Navigating Arkansas Scholarships: A Guide for Out-of-State Students

For students residing outside of Arkansas, financing higher education can present unique challenges. Fortunately, the state offers several scholarship opportunities designed to alleviate the financial burden for non-resident students pursuing academic endeavors within Arkansas's higher education system. This article provides a detailed overview of various scholarships, eligibility criteria, and application processes to help out-of-state students navigate the landscape of financial aid in Arkansas.

Understanding Arkansas Scholarships

Scholarships serve as a valuable resource for students seeking to reduce the overall cost of education. These funds can be used to cover tuition, textbooks, living expenses, and other school-related costs, allowing students to focus on their studies with less financial worry.

Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship

The Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship supports students pursuing higher education in Arkansas.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship, a student must apply to the Division of Higher Education by a specified date before the academic year and meet the following criteria:

Be an Arkansas resident or, if under 21, have a parent who is an Arkansas resident.

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Meet one of the following academic requirements:
- Graduate from a public or private high school in Arkansas or another state.
- Graduate from a home school recognized under Arkansas Code § 6-15-501 et seq.

Traditional Students

Traditional students are those applying for the upcoming academic year who plan to attend an approved college or university immediately after graduating from high school (public, private, out-of-state, or homeschool). To qualify, they must have one of the following:

ACT composite score or superscore of 19 or higher.
Accuplacer score averaging 246 across three sections.
Classic Learning Test score of 58 or higher.
High School GPA of 3.00
Diploma of Merit

Traditional students must enroll in at least 12 credit hours in their first Fall semester and at least 15 credit hours each semester thereafter to maintain eligibility. This requires earning at least 27 credit hours in their first academic year and at least 30 credit hours each academic year thereafter, with a cumulative GPA of 2.5.

Non-Traditional Students

Non-Traditional Students are defined as students currently in college who did not receive the Academic Challenge Scholarship, as well as adults who have completed some college, but do not have a degree.

Students with some or no college credit can qualify. If a student has some college credit, they may be considered eligible with a cumulative college GPA of at least 2.5. A student with no college credit can qualify as a Non-Traditional student if they have an ACT composite score or superscore of at least 19 (or an equivalent of a 19 composite on an equivalent test).

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Non-traditional students may begin attendance with fewer semester credit hours than the required number for Traditional students and still receive a prorated scholarship award for that semester. They must also maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and earn the appropriate number of hours, based on whether they attended full-time (15+ credit hours) or part-time (less than 15 credit hours) each semester.

General Eligibility Criteria

In addition to the specific requirements for traditional and non-traditional students, all applicants must:

Be an Arkansas resident (for at least 12 months prior to enrollment) and a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Be accepted for admission at an approved institution of higher education in a program of study that leads to a baccalaureate degree, associate degree, qualified certificate, or a nursing school diploma.
Not have previously earned a baccalaureate degree.
Not have previously earned a total of 120 or more semester credit hours.
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Not owe a refund on a federal or state student financial aid grant for higher education.
Not be incarcerated at the time of application for or during the time the applicant receives the scholarship.
Have complied with the United States Selective Service System requirements for registration.
Certify to be drug-free.

Continuing Eligibility

To maintain the scholarship, students must:

Maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA by the end of each Spring semester.
Traditional students must earn 27 semester hours the first academic year and 30 semester hours each year thereafter.
Non-Traditional Students must earn at least 15 credit hours each semester of full-time status and earn at least 6 credit hours each semester of part-time status (excluding summer terms)
Complete all remedial courses during the first 30 hours taken after receipt of the scholarship.
Be continuously enrolled unless a request is made for the scholarship to be placed on hold (maximum hold of four semesters).
Enroll in courses that lead toward a baccalaureate degree after earning an associate degree or having less than 4 semesters of funding left.

The scholarship will be renewed until the recipient:

Earns a baccalaureate degree.
Receives all scheduled semester payments for the scholarship.
Earns a total of 120 or more semester credit hours.

Exceptions may be made if the recipient’s undergraduate degree requires more than 120 additional hours.

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ACT Equivalent Scores

Applicants can also use equivalent scores from other standardized tests:

New SAT: 990 (taken March 2016 or later)
ASSET: 40 (average of all subscores)
Classic Learning Test (CLT): 58
COMPASS: 64 (average of reading, writing, and algebra scores)
ACCUPLACER: 79 (average of all subscores)
Next-Generation ACCUPLACER: 246 (average of reading, writing, and math scores)

University of Arkansas Scholarships

The University of Arkansas offers a variety of scholarships to both resident and non-resident students based on academic merit, leadership potential, and other criteria.

Honors College Fellowships

The University of Arkansas offers approximately 90 endowed fellowships per year through four different programs:

Honors College Fellowships (established in 2002)
Bodenhamer Fellowships (established in 1998)
Sturgis Fellowships (established in 1985)
Boyer Fellowships (established in 2000)

These fellowships are highly competitive and are awarded to the top 1-2 percent of students. Eligibility requirements include a cumulative 3.00 GPA and earning 27 hours by the end of the second semester of each academic year, and 30 hours in each subsequent academic year. These scholarships are renewable for 4 years or 8 semesters total and require an application for admission along with the Honors College Fellowship application.

Academic Scholarships

A number of academic scholarships are awarded to entering freshmen based on factors such as national test scores (ACT or SAT), grade-point average, National Merit recognition, quality and quantity of courses taken, and application materials.

Transfer Student Scholarships

Transfer student scholarships are awarded to students transferring from two-year colleges in Arkansas in conjunction with the Arkansas Association of Two Year Colleges’ (AATYC) Academic All-Star program. Additional transfer student scholarships are also available.

Specific Scholarship Opportunities

AATYC Academic All-Star: Pays tuition and tuition-related fees up to $5,000 per semester. Requires nomination by the student's two-year college.
Arkansas Transfer Achievement Scholarship: Awarded to top applicants from two-year colleges who are members of Phi Theta Kappa.
Out-of-State Transfer Scholarship: For students with strong academic performance at another 2-year or 4-year college or university.

Renewal Criteria

Eligibility for renewal of the Chancellor’s Scholarship and general university scholarships is determined at the end of the second semester each award year. These scholarships generally cover the fall and spring terms, up to an eight-semester maximum for most students, or a ten-semester maximum for students in the Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Landscape Architecture programs.

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Scholarships

UAPB offers several institutional scholarships to incoming freshmen based on academic performance. There is no separate scholarship application; the admissions application serves as the scholarship application. To be considered, students must apply for admissions, submit transcripts and test scores, and submit shot records to the office of admissions at UAPB.

Institutional Scholarship Opportunities

Chancellor’s Scholarship: \$66,000 for four years (\$8,250 per semester). Requires a minimum 3.75 GPA, a minimum 28 ACT or 1300 SAT, and admission by January 1st.
University Scholarship: \$48,000 for four years (\$6,000 per semester). Requires a minimum 3.5 GPA and a 23-27 ACT or 1130-1260 SAT.
Dean’s Scholarship: \$20,000 for four years (\$2,500 per semester). Requires a minimum 3.5 GPA and a 21-22 ACT or 1060 - 1100 SAT.
Leadership Scholarship: \$8,000 for four years (\$1,000 per semester). Requires a minimum 3.0 GPA and a 19-20 ACT or 980 - 1030 SAT.
Black and Gold Scholarship: \$6,000 for four years (\$750 per semester). Requires a minimum 2.75 GPA and an 18 ACT or 960 SAT.
Golden Lion Scholarship: \$4,000 for four years (\$500 per semester). Requires a minimum 2.75 GPA and a 17 ACT of 920 SAT.

Neighbors of Arkansas Opportunities

UAPB offers tuition discounts to students residing in neighboring states, including Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas.

Tier A: 90% discount on out-of-state tuition with a 2.9 GPA and 19 ACT or 980 SAT.
Tier B: 80% discount on out-of-state tuition with a 2.9 GPA and 17 ACT or 900 SAT.
Tier C: 50% discount on out-of-state tuition with a 2.6 GPA and 17 ACT or 900 SAT.

Shelby County Waiver

The Shelby County Waiver makes attending UAPB more affordable for students residing in Shelby County areas of Tennessee. General criteria include being a first-time entering freshman, being a full-time student, residing in a campus dormitory, and maintaining a 2.5 cumulative GPA each semester.

Foundational Scholarships

UAPB also offers several foundational scholarships with specific eligibility criteria:

Cincinnati/Dayton Alumni Chapter Scholarship: For full-time undergraduate students from Southwestern Ohio with a 2.5 GPA or higher.
Harold S. Strong Scholarship: For entering freshmen who are members of the Vesper Choir, have a 2.5 GPA or better, exhibit good citizenship, and demonstrate professional promise.
Irma Holiday-Bessie Jordan Teacher Education Scholarship: For incoming freshmen from Arkansas majoring in education with a minimum 2.5 GPA.
James and Helen Bankston Scholarship: For students majoring in vocational education, early childhood education, or middle school education with a 2.85 GPA (upperclassman) or 3.00 GPA (entering freshman).
Jewell Minnis Scholarship: For first-time entering freshmen from Arkansas with a 2.5 GPA and an ACT composite score of 19.
John E. Smith & Charlene Smith Gaines Vesper Choir Endow: For members of the Vesper Choir with a GPA of 2.5 or better.
Marcus C. Harris II Scholarship Endowment: For freshmen of any major with an 18 ACT and 2.75 GPA, requiring a 500-word essay and volunteer work.
Wilcox Scholarship Endowed: For students majoring in a desired field with a GPA of 2.5 or better.

Performance-Based Scholarships

UAPB offers performance-based scholarships in band and choir, awarded based on audition.

Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South Band Scholarship: Scholarships range up to full tuition based on audition performance.
Golden Girls and 24 Karat Golden Silks: Up to a \$1,500 scholarship based on tryouts.
Vesper Choir Scholarship: Scholarships awarded by audition, with evaluations based on intonation, tone quality, breath control, diction, preparation, and musicality.

Arkansas State University (A-State) Scholarships

Arkansas State University provides various scholarship opportunities for students, including those from out of state.

Trailblazer Scholarship

The Trailblazer scholarship offsets out-of-state tuition costs and requires students to:

Enroll in 15 A-State hours on the A-State campus per semester.
Maintain a cumulative 3.000 GPA.
Be an admitted student.

No additional application is required for this scholarship.

Additional Scholarship Resources

Several organizations and programs offer scholarships to students in Arkansas:

Arkansas Division of Higher Education: Provides resources for students looking to fund their higher education and plan next steps after high school.
Arkansas Community Foundation (ARCF): Features scholarships for all kinds of students with varying eligibility requirements and deadlines.
Arkansas School Plant Management Association (ASPMA): Offers scholarships to students pursuing vocational, associate, or bachelor’s degrees.
Arkansas Association of Career and Technical Education Administrators (AACTEA): Offers scholarships to high school seniors to supplement education costs during their freshman year.
Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF): Provides scholarships to single parents planning to attend an ASPSF-approved school or training program to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

External Scholarship Opportunities

R. Preston Woodruff Jr. Scholarship: An academically rigorous scholarship open to graduating high school seniors scoring a minimum composite or superscore of 32 on the ACT or 1410 on the SAT and a 3.50 GPA.
Alice L. Sanger Scholarship: Open to Arkansas residents enrolled in an accredited occupational therapy education program in Arkansas.
Wildlife of Arkansas Scholarship: Enhances scholarly training and education in wildlife and wildlife conservation, providing financial aid for tuition.

Forfeiting Award Amounts

Students may be eligible to request an increase in funding by forfeiting certain award amounts:

Forfeiting Freshman Award Amount: Arkansas high school seniors who will earn 27 or more college credit hours prior to beginning college in the Fall may request an increase in funding from the freshmen level to the sophomore level, forfeiting the first semesters of eligible funding.
Forfeiting to Senior Award Amount: Current recipients of the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship who will earn 87 or more college credit hours prior to an upcoming Fall or Spring semester may request an increase in funding to the Senior level, forfeiting any payments they would have received before the Senior level of funding.

Graduate School Eligibility

Students who graduate early from undergrad have the option to use remaining semesters for graduate school under specific conditions:

The graduate school must be based in Arkansas.
The student must be accepted and start the graduate program the semester immediately following their undergraduate graduation.
The student must earn 30 hours with a 2.5+ GPA the academic year prior to beginning their graduate program in a Fall semester, or 15 hours with a 2.5+ GPA if their graduate program begins in a Spring semester following graduation in a Fall semester.

New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award

The New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award (NRTA) is a main scholarship opportunity for non-resident students. Students can continue to improve grade point averages after admission.

A 3.60 or higher cumulative GPA will receive a New Arkansan NRTA that pays 90% of the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition.
A cumulative GPA below 3.60 will receive a New Arkansan NRTA that pays 80% of the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition.

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