Frequently Asked Questions

How do I qualify for need-based scholarships?

Complete a FAFSA as soon as possible. All of our need-based scholarships use the FAFSA as a component in determining financial aid need.

How can I receive the Contiguous State Waiver?

If you’re from a surrounding state (LA, MO, MS, OK, TN, or TX), you will automatically be granted the waiver as long as you’re admitted, degree-seeking, and turn in all required admission documents.

When should scholarship applications be submitted?

You can find information for all scholarship award deadlines on our deadline information page

When will I be notified if I was selected to receive a scholarship?

Well…it depends on the type of scholarship.

• Institutional scholarships are normally awarded as early as October and go through August (excluding Mentored Programs which are usually awarded in the spring).
• Private and departmental scholarships are awarded April – August.
• Nursing scholarships are awarded in the summer.

How are awards paid during the year?

Most awards are split between the fall and spring semesters unless otherwise specified. Funds are not released to student accounts until after the 11th day of classes each semester.

Why hasn’t my award been applied to my balance?

We have to check enrollment for most private scholarships which won’t occur until the 11th day of classes. If you aren’t enrolled in enough credit hours, it can prevent the posting of your scholarship.

Examples of enrollment specific scholarships are:

• Some outside scholarships
• Institutional scholarships
• Mentored programs and honor scholarships
• Private and departmental scholarships
• Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE) awards

Can I apply my award to summer school tuition?

Institutional scholarships cannot be used for summer course work. Private and departmental scholarships, on the other hand, well…maybe! If you’re interested in taking summer classes and you received a private or departmental scholarship, shoot us an email! We will check the donor’s instructions to see if a summer payment is allowed.

What if I graduate early and don’t need to be enrolled in 15 credit hours?

If you’re graduating, complete a graduation enrollment exception request and provide a degree plan from your academic advisor. This will make sure we know to process your award because as you know, we can’t award a scholarship if you aren’t enrolled full-time (15 credit hours). Note: Your award may be prorated if your award amount is greater than the tuition and fees you owe.

What if I need to take a medical leave of absence or defer my award?

Life happens and we completely understand that. If you need to take a medical leave of absence or if you’re active military and have been deployed, you can request to hold your scholarship by filling out this form.

Do you have any tips about scholarships?

Apply, apply, apply! If you don’t apply, you’ll never know!

Don’t copy essays or letters from friends or the internet. When reviewing applications, it’s easy to spot plagiarism. How, you ask? The same sentences are used over and over again on different essays or letters being submitted.

How can I apply for scholarships?

Simply apply for Admission by the specified deadline and you will automatically be considered for any of our incoming student awards with the exception of our Mentored Programs! For mentoring programs and private scholarships, you can apply by going to ualr.edu/scholarships.

What scholarships are available to transfer students?

You can see these offers by visiting our Fall Transfer page.

Do I need to be enrolled in a certain number of hours?

Scholarship recipients must complete 15 hours per semester/30 total hours during fall and spring semesters. First-time freshmen may take 12 hours their first semester and 15 hours every semester thereafter earning 27 hours for their first year. Early Trojan award recipients are only required to be enrolled in 12 hours per semester.

Is my scholarship renewable?

All scholarships are renewable as long as students earn the required number of hours and maintain a 3.0+ cumulative GPA. The only exceptions are the Early Trojan and Trojan Strong awards which are for one year only. Please note that private scholarships are not guaranteed for renewal and students must reapply every year.

What if I don’t earn the required GPA or hours needed to renew my scholarship?

Students may take advantage of our Summer Forgiveness option which allows students to make up any GPA or hour deficiencies during the summer following receipt of their scholarship. Summer courses must be taken at UA Little Rock at the student’s own expense. Students will be provided a link to our Summer Forgiveness form to access this option once academic progress is reviewed at the end of the spring semester.

Can I use my scholarship in the summer?

Institutional scholarships can only be used for the fall and spring semesters.

Do you take SAT scores in lieu of ACT scores?

Absolutely! SAT test scores can be used in lieu of ACT scores in determining scholarship eligibility.

Do you use ACT super scores?

Yes, we do! However, you’ll need to request that ACT share your super score with us in order to use this option.

Do you use weighted or unweighted high school GPA?

We go by unweighted GPA for all award decisions.

What does my scholarship cover?

Institutional scholarships are available to pay direct expenses (tuition, fees, room, and board) that are charged to the student’s account with the University after any reductions due to institutional fee waivers or discounts. No portion of academic scholarship funds are refunded to the student.

How can I apply for private scholarships?

Information on how to apply for private scholarships can be found by going to ualr.edu/scholarships. These awards are privately funded through donations.

What happens to my housing award if I do not live on-campus?

If you choose to live off-campus, the housing portion of your scholarship will be canceled and only the tuition and fees award will be applied to your student account. To learn more about housing options visit the Office of Campus Living’s webpage at ualr.edu/housing.

What is the UA Little Rock financial aid stacking policy?

State and federal guidelines for combining scholarships and other financial aid require that the total amount received not exceed the student’s cost of attendance. The cost of attendance includes not only tuition, fees, room, and board, but may also cover other educational expenses such as books, travel, personal expenses, study abroad costs, and a one-time computer allowance. The total amount you are awarded can never exceed the annual cost of attendance at UA Little Rock.

What are some tips for finding scholarships in my community?

At UA Little Rock, we’ve made it easy to apply to thousands of external scholarships. Scholarship Universe (SU) is our new scholarship-matching tool. SU will match you with the external scholarships that you’re most qualified for based on your responses to the scholarship matching questions. Current and newly admitted UA Little Rock students can log in at ualr.scholarshipuniverse.com using their UA Little Rock email address and passcode.  Be sure to accept the Scholarship Universe privacy statement. Start answering the various questions about your education, interests, hobbies, and more. Based on your answers, SU will match you with scholarships that you’re most qualified for!  All external scholarships in SU have been thoroughly researched and vetted, so you never have to worry about scams. An external scholarship is one that is not offered by UA Little Rock.

What different types of scholarships are there?

There are about 6 different types of scholarships:

• State of Arkansas scholarships (must be Arkansas resident)
• Military scholarships
• Institutional scholarships (freshmen and transfer)
• Private scholarships
• Departmental scholarships
• Outside scholarships

What effect will outside scholarships have on my financial aid package?

Outside scholarships will only affect your financial aid package if your federal budget is exceeded. When this happens, financial aid—starting with loans—is reduced until you are within your federal budget.

Do I need to report my scholarship to the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office?

If you’re getting an outside scholarship, then yes. You can find more information by visiting our Outside Scholarship Processes page. As for private or departmental scholarships, you don’t need to worry about that. The department will let us know about your award.

Who do I write my “thank you” letter to?

Your scholarship award notification should tell you the donor of your scholarship. If you didn’t receive that information, please send us an email and we can provide you with the donor’s name.

Where do I send my “thank you letter?

Your scholarship award notification should have this information for you.  Feel free to email your letter directly to our office at financialaid@ualr.edu and we’ll process it for you.

I’m graduating. Can my entire scholarship be applied to my final semester?

Maybe! We can definitely look into that for you. Please email our office at financialaid@ualr.edu and we can see how we can help!

Do you offer any military scholarships or financial aid? How do I apply?

There are several resources for military students and their dependents. Check the Military Student Success Center for more information on:

• National Guard Tuition Assistance
• Military Educational Benefits
• Financial Aid for Veterans

If you’re an Arkansas resident, you can also complete the ADHE SAMS Application to apply for military scholarships through the state of Arkansas.

Who should I speak with about using my veteran benefits to pay for my UA Little Rock education?

You’ll want to visit the Military Student Success Center’s website. They’ll be able to guide you through the process of using your veteran benefits.

Why wasn’t I awarded the full amount of my NT Academic Challenge scholarship?

Being enrolled in less than 15 hours will cause a reduction in your Academic Challenge scholarship.

Why has my Academic Challenge scholarship not paid out to my student account?

Academic Challenge won’t pay out to your student account until after the 11th day of classes. Internal processing can cause a 1-2 day delay.

If you haven’t received your Academic Challenge Scholarship and it is after the 11th day of classes, please contact our office at financialaid@ualr.edu.

When will I see the Academic Challenge listed on my Boss account as pending aid?

As soon as we receive the roster from ADHE, student files are updated. This usually happens around the end of July.

How can I transfer my Academic Challenge award or renew it?

To request a transfer, log in at sams.adhe.edu. The deadlines to request a transfer are October 1 for the fall semester and February 1 for the spring semester. Please note that you may only transfer your scholarship to an approved Arkansas institution of higher education.

What is an AR Future Grant and how do I apply for one?

Arkansas Future (ArFuture) is meant to increase the education and skills of Arkansas’s workforce in an affordable manner. The grant applies to students (Arkansas residents) 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 by ADHE.

You can apply for an ArFuture Grant online here.

How do I qualify for merit-based scholarships?

If you’re an incoming freshman or a transfer student, you only need to apply for admission. Current students are not eligible for merit-based scholarships.

What scholarships are available to graduate students?

Some private and departmental scholarships can be awarded to graduate students. Graduate assistantships are an alternative to scholarships and loans. Visit the Graduate School’s website for details.

Are scholarships available to international students?

Yes, international students can apply for some departmental scholarships and the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program (incoming freshmen only). International graduates can participate in the graduate assistant program.