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Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship

 

The Details:

Act 237 of 2023 (the LEARNS Act) established the Arkansas Teacher Academy Scholarship Fund that provides up to $6,000 per semester for students enrolled at a post-secondary institution in a degree program that leads to teacher licensure. These scholarship funds can only be applied to tuition and mandatory fees.

For every year (or partial year) that you receive funding, you are required to teach a year in an Arkansas public school or the scholarship becomes a loan that you have to pay back.

IMPORTANT DATES:

  • October 1, 2024 – Teacher Academy application for Spring 2025 semester opens.
  • January 10, 2025 – Spring 2025 semester deadline
  • January 11, 2025 – Teacher Academy application for Fall 2025 semester opens
  • July 1, 2025 – Fall 2025 semester deadline

*You must be enrolled in Spring 2025 semester to be eligible for Summer 2025 sessions.

For more information, click HERE.

Eligibility Requirement:

Be enrolled and in good standing in a graduate or undergraduate program of study leading to an initial Arkansas teaching license. This includes initial licensure School Counseling students who spend 70% of their time counseling and Library Media and Instructional Technologies (LIBM) students who spend 70% of their time in the library.

How to Apply:

Apply through the Arkansas Scholarship Application Management System (SAMS):

  • Access the SAMS portal at the link below.
  • Do not login yet. Instead, click on ‘Search for Scholarships’
  • Respond to each of the questions.
  • When you get to the question Have you been accepted to the Arkansas Teacher Academy? answer YES.
    • By answering YES and completing the rest of this process, your name will be added to the list for scholarship eligibility verification.
    • If your major is one of the teacher preparation programs at UCA – even if you are not yet fully admitted – you are considered “accepted.”
  • When you have completed all questions, click SUBMIT.
  • Don’t stop! You have more to do!
  • On this next page, login.
    • If you currently have an account (such as the account you used to apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge/Lottery Scholarship), use that username and password to proceed.
    • If you do not have an account, click REGISTER and create an account.
  • Complete the application process.

Questions?

If you have questions regarding the policy, rules and regulations for this scholarship, you may contact the Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE) at 501-371-2000 or by email at finaid@adhe.edu.

For UCA Financial Aid, you may contact Travis Kunkel at 501-450-5352 or by email at tkunkel1@uca.edu to ask questions about how UCA will process the funds.  However, please note, we will not be able to add these funds to your account until ADHE has added your name to the UCA list of students receiving the scholarship. This typically does not come to the Financial Aid office until late July/early August.