Arkansas Academic Scholarship
July 1 is the deadline to apply for the Arkansas Academic Scholarship for students planning to enroll in a two- or four-year college or university in the fall.
Applicants can be new high school graduates, students already enrolled in college and older, non-traditional students wanting to further their education. To apply, simply visit sams.adhe.edu and click on “Students.”
The Arkansas Academic Scholarship is just one of several scholarships funded through the state’s lottery program. Ashley McNatt, Advertising and Marketing Director for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL), said the program has helped raise more than $1.2 billion in scholarship monies since the first ticket was sold in 2009. Hundreds of thousands of Arkansas students have benefited from this financial aid.
McNatt stressed that Arkansas lottery-funded scholarships are open to just about every Arkansan – from the high school graduate and current college student, to an older adult seeking to enroll in college for the first time.
To be eligible for the scholarship, a student must be an Arkansas resident for at least 12 months prior to enrollment and receive at least a 19 on the ACT. To maintain eligibility, students must keep a 2.5 GPA.
The lottery also helps fund three other scholarships:
-The Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship, available for those attending technical schools.
-The Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Award, which provides financial incentives to eligible high school students who want to get an early start on college courses.
-And, new this year, the Arkansas Legislature created the Arkansas Challenge Plus Scholarship. This scholarship provides additional funding for students already receiving the Arkansas Academic Scholarship, but who face greater income barriers. Students can begin applying for this scholarship in the fall of 2024.
McNatt said Arkansans should be proud to know lottery sales have contributed to the investment in so many young people’s educations.
Again, for more information on the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, visit sams.adhe.edu. The deadline to apply is July 1.
