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Arkansas scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$32,690per year · 2025-2026 · ResidentNon-resident $53,744
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

Arkansas is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 10 published awards, and 6 are based on those numbers.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
10 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

The award collection

Published scholarships

These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.

Where does your student land?

  1. New Arkansan NRTA — 90% Tier (9 eligible states)Pays 90% of the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition (~$18,948/year, $75,792 over four years at the 2025-26 rates)AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    New Arkansan NRTA — 90% Tier (9 eligible states)

    Pays 90% of the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition (~$18,948/year, $75,792 over four years at the 2025-26 rates)

    Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.80+ cumulative high school GPA on a 4.0 scale
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for New Arkansan NRTA — 90% Tier (9 eligible states)

    Who qualifies

    Resident of one of nine eligible states: Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas. Apply for admission; no separate scholarship application required. Test score requirements vary; see uark.edu Test Score Policy.

    How to keep it

    Complete 24 or more credit hours per academic year and maintain a 2.75+ cumulative GPA. The NRTA Renewal page details specific term-by-term hour requirements. Renewable for 4 years (5 years for Architecture students).

    Worth knowing

    The headline OOS award. Combined with in-state tuition rate of $269.75/credit hour, NRTA-90 students pay tuition that is functionally near in-state. Stacks with Chancellor's Merit, Chancellor's Scholarship, Bodenhamer/Sturgis Fellowships up to the COA cap.

  2. New Arkansan NRTA — 80% Tier (9 eligible states)Pays 80% of the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition (~$16,843/year, $67,372 over four years)AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    New Arkansan NRTA — 80% Tier (9 eligible states)

    Pays 80% of the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition (~$16,843/year, $67,372 over four years)

    Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.60-3.79 cumulative high school GPA
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for New Arkansan NRTA — 80% Tier (9 eligible states)

    Who qualifies

    Resident of one of the nine NRTA states (GA, IL, KS, LA, MS, MO, OK, TN, TX). Apply for admission; automatically awarded.

    How to keep it

    24+ credit hours/year and 2.75+ cumulative GPA at U of A.

  3. New Arkansan NRTA — 70% Tier (9 eligible states)Pays 70% of the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition (~$14,738/year, $58,952 over four years)AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    New Arkansan NRTA — 70% Tier (9 eligible states)

    Pays 70% of the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition (~$14,738/year, $58,952 over four years)

    Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.20-3.59 cumulative high school GPA
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for New Arkansan NRTA — 70% Tier (9 eligible states)

    Who qualifies

    Resident of one of the nine NRTA states. Apply for admission.

    How to keep it

    24+ credit hours/year and 2.75+ cumulative GPA at U of A.

    Worth knowing

    The entry tier of the NRTA; kicks in at a 3.20 GPA, one of the most accessible automatic OOS merit thresholds at any SEC public flagship.

  4. Extended States NRTA — 80% TierPays 80% of the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition (~$16,843/year)AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Extended States NRTA — 80% Tier

    Pays 80% of the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition (~$16,843/year)

    Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.60+ cumulative high school GPA
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Extended States NRTA — 80% Tier

    Who qualifies

    Resident of any state OUTSIDE the nine NRTA states. Apply for admission. Automatic.

    How to keep it

    Same renewal terms as the main NRTA: 24+ hours/year, 2.75+ GPA.

    Worth knowing

    The 'Extended States' track is for applicants from the other 41 states. Slightly less generous than the main NRTA at the top tier (80% vs 90%) and substantially less at the entry tier (50% vs 70%). Still automatic on stats.

  5. Extended States NRTA — 50% TierPays 50% of the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition (~$10,527/year)AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Extended States NRTA — 50% Tier

    Pays 50% of the difference between out-of-state and in-state tuition (~$10,527/year)

    Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.20-3.59 cumulative high school GPA
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Extended States NRTA — 50% Tier

    Who qualifies

    Resident of any state outside the nine NRTA states. Apply for admission.

    How to keep it

    24+ hours/year, 2.75+ GPA.

    Worth knowing

    Entry tier for the 41 Extended States. The drop from 70% (NRTA) to 50% (Extended) for sub-3.60 GPA students is the single biggest geographic price discontinuity in Arkansas's aid structure.

  6. Bodenhamer Fellowship$20,000/year ($80,000 over four years)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Bodenhamer Fellowship

    $20,000/year ($80,000 over four years)

    Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.90+ high school GPA
    SAT
    1430+
    ACT
    32+
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Bodenhamer Fellowship

    Who qualifies

    Requires application for admission AND the Honors College Fellowship application. Priority Deadline: November 15. Final Deadline: February 1.

    How to keep it

    Cumulative 3.00 GPA and 27 hours earned by the end of the second semester of each academic year, and 30 hours earned in each subsequent academic year. Renewable for 4 years or 8 semesters total. For programs with degree plans longer than 4 years, extra semester(s) of funding may be available.

    Worth knowing

    One of Arkansas's premier honors fellowships. Stacks with NRTA (the Bodenhamer + 90% NRTA combo brings effective net cost to near zero for most OOS recipients). Fellowships require recommendations and an interview; Bodenhamer is awarded to top 1-2% of applicants.

  7. Sturgis Fellowship$20,000/year ($80,000 over four years)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Sturgis Fellowship

    $20,000/year ($80,000 over four years)

    Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.90+ high school GPA
    SAT
    1430+
    ACT
    32+
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Sturgis Fellowship

    Who qualifies

    Only open to incoming Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences students. Application + interview required. Priority Deadline: November 15. Final Deadline: February 1.

    How to keep it

    Cumulative 3.00 GPA and 27 hours earned by the end of the second semester of each academic year, and 30 hours earned in each subsequent academic year. Renewable for 4 years or 8 semesters total.

    Worth knowing

    Sister fellowship to Bodenhamer; identical funding but restricted to Fulbright College majors. Fulbright College spans Arts & Sciences (English, History, Math, Sciences, etc.), so most non-business, non-engineering applicants are eligible.

  8. Chancellor's Merit Scholarship (National Merit Finalists)$12,000/year ($48,000 over four years)AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Chancellor's Merit Scholarship (National Merit Finalists)

    $12,000/year ($48,000 over four years)

    Published award termsAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Chancellor's Merit Scholarship (National Merit Finalists)

    Who qualifies

    National Merit Finalist who names the University of Arkansas as 1st choice with the National Merit Corporation. Notify the Scholarship Office at scholars@uark.edu of selection as a Semifinalist or Finalist.

    How to keep it

    Cumulative 2.75 GPA and 30 hours earned by the end of the second semester of each award year. 4 years or 8 semesters total (5 years for Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Landscape Architecture).

    Worth knowing

    Stacks with the NRTA. NMF + 90% NRTA + Chancellor's Merit can effectively zero out OOS cost for residents of the 9 NRTA states. NMFs from the Extended States still benefit substantially.

  9. Chancellor's ScholarshipUp to $10,000/year (toward direct cost of education including tuition, fees, and double-occupancy room and board in UA residence hall or Greek housing)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Chancellor's Scholarship

    Up to $10,000/year (toward direct cost of education including tuition, fees, and double-occupancy room and board in UA residence hall or Greek housing)

    Variable or qualified amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Chancellor's Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Top 5% of the applicant pool typically. National Merit Semifinalists and Semifinalists are also considered. Competitive; not automatic on stats. Apply for admission and complete the Entering Freshman Scholarship Application by the November 15 priority deadline.

    How to keep it

    Same renewal as Chancellor's Merit: 2.75 GPA + 30 hours/year. Renewable 4 years (5 years for Architecture).

    Worth knowing

    Chancellor's Scholarship recipients also automatically receive the New Arkansan NRTA. Combined package at the top tier brings annual OOS cost to roughly $25,000 before any room and board savings.

  10. Honors College Fellowship$20,000/year (parallels Bodenhamer/Sturgis funding)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Honors College Fellowship

    $20,000/year (parallels Bodenhamer/Sturgis funding)

    Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.90+ high school GPA
    SAT
    1430+
    ACT
    32+
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Honors College Fellowship

    Who qualifies

    Application + interview through the Honors College. Priority Deadline: November 15. Top 1-2% of applicants.

    How to keep it

    Cumulative 3.00 GPA, 27 hours by end of Year 1, 30 hours/year subsequently. Renewable 4 years (5 for Architecture).

    Worth knowing

    Honors College Fellowships are GPA/test-eligibility-similar to Bodenhamer/Sturgis but selected through a separate Honors College pipeline. All four (Honors, Bodenhamer, Sturgis, Boyer) are funded at the same $20,000/year tier.

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The fine print

Cutoff cliffOne ACT point can move the award by +$4,211/yr ($14,738 NRTA 70% − $10,527 Extended 50%)

Arkansas publishes a tier ladder where crossing 3.20-3.59 GPA · Extended State → NRTA state (cross the state line) changes the marginal value by +$4,211/yr ($14,738 NRTA 70% − $10,527 Extended 50%). The single biggest geographic discontinuity in Arkansas's structure, per the source data. Bigger than any single GPA step at the entry band.

Aid capHard $53,744 cost-of-attendance ceiling

Institutional aid at Arkansas cannot push the package past $53,744. Big outside wins can mathematically reduce institutional grant once the ceiling is reached.

Old Main Full at University of Arkansas

Old Main Full at University of Arkansas

What makes Arkansas different

SEC public flagship with one of the most aggressive automatic out-of-state pricing programs in the country: the New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award (NRTA) covers 70-90% of the OOS tuition gap automatically on GPA, turning Arkansas into in-state-equivalent pricing for residents of nine specific states.

Read our full reasoning

Worth optimizing for if your student lives in one of the nine NRTA states. The catch is geography, not stats: cross the state line and your automatic award can drop by thousands.

Arkansas runs the most accessible automatic out-of-state ladder of any SEC public flagship: the New Arkansan NRTA kicks in at just a 3.20 GPA. For residents of the nine NRTA states (GA, IL, KS, LA, MS, MO, OK, TN, TX), the ladder runs 70% (~$14,738/yr) at 3.20, 80% (~$16,843) at 3.60, and 90% (~$18,948) at 3.80. The biggest single threshold move is not a GPA step but the state line: a 3.20-3.59 student inside the nine states gets the 70% NRTA (~$14,738) while the same student from the other 41 states gets only the 50% Extended tier (~$10,527) - a $4,211/yr gap the data itself calls Arkansas's single biggest geographic discontinuity. Above that, the $20,000 Bodenhamer/Sturgis/Honors fellowships (3.90 GPA, 1430 SAT / 32 ACT) stack on NRTA. Arkansas applies a cost-of-attendance overaward cap, so once stacked awards approach COA, additional dollars are reduced - run the COA math before chasing outside money. Fellowship final deadline: February 1 (priority November 15).

Merit tiers106 based on grades or scores
Mid-50% SAT1130–1330Common Data Set 2024-2025
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

More than one award path

Separate the two paths.

Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  2. Check the application dates

    Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.

  3. Know what happens next year

    Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.

The fine print / Three questions to carry forward

Before you count on it.

Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.

Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.

Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.

Take Arkansas's decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

Straight from the aid office

What Arkansas's aid office says

Per the Office of Academic Scholarships, University of Arkansas, August 2026. How we verify

GPA used for the NRTA

Which GPA drives the New Arkansan NRTA award tiers — weighted or unweighted?

Neither number off the transcript directly: the Office of Admissions recalculates every GPA to a standard 4-point scale, and gives weighted credit for AP, IB, and concurrent-enrollment courses. Admissions also awards the NRTA itself.

“The NRTA GPA is recalculated by the Office of Admissions and is awarded by them as well. All grade point averages are calculated to a standard 4-point scale, with weighted credit given for AP, IB, and concurrent enrollment.”
Superscoring

Does Arkansas superscore the SAT for scholarship consideration?

Yes — the office confirmed the SAT superscore is accepted for scholarship consideration.

“We do accept the SAT superscore for scholarship consideration.”
Outside scholarships

If an outside scholarship arrives after the award letter, do loans or the Arkansas award get reduced?

Loans are left alone unless the student's total aid reaches the semester's cost of attendance — so an outside check does not trigger a reduction below that cap. For what counts toward cost of attendance, the office pointed families to the Financial Aid office (finaid@uark.edu).

“Loans will not be reduced unless the student reaches their cost of attendance for the semester.”
Keeping the NRTA

What does a student have to maintain to keep the NRTA — and can it come back after a bad semester?

The renewal requirements are published at scholarships.uark.edu/nrta. The office's wording indicates losing the award is not necessarily permanent: a student who misses the requirements is without the NRTA until they are meeting the standard renewal requirements again.

“If the student does not meet the renewal requirements, they will not have the nrta until they are meeting standard renewal requirements.”

What families often miss

  1. The NRTA has TWO distinct geographic tiers. Residents of the nine 'New Arkansan' states (GA, IL, KS, LA, MS, MO, OK, TN, TX) qualify for the main NRTA: 70-90% of the tuition gap. Residents of the other 41 states get the 'Extended States' NRTA: 50-80% of the gap, with the bigger drop at the lower GPA tier. Always confirm your state of residence is on the main NRTA list before assuming the 90% rate.

  2. The NRTA is automatic and does not require a scholarship application. But Bodenhamer, Sturgis, Chancellor's Scholarship, and Honors College Fellowships all require the Entering Freshman Scholarship Application by November 15 for priority consideration. Late applicants (February 1 final deadline) are reviewed only as funds remain, typically much less competitive. The Common App admissions deadline is separate; complete BOTH.

  3. The Chancellor's Merit Scholarship ($12,000/year) requires NMF status AND naming the University of Arkansas as 1st choice with the National Merit Corporation by the NMSC's published deadline (typically May of senior year). NMFs who only become Finalists in February sometimes miss the 1st-choice deadline because they're still deciding. Confirm with scholars@uark.edu as soon as Semifinalist status is announced.

  4. The NRTA renewal requires 24+ credit hours per academic year and a 2.75+ cumulative GPA. A student who drops below 12 hours in any semester (even briefly) or who fails to complete 24 hours within the academic year loses the NRTA and cannot regain it for that aid year. The non-resident tuition reverts to the full $971.53/credit-hour rate immediately. Plan course load carefully.

  5. When NRTA + Chancellor's Merit + Bodenhamer + outside scholarships exceed the OOS COA, the U of A's Cost of Attendance Overaward Policy kicks in and reduces awards. The NRTA is generally protected (it's a tuition reduction, not a cash disbursement), but cash scholarships can be cut. Students with multiple major awards should run the math with the Office of Financial Aid before assuming the full stack.

See award cutoffs and special programs

What your student's profile actually earns

Every figure is a named tier with its own published dollar value. NRTA awards scale with GPA and state of residence; fellowships require a separate Honors application.

Student profileLikely outcome
Extended State (41 states) · 3.20-3.59 GPAExtended States NRTA 50% — ~$10,527/yrEntry tier for the 41 non-NRTA states. The floor of the automatic ladder.
NRTA state (9 states) · 3.20-3.59 GPANew Arkansan NRTA 70% — ~$14,738/yrEntry tier for the nine NRTA states; one of the most accessible automatic OOS thresholds at any SEC flagship.
NRTA state · 3.60-3.79 GPANew Arkansan NRTA 80% — ~$16,843/yrSame value as the Extended States 80% tier, which needs 3.60+.
NRTA state · 3.80+ GPANew Arkansan NRTA 90% — ~$18,948/yrThe headline OOS award; brings tuition functionally near in-state.
3.90 GPA · 32 ACT / 1430 SATBodenhamer / Sturgis / Honors Fellowship — $20,000/yrCompetitive, not automatic: separate Honors application + interview. Stacks on NRTA up to the COA cap. Final deadline February 1.

Where the dollars actually move

Each delta is the subtraction between two named tiers above. NRTA values are ~approximate per the published rate math; treat the steps as the size of the move, not penny-exact.

ThresholdMarginal value
3.20-3.59 GPA · Extended State → NRTA state (cross the state line)+$4,211/yr ($14,738 NRTA 70% − $10,527 Extended 50%)The single biggest geographic discontinuity in Arkansas's structure, per the source data. Bigger than any single GPA step at the entry band.
NRTA state · 3.59 → 3.60 GPA+$2,105/yr ($16,843 NRTA 80% − $14,738 NRTA 70%)Cleanest GPA test-prep / grade target for NRTA-state students at the low band.
NRTA state · 3.79 → 3.80 GPA+$2,105/yr ($18,948 NRTA 90% − $16,843 NRTA 80%)Identical-size step to the 70→80 move; both NRTA GPA cliffs are worth +$2,105/yr.
NRTA 90% + 3.90 GPA fellowship (32 ACT / 1430 SAT)+$20,000/yr (Bodenhamer/Sturgis/Honors fellowship stacked on the ~$18,948 90% NRTA)Largest absolute dollar add, but it is a separate competitive award, not a single-stat threshold. Stacking is capped at COA — watch the overaward rule.
See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Two specific OOS profiles: (1) Residents of the nine 'New Arkansan' eligible states (Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas) with a 3.20+ high school GPA, where the NRTA pays 70-90% of the OOS-vs-in-state tuition difference automatically, no application required. (2) High-stat applicants nationwide (32+ ACT, 3.90+ GPA) competitive for the Bodenhamer or Sturgis Fellowship ($20,000/year). Arkansas residents add Arkansas Academic Challenge state aid. Hard pass for OOS families from the 41 'Extended States' below the 3.60 GPA threshold; the NRTA drops to 50% of the difference, leaving more sticker exposure.

Cost of attendance$32,690–$53,744 for 2025-2026Each bar is the full published cost for that scenario, sized against the highest figure so totals compare at a glance.
Out-of-state, on-campus$53,744
In-state, on-campus$32,690
  • Tuition & fees
  • Housing & food
  • Books
  • Travel
  • Personal

Loan fee of $68 published separately and not included in the official budget total.

Arkansas cost-of-attendance source

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Arkansas, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at Arkansas, academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$14,319
$30,001–$48,000$14,322
$48,001–$75,000$15,934
$75,001–$110,000$20,772
$110,001+$22,470
All income levels (average)$18,209

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$10,104
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$29,966
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$18,209

That works out to roughly a 34% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $27,767 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

Arkansas is a public school; Scorecard's net price figure covers in-state, Title-IV-aid-recipient payers only — there is no comparable federal figure for out-of-state students.

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
71%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
86%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$21,500 (~$228/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$58,191
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
20%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
40%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Arkansas applies a Cost of Attendance Overaward Policy: combined institutional aid + state aid + outside scholarships cannot exceed the COA. Awards are reduced (cancelled or reduced) until the overaward is eliminated. The NRTA is treated as a tuition reduction (not a cash scholarship), which means it does not displace need-based aid the way a cash scholarship would.

Per the U of A Cost of Attendance page: 'In addition to the above federal/state need-based overaward requirements, the University of Arkansas applies a Cost of Attendance Overaward Policy for all students who receive assistance from any source. Awards in the package will be adjusted (cancelled or reduced) until the cost of attendance overaward has been eliminated.' The NRTA functions as a non-resident tuition reduction (assessed against the OOS tuition rate), not as a separately disbursed cash scholarship; NRTA stacking with cash awards (Chancellor's, Bodenhamer, etc.) is generally protected up to the OOS COA. Outside scholarships first reduce loans and Work-Study; institutional merit is generally protected unless an over-award occurs against direct-billable charges.

Source

More school data

From the Arkansas Common Data Set 2024-2025:

SAT mid-50%1130–133025th / 75th percentile
ACT mid-50%23–3025th / 75th percentile

Source: Common Data Set

Other Arkansas scholarships worth checking

These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.

Amount$20,000/yearEligibilityTop 1-2% of incoming first-year applicants. Application + interview through the Honors College. Priority Deadline: November 15.

Fourth Honors College fellowship at the $20,000 funding tier. Differentiated from Bodenhamer/Sturgis by mission focus (Boyer emphasizes service and community engagement). Same renewal terms as the other Honors fellowships.

Source

AmountVariable; pairs Honors College mentorship with merit fundingEligibilityTargets historically underrepresented students with strong academic profiles. Selection through the Honors College recruitment process.

Named for Silas Hunt, the first African American to attend the University of Arkansas. Stacks with NRTA and Chancellor's awards.

Source

Amount$300-$5,000/year (highly competitive)EligibilityContinuing U of A undergraduates. Application opens January 1, closes February 15 each year.

Funded by the Office of Academic Scholarships for students already enrolled. Worth checking annually; funds are limited but not capped at first-year applicants.

Source

AmountVariable; multiple awards per year per collegeEligibilityDeclared business or engineering majors. Most awards become available after first year.

Walton (business) and College of Engineering have substantial donor pipelines. The NRTA's per-credit-hour fee structure also varies by college (Business is $365.15/hr in-state, Engineering $334.50/hr); students with engineering or business focus see higher absolute tuition before NRTA discount.

Source

Amount$1,000-$5,000/year (state-funded, varies by year)EligibilityArkansas residents meeting the state's GPA + test score requirements. Apply through the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

State-funded merit award for Arkansas residents. Stacks with U of A institutional merit. The Arkansas Department of Higher Education sets eligibility annually; check the YOUniversal portal each year.

Source

Arkansas merit aid FAQ

  • Is the New Arkansan NRTA truly automatic on stats?

    Yes. Apply for admission and qualify based on cumulative high school GPA. Recipients are notified on their admission profile residency statement. No separate scholarship application is required. Test scores affect Chancellor's and Bodenhamer eligibility but not the base NRTA; the NRTA is purely GPA-based.

  • Which states qualify for the main NRTA at 70-90%?

    Nine specific states: Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. Residents of any other state receive the 'Extended States' NRTA at 50-80% of the tuition difference. The geographic distinction is the single most important fact about Arkansas merit aid for OOS families.

  • Can I stack the NRTA with the Chancellor's Merit Scholarship?

    Yes. NRTA recipients who are also National Merit Finalists naming Arkansas as 1st choice automatically receive the Chancellor's Merit Scholarship ($12,000/year). The NRTA is treated as a tuition reduction; Chancellor's Merit is a cash scholarship. Both stack up to the cost of attendance.

  • What's the bar for Bodenhamer or Sturgis Fellowship?

    32+ ACT or 1430+ SAT, plus 3.90+ high school GPA. Both require the Honors College Fellowship application AND the U of A admission application by the November 15 priority deadline (final deadline February 1). Sturgis is restricted to Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences students; Bodenhamer is open to all majors. Both pay $20,000/year for four years.

  • What is Arkansas's actual OOS net cost after NRTA?

    At the 90% NRTA tier: ~$34,800/year (sticker $53,744 minus ~$18,948 NRTA). At the 70% entry NRTA tier: ~$39,000/year. At the Extended States 50% tier: ~$43,200/year. For high-stat applicants stacking Bodenhamer + NRTA + Chancellor's, net cost can drop below $20,000/year, competitive with in-state pricing at most state flagships.

See sources and other schools

How Arkansas compares

  • 235 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use cost-of-attendance cap displacement.

    Arkansas is in a recognizable cluster (235 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    Arkansas is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

  • 63 of 749 verified schools publish a marginal-value cliff table we can quantify.

    Arkansas is one of them. Most schools won't tell families what one ACT point is actually worth. At the schools that do, a strategic retake is sometimes mathematically more valuable than test-optional positioning.

Sources used on this page

Every claim is checked against Arkansas’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

How Arkansas compares

Families looking at Arkansas typically also evaluate four direct competitors:

  • Alabama's automatic OOS merit ladder. Alabama publishes a flat OOS merit table that's open to any state and starts at a 25 ACT / 3.5 GPA. Arkansas's NRTA is geographically restricted to nine states but starts at a much lower 3.20 GPA bar and pays 70-90% of the tuition gap. For applicants from the 9 NRTA states with sub-30 ACT scores, Arkansas wins on bar; for OOS applicants from the rest of the country, Alabama is the safer automatic-merit play.
  • Ole Miss 1848 Award. Ole Miss eliminates non-resident fees at a 32 ACT / 3.75 GPA, a higher academic bar but a more aggressive OOS price than Arkansas's middle tier. Ole Miss wins for the high-stat applicant; Arkansas wins for the 3.20-3.79 GPA OOS applicant from the 9 NRTA states.
  • Mississippi State merit aid. MSU's Provost (and Provost Plus) awards run $9,000-$13,000/year and are stat-driven for OOS applicants nationwide. Arkansas's NRTA is more generous in dollar terms ($14,700-$18,900/year) but only for 9 specific states. Compare both for a Memphis or Atlanta-area student deciding between the two.
  • University of Oklahoma merit aid. OU's Diversity Tuition Waiver and academic competitive scholarships are similar in scope to Arkansas's NRTA + Chancellor's structure. Both Oklahoma and Arkansas are in the 9-state NRTA pool: for an Oklahoma resident applying to Arkansas, NRTA + Chancellor's stacks; for an Arkansas resident applying to OU, OU's competitive aid is a separate calculation.
  • Auburn merit aid. Auburn's published OOS ladder ($7,000-$17,000/yr) is well below Arkansas's NRTA-adjusted OOS price for residents of the 9 eligible states. Auburn wins on football and SEC East scheduling; Arkansas wins on net OOS price for the right state of residence.
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