There are all different kinds of scholarship opportunities available for degree-seeking students, including plenty of scholarships on Bold.org. Students can also seek out state aid, additional resources from their school, or federal aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Unfortunately, this aid often doesn't go far enough in funding your degree program, so scholarship providers like Bold.org are a great place to start.

For students who attend or want to attend a specific school in Florida, the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida has created the Take Flight with Embry-Riddle Scholarship for students who wish to focus on aviation and aerospace programs.

For high school students, scholarships like the Next Young Leaders Program Scholarship are a great option for financial aid. There are also plenty of scholarships with specific demographics like the Latinas in STEM Scholarship.

Whether you're seeking out a scholarship for undergraduate students, students who demonstrate financial need, or scholarships for high school seniors, there are opportunities out there for you! You can also browse by category to find scholarships in your career field, ranging from artistic scholarships for creative writing and performing arts students to STEM scholarships for students pursuing fields such as civil engineering.

You can find even more scholarships below and you can create your Bold.org profile by clicking on any of them.

Florida scholarships for high school students

By applying for scholarships early, high school seniors and underclassmen in Florida can get a head start on finding scholarships for college and securing financial resources for college. Below, you can find some scholarship options for high school students.

1. Graduate Debt-Free Scholarship
2. Next Young Leaders Program Scholarship
3. CollegeVine Dream School Scholarship
4. Deborah's Grace Scholarship

Florida scholarships for college students

For students who are no longer in high school, there are plenty of college scholarships that can provide financial assistance to students pursuing their college education. Below, you can find a couple of examples:

1. The Final Push Scholarship
2. @ESPDaniella Debt Grant
3. Focus Forward Scholarship
4. Stride Funding Affordable Tuition Scholarship

Florida scholarships for nursing students

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida has been dealing with a shortage of nurses. In a report by the Florida Hospital Association, the state faces a shortfall of nearly 60,000 nurses by 2035. To help Florida nurses get through college, here are a few scholarships that are available for you:

1. Deborah Steven's Pediatric Nursing Scholarship
2. Wisegeek Nurse Appreciation No-Essay Scholarship
3. HSINTELLIGENCE Minority / Indigenous Nurse Leader Scholarship
4. Pay it Forward CRNA Scholarship
5. Healthcare Heroes Nursing Grant

Merit-based Florida scholarships

For students who have a particular talent or passion, there are some scholarships that take merit and excellence into consideration. Whether you excel in extracurricular involvement, leadership experience, or academic performance, you can leverage your talents to boost your scholarship winnings. These scholarships have specific eligibility requirements, so if you qualify for the scholarships below, they can be a great option.

1. Isaac Yunhu Lee Memorial Arts Scholarship
2. BTL Athletes Scholarship
3. Devin Chase Vancil Art and Music Scholarship

Academic Florida scholarships

For those who excel academically, there are plenty of academic scholarships that can help eligible students pay for college. Below, you can find scholarships that can help those pursuing a college education.

1. Psychology Matters Scholarship
2. Latinas in STEM Scholarship
3. Eleven Scholarship
4. Take Flight with Embry-Riddle Scholarship