Benacquisto Scholarship Program

The Benacquisto Scholarship is Florida's award for National Merit Scholars and National Achievement Scholars who graduate from a Florida high school. It covers the full estimated cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, on-campus room and board, books, supplies, transportation and miscellaneous expenses, reduced by any Bright Futures and National Merit money the student already receives. For a qualifying student it is the highest-value state award in Florida and functions as a full ride at a Florida institution. Qualification is formula-based rather than competitive, subject to legislative appropriation.

Other deadlines near this one

• AAIA Native Scholarship
  Due May 31, 2027 · $3,000 (varies by year)
• AISES Scholarships
  Due May 31, 2027 · $1,500 - $20,000 (varies by scholarship)
• Full Circle Scholarship
  Due May 31, 2027 · $2,000 - $3,000 (average)

How hard is the Benacquisto Scholarship Program to win?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives.

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

• Fewer rivalsOpen only to Florida residents
• Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only

How Solyo estimates this: State programs that allocate by published formula are modelled on qualification and filing, not on competition, because there is no selection committee choosing between applicants. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Benacquisto Scholarship Program?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

• ✓Must be a resident of Florida
• ✓Must attend a college in Florida (the award does not travel out of state)
• ✓Open to high school seniors

What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is May 31, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around May 31 each year.

Applications close

May 31, 2027

Common questions about the Benacquisto Scholarship Program

More state grants & programs

• Bright Flight Program
  $1,000-$3,000/yr · due June 30, 2027
• Bright Futures Gold Seal Vocational and Gold Seal CAPE Scholars
  $39 to $48 per credit hour ($1.30 to $1.60 per clock hour) toward career and technical programmes, set annually by the Legislature · due August 31, 2027
• Build Dakota Scholarship
  Full ride: 100% of tuition, fees, books, technology, and program tools · due March 31, 2027
• CSU State University Grant (SUG)
  Up to the full State University Fee (CSU tuition) · due March 2, 2027
• Cal Grant A (High School Entitlement)
  Full systemwide tuition & fees at UC/CSU; $9,358/yr at private nonprofits (2025-26 rate) · due March 2, 2027
• Cal Grant A/B Competitive Award
  Follows the Cal Grant A and B award schedules · due March 2, 2027

Lists this award appears on

• Florida Scholarships and State Grants
• No-Essay Scholarships
• Full-Tuition and Free-Tuition Programs
• Renewable Scholarships (Multi-Year Awards)
• Scholarships With May Deadlines