Important Note: To receive this funding, you must accept the service agreement. 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 to be repaid with interest.

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Application Deadlines

January 15 – Scholarship opens for fall semester
July 1 – Fall semester deadline

October 1 – Scholarship opens for spring semester
January 10 – Spring semester deadline

*You must be enrolled in the Spring semester to be eligible for Summer session funding.

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Eligibility Requirement

Be enrolled and in good standing in a graduate or undergraduate program of study leading to an initial Arkansas teaching license or a classroom licensure endorsement.

Eligible UCA programs include:

• Undergraduate teacher preparation programs
• MAT and MAT Special Education
• Other classroom teaching endorsement areas.

School Counseling positions that spend at least 70% of their time counseling or in the classroom are eligible.
Library Media positions that spend at least 70% of their time in the library/media center or in the classroom are eligible.

Beginning 2025-26, applicants must be fully admitted to the teacher education program to be eligible. 

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How to Apply

Apply through the Arkansas Scholarship Application Management System (SAMS)

• Click the icon below to access the SAMS portal.

• Do not login yet. Instead, click on ‘Search for Scholarships’

• Respond to each of the questions. (Note: This process might identify other eligible scholarships for you!)
• When you get to the question Are you interested in applying for the Arkansas Teacher Academy? answer YES.

By answering YES and completing the process, your name will be added to the list for scholarship eligibility verification. Beginning 2025-26, applicants must be accepted into the UCA teacher education program (or be fully admitted to graduate school) to be eligible.

• When you have completed all questions, click SUBMIT to see your eligible scholarships.

Don’t stop! You have more to do!

• Click “Continue” to apply for these scholarships. If you exit prior to logging in or creating a SAMS account, your financial aid search results will not be saved.

• 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.

Once you have completed the application process, ADHE will work with UCA to verify eligibility and to make the award.  Funds will be added to your account when ADHE has added your name to the UCA list of students receiving the scholarship. This list typically is available to the Financial Aid office in late July/early August for fall semester recipients.