Missouri Bright Flight Program

The Missouri Higher Education Academic Scholarship Program is a merit-based program that encourages top-ranked high school seniors to attend approved Missouri postsecondary schools.

ATTENTION

For students taking the ACT more than once, the highest scores of each section of each test will be combined for a Superscore. The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development will begin recognizing Superscores for Bright Flight eligibility beginning with the seniors graduating in 2023. In order to have your score sent to MDHEWD, students need to enter in the following code when registering for the ACT: 2379. Students can go back into their account later to add this code, but ACT will charge a small fee to do so. Avoid that fee by entering in the code when registering.

The Bright Flight eligibility scores are also increasing with the class of 2023 seniors. Students will need to score a 32 to qualify for up to $3,000 or a 31 to qualify for up to $1,000.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

Initial Students

• Be a Missouri resident and 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.

The qualifying score must be achieved 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, receipt of your General Education Development certificate, or completion of your secondary coursework, if home-schooled.
• Enroll full time at a participating Missouri school.  Full-time enrollment is defined as a minimum of:
  • 12 semester hours, or
  • 6 semester hours for students who are unable to enroll in 12 hours as a result of 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.

Renewal Students

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