Skip to content

FAMU award rules

Will the scholarship last four years at FAMU?

We pulled the school’s grade, credit, and time limits into one place so you can see what it takes to keep the award.

Verified Jul 20262 months ago

The short answer

7 of 7 published awards are listed as renewable.

The exact rule can change by award. Check the award your student may receive before you count on the same amount every year.

What to do

Find the award name in the full research below. Save its grade, credit, and deadline rules with your college plan.

See every award rule, common mistake, and source

At a glance

Renewable tiers
7 of 7
One-time tiers
0
Tiers with published renewal terms
7
Renewal risk profile
low

Renewal risk profile

FAMU's published renewal rules cluster around a 3.0 floor with no major-GPA gating, which is survivable for the typical freshman with steady study habits. The risk is non-renewal due to enrollment status (dropping below full-time), not GPA.

  • University Scholarship Program — freshman merit minimum criteria: See notes
  • Distinguished Scholars Award: See notes
  • Presidential Special Scholarship: See notes
  • George W. Gore Award: See notes
  • Florida Community College (Ignite) Scholarship: See notes
  • CAFS 1890 Scholarships (College of Agriculture and Food Sciences): See notes
  • Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program (state award, described on FAMU aid pages): See notes

Renewal terms by tier

  • University Scholarship Program — freshman merit minimum criteria

    Amount not published

    Entry requirements: 3.50 Unweighted GPA GPA · 1320 with a 670 Math SAT or greater SAT · 28 with a 28 Math ACT or greater ACT

    To keep it: Renewal terms for the university-wide freshman merit awards are not published on the pages fetched; only CAFS and Ignite program renewal terms are published (see those tiers).

    Source: https://www.famu.edu/students/scholarships/index.php

  • Distinguished Scholars Award

    Amount not published

    To keep it: Renewal terms not published on the pages fetched.

    Source: https://www.famu.edu/students/scholarships/recipient-profile.php

  • Presidential Special Scholarship

    Amount not published

    To keep it: Renewal terms not published on the pages fetched.

    Source: https://www.famu.edu/students/scholarships/recipient-profile.php

  • George W. Gore Award

    Amount not published

    To keep it: Renewal terms not published on the pages fetched.

    Source: https://www.famu.edu/students/scholarships/recipient-profile.php

  • Florida Community College (Ignite) Scholarship

    Amount not published

    Entry requirements: 3.3 FAMU recalculated GPA at the time of AA degree conferral; 3.3 cumulative for renewal GPA

    To keep it: Eligibility for renewal is determined at the end of each semester. Must enroll in a minimum of 15 credit hours each semester; cannot drop or withdraw after drop/add; must earn a 'C' or better in all courses each semester or the scholarship terminates; must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better at the end of each semester; cannot change major or degree program; must earn 22 hours of community service each semester; terminated scholarships will not be reinstated.

    Source: https://www.famu.edu/academics/transfer-student-services/ignite-transfer-program.php

  • CAFS 1890 Scholarships (College of Agriculture and Food Sciences)

    Partial-Full award (dollar amount not published)

    Entry requirements: At least a 3.00 recalculated (by FAMU Admissions) Core Academic GPA on a 4.00 scale (high school), or cumulative 3.0+ for college/transfer students GPA · 1,080 or higher (for incoming FTICs only) SAT · 21 or higher composite (for incoming FTICs only) ACT

    To keep it: Renewable up to eight (8) consecutive semesters for FTIC freshmen or four (4) for transfers. For automatic renewal: must enroll in and pass a minimum of 30 credit hours per academic year; must not drop or withdraw after drop/add; must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better at the end of each semester (freshmen reviewed at end of spring); must earn a 'C' or better in every course; must maintain the CAFS major; must complete 20 hours of community service each semester; lost/terminated scholarships will not be reinstated.

    Source: https://cafs.famu.edu/about-cafs/scholarships.php

  • Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program (state award, described on FAMU aid pages)

    Amount not published on FAMU pages (paid as a flat cost per credit hour)

    Entry requirements: Specific coursework and minimum grade point average (GPA) per Florida DOE — figures not published on FAMU's page GPA

    To keep it: Renewal is contingent upon meeting certain grade point averages as required by the Florida Department of Education.

    Source: https://www.famu.edu/students/office-of-financial-aid/types-of-aid/index.php

How families lose this aid

  • Assuming the published 3.50 GPA / 1320 SAT / 28 ACT minimum guarantees a scholarship or a specific dollar amount.

    FAMU publishes only minimum criteria — no dollar amounts and no award grid for the Distinguished Scholars, Presidential Special, or George W. Gore awards. The most recent published recipient profile (2021) shows DSA recipients averaged a 4.32 GPA and 1460 SAT, well above the minimums. Awards are competitive, not automatic on stats.

  • Underestimating renewal requirements, which go far beyond GPA.

    CAFS renewal requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA, passing 30 credit hours per year, a 'C' or better in EVERY course, no drops/withdrawals after drop-add, 20 hours of documented community service per semester, and keeping the same major. The Ignite scholarship requires a 3.3 cumulative GPA, 15 credit hours per semester, a 'C' or better in all courses, 22 service hours per semester, and no major changes. Both programs state lost/terminated scholarships 'will not be reinstated.'

  • Forgetting the FAFSA even for merit awards.

    The CAFS program requires a validated, completed FAFSA on file prior to February 1 (and again each year for renewal), and the Ignite scholarship requires a validated FAFSA on file prior to January 1. FAMU's general FAFSA priority filing date is January 1.

  • Assuming Honors Program admission criteria equal scholarship criteria.

    Honors admission requires a 3.500 GPA and 1200 SAT / 25 ACT / 83 CLT, but the university scholarship minimum is higher: 3.50 unweighted GPA plus 1320 SAT (with 670 Math) or 28 ACT (with 28 Math). Honors members must also maintain a 3.200 cumulative GPA to remain in the program.

Renewal questions families ask

What stats do I need for a FAMU merit scholarship?
The published minimum is a 3.50 unweighted GPA plus EITHER an SAT of 1320 with a 670+ Math score OR an ACT of 28 with a 28+ Math score. Actual recipients have run higher — the 2021 Distinguished Scholars Award profile averaged a 4.32 GPA and 1460 SAT.
Is there a transfer scholarship?
Yes — the Florida Community College (Ignite) Scholarship, for recipients of an AA degree from a Florida state or community college who have been Ignite Program members for at least a year and have a 3.3 FAMU-recalculated GPA at degree conferral. It runs four semesters, applies toward tuition and fees, requires 15 credit hours per semester, and renews only with a 3.3 cumulative GPA and a 'C' or better in every course.
Does FAMU handle Florida Bright Futures?
Bright Futures (Florida Academic Scholars, Florida Medallion Scholars, and Gold Seal Vocational) is a Florida Department of Education program for Florida residents; renewal depends on GPAs set by the FDOE. FAMU's aid page directs students to floridastudentfinancialaid.org or 1-888-827-2004 for award status. Note that CAFS scholarships are reduced by any Bright Futures amount received.
Is FAMU test optional?
No. 'Florida A&M is not Test Optional and standardized SAT/ACT/CLT scores are required.' The Fall 2025 admitted-student middle 50% was a 3.69–4.24 weighted core GPA, 1080–1230 SAT, 22–27 ACT, 61–73 CLT.

How FAMU compares across our verified dataset

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    FAMU is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

  • 132 of 749 verified schools publish a dedicated National Merit Finalist package.

    FAMU is one of them. NMF packages typically carry their own stacking and renewal carve-outs separate from the standard automatic merit ladder; confirm those before assuming the headline NMF value is final.

Sources used on this page

Every renewal claim is checked against FAMU’s own published materials.

More on FAMU merit aid