Scholarships, Grants, and Federal Aid Arkansas Scholarships and Grants Source: Arkansas Department of Higher Education
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education reviews and approves academic programs and develops funding recommendations for the state’s 11 public universities and 22 public two-year colleges, as well as several other postsecondary entities. In addition, the agency is responsible for distributing approximately $150 million annually from state revenues and lottery funds in the form of financial aid, intended to ease the financial burden of students seeking an education beyond high school. More than 20 grant and loan repayment programs are available to students, with eligibility requirements ranging from academic status and financial need to specific fields of study. Below is a listing of a few programs: Academic Challenge Scholarship – provides scholarships to Arkansas residents pursuing a higher education. Funded in large part by the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, the Academic Challenge Scholarship is available to students regardless of current academic status, whether just graduating from high school, currently enrolled in college, enrolling in college for the first time, or re-enrolling after a period of time out of college. Arkansas Health Education Grant Program (ARHEG) – provides financial assistance to students seeking professional training in chiropractic medicine, dentistry, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, and veterinary medicine to allow them to attend out-of-state institutions. Governor’s Scholars Program – for graduating high school seniors. Awards $4,000 annually to the top applicant in each county based on academic achievement, test score, rank-in-class, and leadership. The top 300 applicants scoring 32 on the ACT or 1410 on the SAT and have earned a 3.50 academic grade point average are eligible for the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship and may receive tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board up to $10,000 per year. Higher Education Opportunities Grant (GO! Opportunities Grant) – provides $1,000 grants to full-time and $500 grants to part-time students based on financial need. Students must meet the income requirements of $25,000 for a family with one (1) in the household; the maximum income increases by $5,000 for each additional number in the household up to ten (10) additional household members. Applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the GO! Opportunities Grant application. Law Enforcement Officers’ Dependents Scholarship Program – waiver of tuition, fees, and room at any public college, university, or technical institute in Arkansas for dependents and spouses of Arkansas law enforcement officers, some Highway and Transportation Department employees, and other public employees who were killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. Military Dependents Scholarship Program – waiver of tuition, fees, and room and board at any public college, university, or technical institute in Arkansas for dependents and spouses of Arkansans who were killed or missing in action or who were prisoners of war or who are currently totally and permanently disabled. State Teacher Education Program (STEP) – offers federal loan repayment to current teachers who are either minority and/ or teaching in a subject and/or geographic shortage area in an Arkansas public school. Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program – designed to allow undergraduate students to conduct in-depth research projects in their specific fields of study with the assistance of faculty mentors. Teacher Opportunity Program – offers reimbursement grants for costs associated with six (6) semester credit hours or the equivalent to current Arkansas teachers and administrators who return to an approved institution of higher education to pursue additional education related to the job. Priority will be given to those applicants who are pursuing an additional licensure in a subject area declared to be a shortage area. Workforce Improvement Grant – awards up to $2,000 annually to students at least 24 years old based on financial need. Students apply using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and awards are made by the institution the student attends. Students may be enrolled part time. This information is current as of June 2014 and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a complete description of the programs or their requirements. For complete information about a particular program, go to www.adhe.edu, and click on Financial Aid to review the program’s rules and regulations. The eligibility requirements and rules governing the programs administered by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education are subject to legislative and regulatory amendments. Please e-mail the Financial Aid Division at finaid@adhe.edu, if you should need further information. Please Note: Due to current economic conditions, awards for all ADHE programs may be limited by the availability of funds. Applicants are encouraged to apply but are also encouraged to pursue all sources of financial aid.
20 | Career Watch Arkansas
