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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
For more information, click HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money will I actually received?
The amount you receive will depend on your total financial aid situation. These funds are intended to “close the gap” between other financial aid and the remaining cost of your tuition and mandatory fees up to $6,000 per semester.
How long can I receive this scholarship?
Provided that you remain eligible and in good standing, funding can be available up to the required number of credit hours of your program. For any semester you are enrolled less than full-time, the available award will be adjusted proportionally.
Will I get more excess aid because of this scholarship?
Direct specific questions about your aid to the UCA Financial Aid office. This scholarship is meant to cover the gap between other aid and remaining tuition and mandatory fees (so that you effectively go to school tuition free to be a teacher) and follows the Arkansas scholarship stacking policy.
Do I need to reapply each year?
You are not required to reapply each semester or year to continue to receive the scholarship. The scholarship is renewed on a yearly basis after each Spring semester as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
For Other 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.