There are organizations, businesses and schools out there ready to support you and help pay for your education.

Different Types of Scholarships

► Merit scholarships are based on your academic, athletic and involved excellence. From acing your high school classes to performing above and beyond on and off the field, these scholarships are meant to reward your hard work. 

► Need-BASED scholarships are offered to students who, you guessed it, need the money to get through college courses. This is about leveling the playing field and giving everyone, despite their economic background, a chance for success. 

► Minority scholarships encourage students of varying ethnicities or genders to join specific colleges or career fields. These scholarships call attention to the ever-present underrepresentation of minorities and want to give everyone an equal chance at an education. 

► Affiliation scholarships are offered to those in the workforce who would like to take the next step in their career and need more education to do that. This includes some workplaces even paying the entire tuition so the employee can learn new skills and give back to the company. Students with family members in the military or law enforcement will also find affiliation scholarships they can apply for. 

► Random scholarships are offered to those applying for hobby or lifestyle scholarships. Did you know there is a National Rice Month Scholarship? There are endless niche scholarships you can apply for in Arkansas, take time to explore and apply for as many as possible.

Source: Arkansas Division of Higher Education, finaid.org

7 Arkansas Scholarships to Apply For

And this is just the tip of the financial aid iceberg—be sure to research and find many more scholarships up for grabs across the state.

1. Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship

Traditional Students

Eligibility: Arkansas residents going into their first year of college, an ACT score of 19+ and enroll full-time at a college or university
Amount: $1,000-$5,000
Deadline: July 1 of each year

Non-traditional Students

Eligibility: Arkansas resident, 2.5+ GPA or 19+ ACT, may enroll in as little as six hours to maintain scholarship
Amount: $1,000-$5,000
Deadline: July 1

2. Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship

Eligibility: Arkansas residents who are applying for an approved ADHE certificate program in a high-demand occupation, such as health care, industry and information technology. You must have graduated from an Arkansas high school or diploma equivalent and cannot be a current recipient of the Academic Challenge Scholarship.
Amount: $800
Deadline: Must apply within 30 days prior to enrollment

3. Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship

Eligibility: High standards to meet here—you must earn at least a 32 on the ACT or the SAT equivalent (1410) and maintain a 3.5 GPA to qualify.
Amount: $10,000 annually for four years
Deadline: March 1

4. Scholarship Application Management System (SAMS)

Eligibility: Make an account at scholarships.adhe.edu. Once you fill out the application, you can discover which scholarships are available to you.
Amount: Varies depending on award you qualify for
Deadline: June 1

5. Arkansas Association of Curriculum & Instruction Administrators Scholarships

Eligibility: Arkansas graduating seniors, graduate students and vocational students who are pursuing a variety of majors.
Amount: Varies, multiple scholarships to apply for!
Deadline: Varies

6. Cornerstone Charitable Scholarship Trust

Eligibility: Black/African American students who have roots in Arkansas, are under 25 years old and demonstrate good academic achievement and financial need.
Amount: Varies
Deadline: March 30 of the year before enrollment

7. R. Preston Woodruff Jr. Scholarship

Eligibility: Arkansas residents who are high school seniors and planning to attend a postsecondary education institution in Arkansas; an essay is required.
Amount: Up to $4,000
Deadline: April 1 of each year

Stretching Your Scholarship Dollars

There are several financial avenues you can take to help with this such as scholarships, grants and loans, but students sometimes overlook how to get the most out of their financial aid dollars. Read all about how to maximize your financial aid here.