University of Arkansas at Monticello Scholarships (2026–2027)
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Last Updated on October 29, 2026- Tuition, housing, and average family net price
- Automatic merit ranges and qualifier benchmarks
- Flagship and hidden-gem awards
- Honors and stacking strategy
📊 Admissions Snapshot
- Acceptance Rate: ~N/A
- Middle 50% ACT: N/A
- Middle 50% SAT: N/A
- Average GPA: N/A
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📌 University of Arkansas at Monticello at a Glance
- Open admission doesn’t mean test-free money. Getting in doesn’t require much, but every UAM merit scholarship needs a test score: an ACT superscore, the SAT, or ACCUPLACER. The July ACT is the last score UAM will count.
- One award, not a pile. Your student gets the single highest scholarship they qualify for. The only thing that stacks on top is the $1,000 Weevil Legacy add-on for children of UAM grads.
- The “too much aid” trim. If outside scholarships, state aid or grants already cover tuition and fees, UAM reduces or removes its own award. These awards are nonrefundable, so leftover money never comes back as cash.
- Moving off campus costs you. UAM’s policy says a scholarship student who chooses to live off campus forfeits whatever is left of the award after tuition and fees.
- 15 hours, every semester. After the first semester (12 hours), students must carry 15 hours, finish 27 hours the first year and 30 every year after, and keep a 2.5 GPA. One semester under a 2.0 and the scholarship is gone.
- There’s no posted scholarship deadline. UAM awards are “subject to available funding,” so the safe move is to apply and send scores in the fall of senior year, not the spring.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. University of Arkansas at Monticello is test-optional for admission, but scholarships can work differently (see the next question).
Do you need test scores for scholarships at University of Arkansas at Monticello? Every UAM merit award needs an ACT superscore, SAT or ACCUPLACER score; the July ACT is the last one counted.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: N/A; SAT: N/A.
Average net price? About $13,575/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity? Yes. Institutional waivers are available.
UAM Institutional Scholarships: https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/institutional-scholarships.html
UAM Band/Choir Audition Information: https://www.uamont.edu/academics/music/BandChoirAuditionInformation.html
UAM Pledge: https://www.uamont.edu/uampledge.html
CollegeScorecard / Admissions: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
💰 Cost of Attendance at University of Arkansas at Monticello: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest University of Arkansas at Monticello has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $400 to $900 more than the in-state total below. $500 to $1,200 more than the out-of-state total below.
| Tuition & mandatory fees | $9,750 |
| Housing & meals (typical) | $8,660 |
| Total billed cost | $18,410 |
| Tuition & mandatory fees | $15,600 |
| Housing & meals (typical) | $8,660 |
| Total billed cost | $24,260 |
That is $5,850 more per year than Arkansas residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $13,575 per year. This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Most out-of-state families won’t pay the out-of-state number. If you live in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Missouri, UAM waives the out-of-state portion of tuition, so you pay the same tuition rate as an Arkansas family. If you live anywhere else, the Chancellor’s, University, Academic and Valedictorian scholarships waive it too. The waiver is applied when your student registers for classes.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at UAM
Do students from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Missouri pay out-of-state tuition at UAM?
No. UAM waives the out-of-state portion of tuition for residents of all six states that border Arkansas. In practice, a family in Shreveport or Memphis pays the same tuition as a family in Little Rock.
We live farther away. Can we still get in-state tuition?
Yes, if your student earns the Chancellor’s, University, Academic or Valedictorian Scholarship, since all four waive out-of-state tuition. UAM’s broader rule also waives it when a student’s UAM institutional, performance or athletic scholarship equals at least tuition for 12 hours, so ask Financial Aid how your student’s award is treated.
What is the UAM Pledge?
It’s UAM’s promise to Arkansas students with financial need. If your student receives a Pell Grant, the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship and any UAM merit scholarship, the Pledge covers whatever tuition, mandatory fees and course fees are still left. It doesn’t cover housing, meals or books.
Can scholarship money pay for the dorm?
Yes. UAM institutional scholarships can go toward tuition and fees, on-campus housing and course-related bookstore charges. That’s why living on campus matters: a student who moves off campus gives up whatever is left after tuition and fees.
How much does housing actually cost?
UAM budgets $8,660 for a year of room and board. On the 2026-27 rate sheet, a double room runs $2,025 to $2,125 a semester in the residence halls and $2,850 in the student apartments, and full meal plans run $2,275 to $2,575 a semester.
Why is the average net price higher than tuition?
Net price counts housing, food, books and travel on top of tuition, then subtracts grants and scholarships. The $13,575 figure is from 2022-23, the newest the federal government has published for UAM, so run UAM’s Net Price Calculator for a current estimate.
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/cost.html
https://www.uamont.edu/cashiers/pdfs/TuitionandFees.pdf
https://www.uamont.edu/uampledge.html
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=106485
📅 UAM Scholarship Timeline (Simple Version)
- Fall of senior year: Apply (it’s free) and send the transcript and test scores. UAM doesn’t post a scholarship deadline, and awards depend on available funding.
- As soon as the FAFSA opens: File it with UAM’s school code 001085. Pell eligibility is also what unlocks the UAM Pledge.
- July 1: Arkansas families apply through SAMS for the Academic Challenge and most state aid.
- July: The last ACT test date UAM will count for scholarships.
Parent rule of thumb: because there’s no posted cutoff, treat “earlier” as the deadline. A retake that bumps your student into a higher tier is worth thousands, so plan it before July.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at UAM
Note: UAM’s grid has two tracks. Test scores drive the top four awards, and grades drive the A/M tiers for students with a 16 to 23 ACT. UAM gives whichever pays more, so a high-GPA student with a middle-of-the-road ACT can come out ahead.
Automatic Merit FAQs (UAM)
What ACT does my student need for each UAM scholarship?
30+ earns the Chancellor’s ($12,000 a year), 27 to 29 the University ($9,000), 24 to 26 the Academic ($6,000), and 19 to 23 the Green and White ($3,000). All four need at least a 2.5 GPA, and the top three also waive out-of-state tuition.
My student has a 3.8 GPA but only a 20 ACT. What do they get?
The A/M Tier 3 at $4,000 a year, not the $3,000 Green and White, because UAM awards the higher of the two. A 4.0 GPA with a 16 to 23 ACT reaches $6,000, the same as a 24 ACT.
How does the Valedictorian Scholarship work?
A valedictorian with a 21 to 26 ACT superscore earns $6,000 a year plus the out-of-state waiver. UAM needs the final transcript showing valedictorian status, so make sure the counselor lists it.
Who qualifies for the Weevil Legacy Scholarship?
A freshman with a UAM scholarship whose parent or legal guardian graduated from UAM, including with a technical certificate or associate degree. It adds $1,000 a year and is the only award that stacks with the main scholarship.
Does the Arkansas Academic Challenge stack with UAM merit?
It’s state money, so it isn’t limited by UAM’s one-award rule. But UAM can reduce its own award when other aid already covers tuition and fees, so ask Financial Aid to show you the combined numbers before you commit.
What does it take to keep the scholarship all four years?
12 hours the first semester, then 15 every semester. The student also needs 27 hours by the end of freshman year and 30 each year after, plus a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Falling short puts the student on scholarship probation for one term, but dropping below a 2.0 ends the award immediately.
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/institutional-scholarships.html
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/pdfs/InstitutionalScholarshipPolicy.pdf
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/financial-aid-types.html
🏆 Flagship Scholarships (Competitive Scholarships)
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at UAM?
| Aid Type | Stacks with Merit? | UAM Parent Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Merit | N/A | One award only, the highest your student qualifies for. |
| Weevil Legacy | Yes | +$1,000 a year for children of UAM grads, on top of the main award. |
| Foundation / Department Awards | Usually | Outside the one-award rule, but they can trigger a trim to UAM’s merit award if tuition and fees are already covered. |
| Band / Choir | Ask | UAM doesn’t publish the rule. Get the combined offer in writing. |
| Arkansas Academic Challenge | Yes, with a catch | State money stays, but UAM may lower its own award if the total exceeds tuition and fees. |
| Pell Grant | Yes | For Arkansas students, Pell plus Challenge plus any UAM merit award unlocks the UAM Pledge. |
If your student is chasing an essay-and-interview full ride, UAM isn’t that kind of school. What it offers instead is predictability: a 30 ACT is $12,000 a year, no committee required, at a university where that amount already exceeds in-state tuition and fees.
This institution does not offer designated Competitive scholarships at this time.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does UAM have a full-ride scholarship competition?
No. UAM doesn’t publish a competitive full-ride or finalist program for freshmen. Its top award, the Chancellor’s Scholarship, is automatic at an ACT of 30 or higher.
What’s the most a freshman can realistically get from UAM?
The Chancellor’s at $12,000 a year, plus $1,000 more if a parent graduated from UAM. Foundation or performance money can add to that, though UAM may trim its merit award once tuition and fees are fully covered.
Does UAM offer a National Merit package?
UAM’s official scholarship pages don’t list one. A National Merit Finalist would already clear the Chancellor’s cutoff, so ask Admissions directly whether anything extra applies.
Is there competitive money after freshman year?
Yes. The Achievement Scholarship is awarded competitively to current students with 30 hours a year and a 2.5 GPA who aren’t already on a UAM institutional scholarship.
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/institutional-scholarships.html
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/pdfs/InstitutionalScholarshipPolicy.pdf
https://www.uamont.edu/uampledge.html
Is There an Honors College at UAM?
No. As far as we can find, UAM doesn’t run an honors college or a separate honors program for undergraduates, so there’s no honors application and no honors-only scholarship pool. For a high-achieving student, the “honors track” at UAM is really the top of the merit grid plus the advantages of a small school.
- Top scholarship: Chancellor’s Scholarship, $12,000 a year at ACT 30+, plus the out-of-state waiver.
- Class size: About a 12 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio, so your student will know their professors.
- Hands-on work: Undergraduate research is available, especially in forestry, agriculture and the sciences.
Honors Scholarships
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
- Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources: More than 50 donor-endowed scholarships.
- Music: Band and choir audition awards, including extra aid for Chamber Choir.
- Legacy: +$1,000 a year when a parent or guardian graduated from UAM.
Honors FAQs (UAM)
Does UAM have an honors college?
No. UAM doesn’t advertise an undergraduate honors college or honors program on its official pages.
Is there a separate honors scholarship?
No. The Chancellor’s Scholarship is UAM’s top freshman award, and it’s automatic for a 30+ ACT superscore with a 2.5 GPA.
Will a high-achieving student be challenged at UAM?
It depends on the major. Small classes and research options help, but if a formal honors community with its own housing and seminars matters to your student, compare UAM with Arkansas schools that run one.
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/institutional-scholarships.html
https://www.uamont.edu/about/research.html
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=106485
⭐ College Specialty
UAM is a small public university in the pine country of southeast Arkansas, and it doesn’t try to be everything to everyone. Its reputation rests on the land around it, meaning forestry, wildlife and agriculture, plus solid career programs like nursing and teaching. For a student who knows they want to work outdoors, it’s one of the most direct paths in the region.
College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources: The forestry program is accredited by the Society of American Foresters, and the University of Arkansas System’s Arkansas Forest Resources Center is headquartered right on the UAM campus. Students choose options like Forestry, Wildlife Management and Conservation, Geospatial Science and Environmental Science, and there’s even a college rodeo team.
- Agriculture: Agribusiness, Animal Science (with a pre-vet emphasis), Plant and Soil Science and precision agriculture options.
- Land Surveying: A hard-to-find degree with steady demand. Students can start with a two-year associate degree and move up to the bachelor’s.
- Nursing: Nationally accredited associate, bachelor’s and master’s programs that feed hospitals across southeast Arkansas.
- Education: A long-standing teacher pipeline for the region, plus a large online graduate program for working teachers.
- Music: NASM-accredited, with an active jazz program that runs all the way to a Master of Music in Jazz Studies.
- Business, Social Work and Exercise Science: Popular majors with practical career paths, and Social Work carries CSWE accreditation.
🔗 Official University of Arkansas at Monticello Links
Use UAM’s own pages below to double-check scholarship rules, costs and waivers. These pages have the final word on award terms and rates.
- Admissions:
https://www.uamont.edu/admissions/index.html - First-Time Freshman: How to Apply:
https://www.uamont.edu/admissions/ftf.html - Institutional Scholarships (Freshman, Transfer, Current Students):
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/institutional-scholarships.html - Academic Scholarship Policy (PDF):
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/pdfs/InstitutionalScholarshipPolicy.pdf - UAM Pledge:
https://www.uamont.edu/uampledge.html - Cost of Attendance:
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/cost.html - Tuition, Fees and Housing Rates (PDF):
https://www.uamont.edu/cashiers/pdfs/TuitionandFees.pdf - Net Price Calculator:
https://www.uamont.edu/NetPrice/index.html - Types of Aid and Arkansas State Aid:
https://www.uamont.edu/financial-aid/financial-aid-types.html - Band and Choir Scholarship Auditions:
https://www.uamont.edu/academics/music/BandChoirAuditionInformation.html - Institutional Research (Fast Facts and Graduation Rates):
https://www.uamont.edu/about/research.html
✅ Wrapping It Up
Here’s the bottom line on UAM: it’s one of the cheapest four-year options in the region, and its scholarships work like a price list, not a contest. Look up your student’s ACT and GPA, find their row, and that’s the award. A 24 ACT means about $6,000 a year, a 30 means more than in-state tuition and fees, and a strong GPA can carry a student with an average test score a long way. Families in the six states that border Arkansas get in-state tuition without lifting a finger.
The catches are about keeping the money, not getting it. Your student needs to stay on campus, carry 15 hours, and hold a 2.5, and you’ll want UAM to show you the math if outside aid starts piling up. For a student headed into forestry, wildlife, agriculture, nursing or teaching, that’s a very affordable way to earn a degree in a field UAM knows well.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
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