The Arkansas Department of Education (ADHE) provides the Arkansas Lottery scholarship and grant funds to Arkansas residents pursuing higher education. It is simple to apply for each of them through one application. The YOUniversal Scholarship Application allows you to apply for state financial aid opportunities, such as the Academic Challenge (Lottery) Scholarship, the Governor’s Distinguished Scholars Program, the Single Parent Scholarship, and more.
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Arkansas Lottery Scholarship
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.
Scholarship Deadline to Apply Arkansas Lottery Scholarship:
July 01, 2022
Requirements:
COVID-19 Alert: Recent High School Graduates- If you are still pressing towards that needed ACT score for Arkansas Academic Challenge, we are delighted to give you additional opportunities! The Accuplacer test is being offered remotely and can be substituted for the ACT. We’ll also accept the July ACT test score for scholarship awarding purposes.
Other Information:
Students who were originally awarded prior to the 2016-17 school year are awarded at the following rates:
| Four Year College | Two Year College | |
| Year 1 | $2000 | $2000 |
| Year 2 | $3000 | $2000 |
| Year 3 | $4000 | – |
| Year 4 | $5000 | – |
Starting with the 2016-17 school year students are awarded at the following rates:
| Four Year College | Two Year College | |
| Year 1 | $1000 | $1000 |
| Year 2 | $4000 | $3000 |
| Year 3 | $4000 | – |
| Year 4 | $5000 | – |
Arkansas Concurrent Challenge (Arkansas Lottery Scholarship)
Qualified high school students may be eligible to enroll in concurrent courses and be covered by the new Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Scholarship.
Requirements:
Qualified high school students may be eligible to enroll in concurrent courses and be covered by the new Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Scholarship Act (Act 456 of 2019). The scholarship is funded by excess Arkansas Lottery proceeds.
The Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Scholarship will award eligible high school students $125 per course for up to two concurrent credit courses per semester.
Other Information:
Only high school students who are classified as Junior or Senior can qualify. Contact your high school counselor or local college advisor for student and course eligibility
Award Amount:
$125 per course
Arkansas Future Grant (ArFuture) – Arkansas Lottery Scholarship
Arkansas Future (ArFuture) is the newest state grant program. The purpose of this grant is to increase the education and skills of Arkansas’s workforce in an affordable manner. The grant applies to students enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) or regional high-demand areas of study. The grant will cover tuition and fees for qualifying certificate and Associate degree programs at Arkansas public institutions for eligible students. The grant is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Fall Deadline: July 1
Spring Deadline: January 10
Updated 8/20/2021
Arkansas Lottery Scholarship Deadline to Apply:
January 10, 2022
Requirements:
Important Note: For students receiving AR Future funds for Fall 2022 and/or Spring 2023, the Mentorship and Community Service requirements have been waived for the 2022-2023 Academic Year.
An Applicant must:
- Have either graduated from an Arkansas public school, private school, home school or received high school equivalency diploma approved by the Department of Career Education; or
- Verify that he or she has resided within the state for the three (3) years immediately preceding application and has either:
- Graduated from an out-of-state high school, private school, home school, or received a high school equivalency diploma approved by another state.
- Be enrolled part-time or full-time at an approved institution of higher education in a program of study that leads to an associate degree or a certification in a STEM or regional high-demand field.
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship ( Arkansas Lottery Scholarship)
Important Note: For the 2022-2023 Academic Year application, the Deadline to apply has been extended to March 1, 2022. This will allow students to turn in their February 6, 2022 ACT scores if needed to qualify.
The Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship is the most academically rigorous scholarship program offered for those graduating seniors scoring either 32 on the ACT or 1410 on the SAT and a 3.50 academic grade point average. Those named National Merit Finalists or National Achievement Scholars may qualify without meeting the GPA requirement but must still meet the ACT/SAT requirement. The scholarship pays tuition, mandatory fees, and room and boards up to $10,000 per year.
Arkansas Lottery Scholarship Deadline to Apply:
March 01, 2022
Requirements:
At least a 32 ACT (1410 SAT) and a 3.5 GPA to apply. FAFSA is not required.
Award Amount:
$10,000 per year.
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