UA Little Rock Launches New Scholarship Program to Make College More Affordable
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is proving once again that it is the leader in affordability for Arkansans who want to complete their dream of earning a college education.
UA Little Rock has announced a new scholarship program, Trojan Guarantee, a groundbreaking initiative designed to break down financial barriers and empower freshmen to earn a bachelor’s degree with no tuition cost.
“I am excited to announce Trojan Guarantee, a program designed to help you earn a college degree with zero tuition cost,” UA Little Rock Chancellor Christina S. Drale conveyed in a written announcement to campus visitors. “This program represents an opportunity for students to expect more for themselves and their future, without accumulating significant debt.”
University leaders made the announcement Nov. 8 during Discover, one of UA Little Rock’s largest admissions events where more than 1,100 potential students and their family members visited campus to explore everything the university has to offer.
“Extending beyond the half-off scholarship, which is available to all freshmen, regardless of income, the Trojan Guarantee covers the cost of tuition not covered by the Pell Grant and Arkansas Challenge Scholarship,” said Dr. Cody Decker, vice chancellor for student affairs and chief data officer. “UA Little Rock has long led in affordability for middle-class families, and the Trojan Guarantee takes this one big step further to ensure all Arkansans have an affordable degree pathway from UA Little Rock.”
The Trojan Guarantee program is tailored for Pell Grant-eligible students who also receive the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship. This is an important population for UA Little Rock, as approximately 50 percent of freshmen and 58 percent of undergraduate students are eligible to receive Pell grants. The scholarship will cover the remaining tuition and mandatory fee costs after other financial aid has been applied, ensuring these students will not pay any tuition to earn a bachelor’s degree from UA Little Rock.
Trojan Guarantee will be available to all first-time and transferring full-time freshmen who begin UA Little Rock in the fall 2024 semester. The scholarship will be renewable for three years, covering all four years at UA Little Rock for eligible students. UA Little Rock anticipates awarding the first round of Trojan Guarantee scholarships to approximately 200 freshmen during the 2024-25 academic year.
Trojan Guarantee is funded by a combination of institutional and private funds. All students need to do to be considered for Trojan Guarantee is to apply for admission, submit the FAFSA form, and apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship. There are no additional requirements to live or work on campus.
This program is only one aspect of UA Little Rock’s ongoing work to ensure affordability for all students. UA Little Rock launched the half-off scholarship in 2020, which has so far provided nearly 950 students with the opportunity to attend UA Little Rock with half-off tuition, regardless of their family income, to the tune of $2.9 million in scholarships. Additionally, UA Little Rock students who receive the half-off scholarship as well as the Academic Challenge Scholarship can complete a four-year bachelor’s degree for just $14,000.
“I am grateful to so many both on campus and in the community who have helped ensure that we continue leading in affordability efforts for Arkansas students,” Chancellor Drale said. “It all started several years ago, with a transformative anonymous gift of $25 million that allowed us to launch the groundbreaking half-off scholarship. I am excited for this next step in ensuring UA Little Rock is affordable for all.”
Future UA Little Rock students can find out more information by visiting ualr.edu/scholarships and can apply for free at ualr.edu/admissions using the code Trojans2024.
