vanessa bethell

Vanessa Bethell

Social Work, 2009

"The Adult Student Advocacy Program has opportunities for us. It’s really helped me in that when I went to their orientation, I got to meet my mentor. She was a social work major along with me, and immediately I had a friend in the program. I thought it was a great way to connect with people of the same age range. I decided after being a mentee that I wanted to be a mentor and help someone else out."

Originally from Montana, the mom of three wants to get her Master of Social Work degree after she graduates.

Adult Students

Like to impress your friends? Get your undergraduate degree in computer science or math and stay for your graduate degree at UALR in bioinformatics and become a bioinformatician. UALR has partnered with UAMS as the first university in the region to offer this program.

Financial Aid

UALR offers aid from various sources, including federal and state governments, colleges, and private organizations, to help you pay for your studies. Financial aid and scholarships are meant to supplement your family’s ability to pay for college costs including tuition and fees, room and board, books, supplies, transportation, and other educational expenses.

What’s Available?

Entering freshmen must apply during their senior year of high school for these scholarships and grants:

  • Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarships
  • Governor’s Scholars Program
  • Higher Education Opportunities Grand (Go! Opportunities Grant)

Learn more about scholarship and grant options at the Arkansas Department of Higher Education website.

We recommend you apply for federal assistance – grants you don’t have to pay back – first. Then if you need additional funds, accept student loans you’ve been offered. They may be a good option for you. For more details, visit Financial Aid.

You need to:

  • Get started on your paperwork early
  • Send your forms in early (by Feb. 1 at the latest) so there’s time to make sure they’re all completed correctly
  • Meet all the deadlines

Once you’ve completed the paperwork correctly and sent it in by Feb. 1, you’re more than half-way there.

UALR’s Financial Aid Office will assign you an advisor who will work with you throughout your time as a student.

Scholarships

For UALR scholarships, Feb. 1 is the deadline for applications. Feb. 1 every year, no matter what. So if you apply and submit by Feb. 1, you’ll benefit.

Check out the scholarships available and the award amounts. Remember, there are more scholarships than are on this list, so be sure and check with your program of study/major about specific ones available as well.

Once you’ve determined that you qualify for a scholarship, find out how to get started.

Getting Started

Take a deep breath and dive in. Remember, you aren’t in this alone. Once you contact UALR’s Financial Aid Office, you’ll get a financial aid advisor who can help you. This process is a test of your tenacity, and it will prove worthwhile for your future.

To Apply for Scholarships

Remember that Feb. 1 is the deadline! To apply for a scholarship, follow this checklist:

  • Apply for admission to UALR online. Be sure to complete the entire process.
  • Select the scholarship programs you are interested in (and make sure you meet the criteria!).
  • Gather the required documentation and complete the forms.
  • Submit your packet to the appropriate committee or forward it to the right office.

If you are awarded scholarships, you may accept (or decline) online by the deadline noted. For more information or for assistance, contact the UALR Financial Aid Office.

To Apply for Financial Aid

To apply for federal financial aid, request a PIN from the U.S. Dept of Education. If you are a dependent student (Congress makes the rules on dependency status – check out whether you’re still considered dependent) your parent or guardian should also request a PIN. After receiving your federal PIN, complete the 2008-2009 Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Be sure to list UALR’s school code - 001101.

Because many types of financial aid are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, you should apply for financial aid early by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before the priority deadline of March 1.

UALR’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid will help you complete the FAFSA. Contact them at 501.569.3035 or financialaid@ualr.edu.

Financial Aid Deadlines

  • Fall semester - July 1
  • Spring semester - Dec. 1
  • Summer semester - May 1

You need to make an appointment to meet with your academic advisor after you have been fully admitted to the university. (This means you have an official letter of acceptance from Admissions!) Call Academic Advising at 501.569.3386 to make an appointment.

Apply early for admission and financial aid. For more information or for assistance, contact your UALR Financial Aid advisor.

Need to Know Financial Aid Facts

  • Feb. 1 is the deadline to apply for scholarships. So mark your calendar and write it on your hand with a permanent marker. You have to get started early to make this crucial deadline.
  • You should apply for financial aid during your senior year of high school. Any later, and you can’t expect anything by the beginning of the fall semester other than your summer job savings.
  • The paperwork just looks impossible, but really isn’t. The financial aid form seems to be killer, but we’re here to help. And it’s worth it. Just keep your focus on the possibility of FREE money for college.
  • You have help. Remember, you aren’t in this process alone. UALR has a Financial Aid office with a resourceful staff to assist you. Going it alone and getting frustrated to the point of tossing the application in the trash doesn’t do you or your family any good.