Bright Flight Scholarship

The Department of Higher Education and Workforce is now offering the Missouri Higher Education Academic Scholarship Program, Bright Flight Mo Scholarship to eligible students. Missouri Bright Flight Scholarship is a merit-based program encouraging top-ranked high school seniors to attend approved Missouri postsecondary schools.

More About Missouri Bright Flight Scholarship Program

The Bright Flight Mo Scholarships was appropriated by the Missouri General Assembly in 1986 to encourage high performing high school students. Initially, Bright Flight scholars received a statutory maximum of $2000 per year which fully covered their tuition expenses at that time.

However, following a period of increases in tuition expenses that easily outpaced inflation, Bright Flight covers only a fraction of what the student spends on tuition at the University of Missouri.

Level/Field of Study

Missouri Bright Flight Scholarship is available to Missouri high school students.

Host Nationality

The Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, Missouri, USA hosts the Mo Bright Flight Scholarships.

Eligible Nationality

Bright Flight Scholarship is open to Residents of Missouri, USA.

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Scholarship Worth

Bright Flight scholars receive scholarship awards ranging from $1000 to $3000 depending on their qualifying ACT and SAT scores.

Qualifying Score and how much can I receive?

The ACT and SAT scores that qualify graduating students in the current school year are re-evaluated and announced each fall. However, these qualifying scores are subject to the grades of students who were in high school seniors in the last academic year.

For example, the 2023 qualifying scores are based on the test scores of all 2018 Missouri high school students. Therefore, since a percentage of the test-takers defines the minimum score, the score is subject to change every year.

In addition, if you have taken the ACT or SAT in high school or second year, it will accept your score provided you get the qualifying scores announced in your last year of high school.

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Eligibility

To become a Bright Flight Scholar, you must meet the following requirements:

Initial Students

  • Be a Missouri resident and also, a United States citizen or permanent resident.
  • Have a composite score on the ACT or SAT in either:
    the top 3 percent of all Missouri students taking those tests, or
    the top 4th or 5th percentiles of all Missouri students taking those tests.
  • Also, achieve the qualifying score by the June test date immediately following your graduation from high school. 
  • Please note the score achieved on the July test date immediately following your graduation from high school does not qualify for the Bright Flight scholarship program. (Only composite test scores achieved on national test dates or on special test dates approved by the testing companies are acceptable. Test scores from residual tests are not acceptable.)
  • Enroll as a first-time student and receive the scholarship in the academic year immediately following high school graduation, receive your General Education Development certificate, or complete your secondary coursework if home-schooled.
  • Enroll full-time at a taking part Missouri school. Full-time enrollment is defined as a minimum of:
    *12 semester hours, or
    *6 semester hours for students who cannot enroll in 12 hours due to a disability defined by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • Submit supplemental eligibility information, if requested, by the deadline established by the MDHEWD.
  • Not be pursuing a degree or certificate in theology or divinity.

Bright Flight Scholarships – Participating Missouri School
See Schools

Renewal Students

  • Continue to meet the eligibility criteria for initial students.
  • Receive the scholarship for at least one semester per academic year, starting with the school year immediately following your final year of high school, receiving GED or completing high school coursework if you are home-schooled.
  • Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and otherwise maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by your school. However, if this is the first academic year in which you have received a Bright Flight payment, this requirement does not apply.

Students who have graduated from Missouri’s virtual public school, have completed a home-school program or have gotten a certificate of high school equivalence by passing the GED exam may be considered for the scholarship program.

Notwithstanding,GED students must submit a copy of their GED certificate to:

Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development
Attn: Bright Flight
P.O. Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469

How to Apply

There is no online Bright Flight Scholarship application. Rather, the MDHEWD will receive your ACT or SAT composite score(s), together with approved Missouri college or university choices, from your ACT or SAT assessment records.

Also, note that takes approximately six to eight weeks after each national test date for the MDHEWD to receive assessment information.

Notwithstanding, you can still visit the MDHEWD Portal for more information on the Bright Flight Mo Scholarships.

Bright Flight Eligibility Approval

Eligible students will receive approval letters from the MDHE for qualifying scores achieved by the June ACT and SAT test dates.

In addition, information about your eligibility status is also available by logging into the Student Portal. However, you must choose to upgrade your access in the portal to view your eligibility information.

Approval letters are provided beginning in the spring of your senior year in high school.

You will be notified if you did not show any Missouri school choices or if you provided conflicting information (for example, information showing you are a Missouri resident but not a U.S. citizen). To secure your eligibility, always choose at least one approved Missouri school when you take the ACT or SAT, even if you plan to attend school in another state.

Deadline For Corrections

Each year, the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development establishes a deadline for eligibility corrections. However, submission of eligibility corrections for 2023 high school graduate who has achieved the qualifying score is over as the deadline was July 31, 2023. 

Nevertheless, we advise 2023 high school graduates qualifying for the Bright Flight Scholarship 2023 to check back regularly for updates.

Meanwhile, if you do not provide all necessary information to MDHEWD by the deadline, you will be considered a late applicant and your award will be subject to funding availability, even if you previously got an approval letter.

In addition, completion of the FAFSA is not required to receive a Bright Flight scholarship. However, if you choose to complete a FAFSA, information on that application or updates to it can affect your eligibility for Bright Flight even if it has previously notified you of your eligibility.

For more information on the Missouri Bright Flight Scholarships, visit the official portal below.

SCHOLARSHIP PORTAL

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Conclusion

The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development as part of their Higher Education Scholarship Program offers Missouri Bright Flight Scholarships. It is offered as a way of encouraging top-ranked high school students to attend Missouri universities and colleges.

I hope you found this article helpful.

Good Luck And Success!!!.

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