More than 10,000 new Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship recipients were notified Monday of their awards from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
Based on academic achievement, the Challenge scholarship – commonly known as the lottery scholarship – provides new 2013 recipients with funds to offset the costs of attending any Arkansas university pursuant to Act 234 of 2013 of the Arkansas General Assembly: $2,000 freshman year, $3,000 sophomore year, $4,000 junior year and $5,000 senior year, as long as renewal requirements are met. Those attending a two-year college will receive $2,000 for freshman and sophomore year. Previous recipients of the scholarship will continue to receive the amounts stipulated in their original award.
“We appreciate the members of the 89th General Assembly for working to try and ensure the long term stability of the program and make the most prudent decisions to help serve the most Arkansans possible with the scholarship,” said Shane Broadway, interim director at ADHE. “This money will help Arkansas families better shoulder the burden of tuition and fees and help educate more of our workforce for the future.”
There are still more than 6,000 incomplete applications for students who are likely eligible for the scholarship, Broadway added, and those students have until June 1 to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the YOUniversal scholarship application at www.adhe.edu, and provide high school transcripts and ACT scores.
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education offers more than 20 additional scholarship programs. The deadline to apply for this academic year is June 1.
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education is responsible for carrying out the policy directives of the AHECB, approving and reviewing college and university academic programs and developing funding recommendations for the state’s 11 public universities and 22 public two-year colleges as well as several other post-secondary entities.
In addition, the agency is responsible for distributing approximately $170 million annually from state revenues and lottery funds intended to ease the financial burden of students seeking an education beyond high school. For more information, call 501-371-2050 or 800-54-STUDY or visit www.adhe.edu.
