Exclusive Scholarships for Arkansas Students to Apply for in 2023

Arkansas students and student debt

Known for its national parks and its pivotal role in the desegregation of schools during the Civil Rights Movement, Arkansas is a wonderful place to attend college.

Enrollment in Arkansas

As of 2021, 158,587 students were enrolled in Arkansas colleges. Enrollment has declined by 9.8% since 2010, but the number of college students has increased by 237.9% since 1970.

While college enrollment numbers are falling, Arkansas residents are not far behind the national average in terms of their high school graduation rate. 86.6% of Arkansas residents are high school graduates by the age of 25 years, which is not far behind the national average of 88%.

Despite the high school graduation rate, only 23.0% of Arkansas residents have a bachelor's degree or higher by the time they're 25. Nationally, 32.1% of people in the United States have a bachelor's degree.

Colleges in Arkansas

Of the students who graduate from Arkansas high schools, only 14.6% leave the state to attend school, which means that the majority of Arkansas students stay in-state for college.

Among the various colleges and universities in Arkansas, about half of the schools are publicly funded. 62.0% of students in Arkansas attend public institutions. The largest and most well-known public university in Arkansas is the University of Arkansas. At the University of Arkansas, there are 27,562 students including 22,825 undergraduate and 4,737 graduate students for the 2020-2021 academic year.

In the 2020-2021 school year, the average undergraduate tuition & fees for Arkansas colleges was $9,133 for Arkansas residents and $12,883 for non-residents. In 2015, Hendrix College was the leader in total costs, with a tuition rate of $49,490 per year.

Arkansas also has some HBCU's, including Arkansas Baptist College and Philander Smith College. Many colleges in Arkansas are also Christian colleges and universities, including Hendrix College and Harding University.

Arkansas college demographics

In Arkansas, 33.0% of full-time students are female. This is significantly lower than the national average, in which 55.5% of undergraduate and graduate students are women.

There are 99,672 white students in Arkansas colleges, which make up 62.85% of students. Nationally, 54.3% of college students are White or Caucasian.

Although Arkansas colleges have a high percentage of white students, there is still plenty of diversity in Arkansas colleges. 22,751 Black students, 3,043 Asian students, and 11,670 Hispanic students are a part of Arkansas colleges.

Arkansas student debt

In higher education, student debt can often deter students from enrolling in and continuing their college education. In Arkansas, the average student loan debt is $31,628, compared to $29,900 nationally.

Student debt affects a large number of people. 69% of people in the United States have student loan debt. While only 53% of Arkansans have student loan debt, it is important that they get the support they need. While financial assistance from colleges and universities is great, scholarships like those from Bold.org can be a great resource for students to avoid student debt.

Scholarships that all Arkansas students should apply for

For Arkansas students, there is a multitude of scholarships to choose from. In the list below, you can find scholarships that any Arkansas student can apply to.

1. Isaac Yunhu Lee Memorial Arts Scholarship
2. Freddie L Brown Sr. Scholarship
3. Nitro Pay for College No-Essay Scholarship
4. Matthews Overcoming Adversity Scholarship
5. "A Bold Life" No-Essay Scholarship
6. Sloane Stephens Doc & Glo Scholarship
7. ¡A Buena Amistad! No-Essay Scholarship

Scholarships for high school students in Arkansas

By applying early, high school students can ensure that they have a high chance of winning scholarship money. There are plenty of scholarships that cater to high school students on Bold.org.

1. Scholarship Institute Future Leaders Scholarship
2. Tyde Memorial Scholarship
3. "$$$ Isn't Everything" Scholarship
4. Marilyn J Palmer Memorial Scholarship

Scholarships for current college students in Arkansas

It is never too late to start applying for scholarships. Below, you can find some excellent scholarships for college students in Arkansas.

1. WiseGeek Lifelong Learners No-Essay Grant
2. New Year, New Opportunity Scholarship
3. Equal Opportunity Scholarship
4. "A Daring Path" No-Essay Scholarship
5. I am Third Scholarship
6. Robert F. Lawson Fund for Careers that Care
7. Financial Freedom Scholarship

Arkansas single parent scholarships

Being a single parent is not easy, especially when a college education is involved. There are plenty of scholarships that can help single parents on Bold.org, including the list below.

1. Law Family Single Parent Scholarship
2. Saroya Byrd Legacy Scholarship
3. Larry Darnell Green Scholarship

Frequently asked questions about scholarships in Arkansas

How can I apply for scholarships in Arkansas?

It only takes a few easy steps for students interested in financial aid to begin applying for Arkansas scholarships on Bold.org! Start by creating your free Bold.org profile.

By clicking on any of the listed scholarships, you are able to create an account and unlock financial resources. From there, you can begin browsing hundreds of exclusive scholarships offered by Bold.org for postsecondary education and you can bookmark any scholarships of interest that you come across.

There are plenty of scholarship opportunities for qualified applicants in Arkansas whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student. It's never too late to start taking charge of your financial aid and get on the path towards a college degree.

Once you've decided on the scholarships that are best for you, begin applying. The scholarship application process is set up specifically to make applying as easy as possible and each scholarship description will state what applicants must do to enter. This way, you can apply for more Arkansas scholarships and maximize your Bold.org winnings with as little effort as possible.

How much does the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery pay?

The Arkansas Lottery Scholarship's net proceeds provide scholarships and grants to Arkansas citizens for in-state colleges and universities. Since 2009, the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has raised more than $1 billion in proceeds for Arkansas college students, helping to provide 650,000 Arkansas Academic Challenge Program scholarships.

When can I start applying?

You can start applying for scholarships as early as the beginning of high school. While many scholarships are not available until students are high school seniors, there are plenty of scholarships that can help Arkansas students fund their education.

How do I know if I'm eligible for a scholarship?

On Bold.org, the eligibility requirements are within the scholarship description. While a scholarship award may only be for certain eligible students, there are plenty of other scholarships that anyone can apply to.

How do I know if I've won a scholarship?

If you win a scholarship through Bold.org, you will be notified via text and email on the announcement date. If you've applied for scholarships through your college or university, you will likely be notified directly by your school if you've won any awards.

How can I use a scholarship?

Once you win a scholarship, the award money will be sent straight to your college's financial aid office, making it extremely easy to claim and use a scholarship. Scholarship money can be used for tuition or other education-related expenses, such as books. Some scholarships can even be used towards student loan debt.

If you win scholarships through your university, the money will likely be directly applied to your bill. Depending on your school, you may need to accept scholarships and other forms of financial aid in your student portal before you can use them.

What are the best scholarships to apply for?

There are many different types of scholarships available, with each having its own advantages. If you're a great writer, then applying for essay-based scholarships is a great idea that will allow you to highlight your strengths. If you're not the best at writing but excel in art or music, then you should consider applying for scholarships that allow video or picture submissions rather than written work.

Students enrolled in any level of education are typically busy, so no-essay scholarships are also good to consider since they're so easy to apply for. To apply for these scholarships, students must click the "apply now" button and may also have to read a newsletter or check out a resource to apply. Overall, no-essay scholarships are great options when you're short on time.

Regardless of the type of scholarship you're applying for, the easiest scholarships to win are those that are more narrow. Scholarships with more eligibility criteria will have fewer applicants, giving you a better chance of winning.

Some scholarships are only open to high school seniors while others are open to students pursuing higher education. Some scholarships, like Arkansas scholarships, are location-based and may only be offered in regional high-demand areas. Other scholarships are open to applicants of a certain race, such as African American students, while others may limit applicants to students pursuing an approved program in a certain field of study.

How many scholarships can I win?

There's no maximum number of scholarships that you can win. Award amount varies for each opportunity, with smaller opportunities offering $500 while others offer tens of thousands of dollars. You can combine scholarships to meet your funding needs, so be sure to look for new scholarships you qualify for and always apply for all of the opportunities you're eligible for.

Are scholarships counted as income?

Any scholarship money earned on Bold.org is sent directly to the college you are attending and therefore is not considered to be taxable income. If you are a high school student, Bold.org will hold your scholarship money in an account until enrollment.