Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Arkansas Department of Higher Education

The Arkansas Academic Challenge Program provides scholarships to Arkansas residents pursuing higher education. Funded in large part by the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship is available to students regardless of their 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.

Requirements

See below for basic eligibility information.  For more detailed information on eligibility requirements for Traditional and Non-traditional students, please see the Rules and Regulations listed at the bottom of this webpage.

Award Amount

4 Year Institutions: $1,000 freshman year | $4,000 sophomore year | $4,000 junior year | $5,000 senior year. 

2 Year Institutions: $1,000 freshman year | $3,000 sophomore year

Who May Apply:

Traditional: Students applying for the upcoming expecting to attend an approved college or university in the academic year following your graduation from a public high school, a private or out-of-state high school, or homeschool must have an ACT composite score or super score of at least a 19 (or an equivalent of a 19 composite on an equivalent test).  Traditional students must begin attendance in at least 12 credit hours the first Fall semester following high school graduation and at least 15 credit hours each semester thereafter to receive their funds that semester.  They must then earn at least 27 credit hours in their first academic year and at least 30 credit hours each academic year thereafter with a 2.5 cumulative GPA.  Freshmen finishing their first academic year who did not apply or qualify for Academic Challenge Scholarship may be considered a Traditional student if they were enrolled as a full-time first-time freshman and completed 27 hours with a 2.5 GPA in their first academic year.   If they do not have 27 hours at the end of Spring, they can still apply as Non-Traditional. Non-Traditional Students are defined as students who are currently in college and did not receive Challenge, as well as adults who have completed some college but do not have a degree.

Non-Traditional: Students with some or no college credit can qualify.  If you have some college credit and have a cumulative college GPA of at least 2.5.  A student with no college credit can qualify as Non-Traditional if they have an ACT composite score or superscore of at least 19 (or an equivalent of a 19 composite on an equivalent test). Non-traditional students may begin attendance in less than the required amount of semester credit hours that Traditional students need and still receive a pro-rated amount of the scholarship for that semester. They must also maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and earn the appropriate amount of hours based on if they attended full-time (15+ credit hours) or part-time (less than 15 credit hours) each semester.