The U of A continues to demonstrate its dedication to students from Arkansas, providing $1 million in additional scholarship funding. Combined with a previous $5 million increase in scholarship funding devoted solely to in-state students, the university has grown scholarship funding for Arkansas students by $6 million since 2019.

These increases in scholarship funds, in addition to the tuition partnership with U of A community colleges through the Arkansas Transitions Academic Program, are providing much-needed support to help students from every corner of the state afford to pursue a world-class education at the U of A.

“Students from Crossett to Camden, Mountain Home to Jonesboro, Forrest City to Lake Village are applying in greater numbers than ever before thanks to our efforts to increase scholarships for students from Arkansas, and when they arrive on campus they engage with faculty and staff who are here to support them every step of the way,” said Charles Robinson, interim chancellor. “Everything points to a record number of Arkansans in our freshman class again this year, and we are committed to keeping up this momentum and will continue to look for ways to expand access for students from Arkansas.”

The $1 million in additional funds will be used to provide $750,000 in scholarship support for incoming freshmen from Arkansas, while the remaining $250,000 will support current students from Arkansas. The majority of the scholarships for the new freshmen and all of the awards for current students are based on need. Individual scholarship amounts vary from $3,000 to $5,000 annual awards.

“We know that for many students in Arkansas, a scholarship may mean the difference between attending college or not, so we support our in-state students with lower tuition and by continuing to grow the amount of scholarship dollars available to support them,” said Suzanne McCray, vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions.

Of the students from Arkansas who applied for scholarships this year, 97 percent received an award, up from 89 percent just two years ago.

In addition, 87 percent of all endowed fellowship dollars go to in-state students, as does more than 85 percent of all of the university’s centrally-funded scholarships.

“Such support creates opportunity and access, and that’s a fundamental part of our land-grant charge,” McCray said.

The U of A set a record for the number of Arkansans in the incoming class in 2021 and is on track to break that record again this fall as a part of an incoming class that could be the university’s largest yet. All good news for Arkansas.

“Revenue from non-resident student enrollment helps the university keep in-state tuition as low as possible, providing more affordable access to higher education for Arkansans,” McCray said. “Revenue from non-resident student enrollment also helps us increase the number of scholarships awarded to Arkansans and supports important projects like The CORD, the Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence, a new 70,000 square foot student success center in heart of campus.”

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.