Filling out scholarship applications can be a daunting task. The Division of Student Affairs has several scholarships and has made it very easy for students to apply. In fact some are so easy that you can fill them out during your breaks between classes. Leadership, good academic standing, student involvement on campus, accomplishments especially within the community, are all highly weighed in the scholarship process. A 4.0 GPA is not necessary to apply.

The Division of Student Affairs wants to make filling out scholarships as painless as possible. Many scholarships require minimal information. Qualifications vary with the type of scholarships and range from being a member or having knowledge of the LGBTQ-plus community, being a veteran or a student actively serving in the military, or even a member of an indigenous tribe. 

Interest in LGBTQ-plus Community
There are two different scholarships specifically for individuals who demonstrate an interest in the LGBTQ-plus community. The PRIDE in Education Scholarship awards an undergraduate student who has an interest in and is knowledgeable about the LGBTQ-plus community. The Rickey Medlock and Scott Heffington PRIDE in Education Scholarship also seeks to award a student who demonstrates financial need and has an interest in the community. 

Tribal Scholarships
Two scholarships are offered for students who identify with being a member of an indigenous tribe. Being a member of a federally recognized tribe that is indigenous to the United States allows you to apply for the Mason McWatters Memorial Scholarship and the Margaret J. Hoffman Endowed Scholarship for Citizens of Tribes Indigenous to the United States. 

Veterans
Veterans looking for scholarships can also find them within the Division of Student Affairs. The Veterans Resource and Information Center (VRIC) Scholarship is awarded to a student veteran to help supplement their needs for financial aid. The goal of VRIC's scholarships is to augment any gaps within funding your education. 

More Options
Other scholarships are available to aid students with physical disabilities, active student leaders on campus, and individuals from underrepresented ethnic or minority groups. The wide range of scholarships helps to ensure that students can always find one that fits their specific needs. 

The majority of scholarships through the Division of Student Affairs have a deadline of Feb. 15, as do most scholarships at the University of Arkansas. 

Sue Harris, director of development for Student Affairs, offers insight for those who are weary of applying for scholarships. 

"These scholarships are a gift. You don't have to pay them back. They don't have to be counted as part of a student loan," Harris said. "All of the scholarships are provided by people who have made donations to make the scholarship possible." 

She suggested that students who apply should focus on any writing aspects of the scholarship as these are a huge part in selecting a recipient. To make sure your writing is free of errors:

• Type everything up in Word. This makes it easier to identify spelling errors and typos.
• Then copy and paste your information into the application.

While most of the writing requirements are only a page long, Harris emphasizes the importance to make sure you are writing sufficiently and avoiding fluff.

Harris wants to remind students that a 4.0 GPA is not necessary to apply. Some of the scholarships have minimum GPA requirements, but your GPA is only used to make sure you hit the minimum requirement. 

"We basically just want to know what you've been involved in on campus or within the community," Harris explained.

Ready to start applying? These scholarships and more can be found online at studentaffairs.uark.edu/scholarships. Students will be contacted about their application status near the end of the spring semester. The scholarships will be awarded for all 2019.