GET READY FOR MAJOR TRANSFORMATION
Higher education is all about removing barriers and opening doors, including our own. Unfortunately, rising costs has put a four-year degree out of reach for many families in Arkansas. What then? Students walk away from their college dreams.
The UCA Commitment is a groundbreaking, debt-free pathway for tuition and fees for incoming Arkansas freshmen with an annual household income of $100,000 or less. Fewer barriers. Endless opportunities – for our students and our state.
Our Goals
TRANSFORM education by reducing financial barriers for Arkansas families earning $100,000 a year or less.
EMPOWER students and their families to see a post-secondary education as an obtainable opportunity.
FOSTER EQUAL ACCESS to education, inspire future leaders, and promote fair socioeconomic growth.
Letter From the President
What started as a simple conversation with a small campus group about finding solutions to help our students avoid debt and meet their financial obligations has developed into what will be an institution-defining and life-changing program for Arkansas students and their families.
Our university has introduced the UCA Commitment, a student support initiative meant to provide financial assistance and assurance to a population of students who might think that they have been priced out of even considering pursuing a college degree. Through the UCA Commitment, we are ushering in a new era of stewardship at our institution and fundamentally changing the educational access landscape in our state and region.
Starting in the fall of 2024, incoming first-year students from Arkansas households earning up to $100,000 can choose to opt into the UCA Commitment, which will give them a pathway to earn a degree with no debt or greatly reduced debt.
We know that students from this population still owe an average of $4,000 per year after all other federal, state, and private aid are exhausted. Students have to turn to student loans to cover this shortfall, and in some cases, credit cards. The UCA Commitment can help in bridging this gap. We are proud to continue finding new ways to eliminate financial barriers and increase our students’ capacity to succeed.
UCA recognizes the vital role that education plays in shaping the future of our state and society. Through higher education, we empower individuals, inspire innovation, and drive economic development, and the UCA Commitment is another investment in our students and in the state of Arkansas.