Arkansas State University Scholarships (2026–2027)
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Last Updated on August 15, 2026
What This Page Covers:- 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: ~70%
- Middle 50% ACT: 19-25
- Middle 50% SAT: 1030-1180
- Average GPA: 3.78
Arkansas State sits in Jonesboro, about an hour and a half northwest of Memphis, and it is one of Arkansas’s two flagship campuses alongside the University of Arkansas. It is the second-largest university in the state, it carries an R2 research classification, and as of August 2026 it is home to Arkansas’s first and only College of Veterinary Medicine.
For families, the practical thing to know is that A-State’s money system is unusually mechanical. Most awards here come down to two numbers, your ACT superscore and your GPA, and if you clear the line you get the award. There is very little mystery and very little committee review. The catch is that A-State runs two completely separate deadlines, and the one that matters most comes six months earlier than most families expect.
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📌 Arkansas State University at a Glance
🏆 A-State Scholar pays up to $18,000/yr; Promise Plus covers full tuition for qualifying Arkansas residents
Average Net Price
$13,085/year (in-state estimate)
Average paid for residents.
Automatic Merit
$2,000–$6,000/yr, plus $8,670/yr nonresident waivers
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
20 opportunities
5 automatic · 2 competitive · 10 hidden gem · 3 honors
Typical Qualifiers
GPA 3.0+; ACT 19+ / SAT 990+
Benchmarks for top-tier awards.
Testing Policy
Test-optional to apply, required for money
Superscores ACT/SAT.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Nov 1 • FAFSA: Feb 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
A-State Scholar (up to $18,000/yr) and Promise Plus (Arkansas residents only)
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Residency & Waivers
ACM and Mileage Waiver (6 border states)
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Arkansas State (Read This First)
- There are two deadlines, not one. July 1 covers the automatic tiers. But A-State Scholar and Trailblazer, the two biggest awards, both close February 1 of senior year with a March 1 acceptance. Miss February 1 and the ceiling on your aid drops from $18,000 to $6,000.
- Test-optional to get in, never test-optional for money. Every single award on this page has a hard ACT or SAT minimum. Every tier, every waiver, Promise Plus, and Honors College admission. If your student skips the test, they are opting out of the entire scholarship system.
- A-State superscores, and it matters more here than almost anywhere. Best section across test dates counts. That means a second or third sitting can move a student from Enrichment to Inspire, or from Inspire to Trailblazer, and each of those jumps is worth thousands.
- December of senior year is the last useful test date for Trailblazer. The December administration in the year before enrollment is the final one counted. A February retake will not help.
- You get one academic award, not several. Trailblazer, Inspire, Enrichment, Endeavor and A-State Scholar do not stack with each other. You keep the largest one. The nonresident waivers are the exception and do stack.
- A-State Online students get nothing. Institutional scholarships require enrollment on the Jonesboro campus. Not a detail worth discovering in August.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes — Arkansas State University is test-optional.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 19-25; SAT: 1030-1180.
Average net price? About $13,085/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes — participates in ACM and Mileage Waiver (6 border states).
💰 Cost of Attendance at Arkansas State University 2026-2027
📅 2027–2028 Planning Note: The costs below reflect the most recently published figures (2026–2027). Universities typically finalize the next year’s rates in the spring, and we’ll update this page once official 2027–2028 numbers are released.
Planning tip: At large public universities, tuition, fees, and housing usually increase modestly each year (often in the 2–5% range). For early budgeting, families may want to plan for roughly $1,000–$1,500 more in-state or $2,000–$3,000 more out-of-state in total direct costs once new rates are published.
| Category (2026–2027) |
In-State |
Out-of-State |
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees (2 semesters) |
$10,850 |
$19,520 |
| Housing & Meals (typical) |
$12,220 |
$12,220 |
| Total (Direct Costs) |
$23,070 |
$31,740 |
Average Federal Net Price: $13,085 — this is what families actually paid after grants and scholarships (no loans), based on the most recent federal data. Your specific cost could be significantly lower or higher depending on your financial aid eligibility and merit scholarships. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Mileage Waiver: Undergraduates from Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas pay in-state tuition and fees automatically. There is no test-score minimum, no essay and no separate application beyond regular admission to the Jonesboro campus.
Out-of-State Scholarship: Nonresidents from any state with a 24+ ACT superscore (or 1160+ SAT) and a 3.00 high school GPA also pay in-state rates.
Both waivers cancel the nonresident tuition differential, worth roughly $8,670 per year at 2026-2027 rates, and both stack with A-State academic scholarships up to cost of attendance. Student-athletes on institutional athletic aid may not qualify; check with A-State Athletic Compliance. A-State also participates in the Academic Common Market for approved majors.
💡 The $8,670 Question for Out-of-State Families
That out-of-state column is not what most non-resident families actually pay. A-State’s nonresident waivers cancel the entire out-of-state differential, which runs about $8,670 per year at 2026-2027 rates. If your student lives in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Texas, the Mileage Waiver applies with no test score requirement at all. From anywhere else, a 24 ACT superscore and a 3.0 GPA gets the same result. Either way, you drop to the in-state column and you can still take an academic scholarship on top of it.
FAQ — Cost of Attendance at Arkansas State University
Do out-of-state students really pay in-state tuition at A-State?
Most of them do, yes. A-State runs two nonresident waivers and between them they cover a very wide net. The Mileage Waiver applies automatically to admitted students from the six bordering states with no test-score minimum. The Out-of-State Scholarship covers everyone else who has a 24 ACT superscore (or 1160 SAT) and a 3.0 GPA. Neither requires a separate application. This is the single biggest reason A-State shows up on shortlists for families in Memphis, the Missouri Bootheel and northeast Mississippi.
What is included in that tuition and fees number?
Tuition at $337 per credit hour in-state ($626 out-of-state) for 30 hours, plus the athletic fee and student activity fee. What it does not include is your college’s support assessment fee, which varies by major and is charged per credit hour. Business runs $55, engineering and computer science $50, nursing courses $46, sciences and math $35, agriculture and other nursing and health professions courses $27. Over 30 hours a business major is paying roughly $1,650 more than the table shows.
Is there a fee for being in the Honors College?
Yes, and it surprises people. A-State charges a $75 Honors fee in fall and spring, so about $150 a year. It is a small number against the value of the honors programming, but it belongs in your budget rather than in your first tuition bill as a surprise.
Why is the housing number the same for in-state and out-of-state students?
Because residency only affects tuition. Room and board rates are identical for everyone. This is true almost everywhere, but it is worth saying out loud, because it means the nonresident waivers wipe out the entire cost difference between an Arkansas student and a Tennessee student.
Does A-State’s cost of attendance include things I will not actually be billed for?
It does. A-State’s published full estimate of $30,544 for an in-state student in a residence hall includes about $1,250 in books, $2,790 in personal expenses and $3,434 in transportation. Those are real costs but the university does not invoice them, and your family may spend far less. The table above shows only what A-State actually bills you.
Will these numbers hold for all four years?
No. A-State’s Board of Trustees approves new rates each spring, and increases have generally run in the low single digits. Scholarship amounts, on the other hand, are fixed dollar figures. Trailblazer pays $10,000 in year four just as it did in year one, so the share of your bill it covers shrinks a little each year. Budget for that gap rather than assuming the percentage holds.
Where do I get a number specific to my family?
Use A-State’s net price calculator, hosted at npc.collegeboard.org. It asks for grades and household income and takes about ten minutes. For Arkansas families under $70,000 in adjusted gross income it is especially worth doing, because Promise Plus can change the picture completely.
Sources:
https://www.astate.edu/admissions-and-aid/tuition-and-fees/undergraduate-students.html
https://www.astate.edu/admissions-and-aid/tuition-and-fees/estimate-your-costs.html
https://npc.collegeboard.org/student/app/astate
📅 The A-State Two-Deadline Calendar
- November 1 (junior year ends, senior year begins): A-State’s own recommended priority date. Nothing closes, but processing gets slower after this.
- December of senior year: last ACT or SAT administration that counts toward Trailblazer.
- February 1: hard deadline for A-State Scholar and Trailblazer, the two largest awards. Also the close of the privately funded scholarship portal.
- March 1: accept your Scholar or Trailblazer offer or lose it.
- July 1: deadline for the automatic tiers below and the nonresident waivers.
Parent rule of thumb: treat February 1 as your family’s real A-State deadline. July 1 is a safety net for students who did not qualify for the big two, not a plan.
Automatic Merit Scholarships — Arkansas State University
These awards require no application at all. Get admitted by July 1 with the GPA and ACT superscore listed, and the money is applied to your account. A-State superscores both the ACT and SAT, so your best section scores across all test dates are what count. The two waivers at the bottom are the ones out-of-state families should read twice.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
A-State Inspire
📅 Deadline: July 1 scholarship deadline
✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~25 ACT✎ ~1210 SATAvailable to current-year high school graduates only. A-State Online students are ineligible for institutional scholarships.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Inspire can't be layered with A-State's other academic tiers (Trailblazer, Enrichment, Endeavor, or A-State Scholar) — you receive whichever is largest. It CAN stack with the out-of-state waivers and outside aid up to cost of attendance, which is huge for non-resident families.
💡
Strategic Detail
Inspire pays $6,000 per year for up to eight semesters. Renewal is friendly: cumulative 3.0 GPA and 15 A-State hours per semester at the Jonesboro campus. It's the sweet spot for students who don't quite hit Trailblazer numbers but still bring strong academics.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Solid academic performers — 3.5+ GPA and ACT 25-27 (or SAT 1210-1290) — who submit their admission application by the July 1 deadline and plan to attend on-campus in Jonesboro full-time.
Automatic
A-State Enrichment
📅 Deadline: July 1 scholarship deadline
✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~21 ACT✎ ~1060 SATApplies to current-year high school graduates attending the Jonesboro campus. Online-only programs are excluded.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Enrichment doesn't layer with Inspire, Endeavor, Trailblazer, or A-State Scholar — you keep the highest-value tier. It CAN combine with A-State's nonresident waivers and outside aid within cost-of-attendance limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Enrichment pays $4,000 per year for up to eight semesters. Renewal expectations are reasonable: complete 15 A-State hours per term at the Jonesboro campus and maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: On-campus freshmen with a 3.0+ GPA and an ACT in the 21-24 range (or SAT 1060-1209) who meet the July 1 deadline and plan to enroll full-time.
Automatic
A-State Endeavor
📅 Deadline: July 1 scholarship deadline
✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~19 ACT✎ ~990 SATAvailable to current-year high school graduates enrolling at the Jonesboro campus. Online-only programs are not eligible for institutional scholarships.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Endeavor doesn't combine with Inspire, Enrichment, Trailblazer, or A-State Scholar — you keep whichever institutional academic award is largest. It CAN pair with nonresident waivers and outside aid up to cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Endeavor pays $2,000 per year, renewable up to eight semesters. Renewal keeps things simple: 15 A-State credit hours per term at the Jonesboro campus and a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: On-campus freshmen with 3.0+ GPAs and ACT scores in the 19-20 range (or SAT 990-1050) who meet the July 1 deadline and enroll full-time at Jonesboro.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Mileage Waiver
📅 Deadline: July 1 scholarship deadline
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
🎓 All UndergradStudent-athletes receiving institutional athletic aid may not qualify — eligibility should be confirmed with A-State Athletic Compliance if that applies to your student.
✚
Stacking & Combining
The Mileage Waiver knocks the nonresident tuition differential off your bill so you effectively pay in-state tuition and fees. Best part — it stacks with A-State's academic scholarships (Inspire, Enrichment, Endeavor, Trailblazer, A-State Scholar) up to cost of attendance, which makes A-State remarkably affordable for border-state families.
💡
Strategic Detail
This is one of A-State's most powerful affordability levers. Because it wipes out the nonresident fee differential automatically, students from bordering states pay the same rate as Arkansas residents — no essay, no test-score minimum, no honors requirement. Combine it with any academic scholarship tier and the numbers get very compelling.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Full-time undergraduates from Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas who attend the Jonesboro campus and simply meet A-State's regular admission standards.
Automatic
Out-of-State Scholarship
📅 Deadline: July 1 scholarship deadline
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~24 ACT✎ ~1160 SATStudent-athletes receiving institutional athletic aid may not qualify — contact A-State Athletic Compliance for confirmation if that applies.
✚
Stacking & Combining
This waiver offsets the nonresident tuition differential so qualifying out-of-state students pay in-state tuition and fees. It stacks with A-State's academic tiers (Inspire, Enrichment, Endeavor, Trailblazer, A-State Scholar) and outside aid up to cost of attendance — which is often the deciding factor for out-of-state families.
💡
Strategic Detail
For families outside a bordering state, this is the primary path to in-state pricing at A-State. It's a waiver, not a fixed dollar award — the size depends on the current nonresident tuition differential, and it's applied automatically once you meet the score and GPA thresholds.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Nonresident students with a 3.0+ GPA and an ACT 24+ (or SAT 1160+) who enroll full-time on the Jonesboro campus.
Data last verified Aug 15, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: The three academic tiers cannot be combined with each other. Your student receives the single highest one they qualify for. The nonresident waivers are different and do stack on top of whichever academic tier applies.
Automatic Merit — FAQs (Arkansas State University)
Do I have to apply for these?
No. A-State says it plainly: you automatically qualify for the academic scholarships if you meet the minimum requirements. Apply for admission, get admitted by July 1, and the award appears. The only two awards that break this rule are A-State Scholar and Trailblazer, which are covered in the next section.
Does A-State superscore?
Yes, both the ACT and the SAT, and A-State’s own scholarship pages are written in terms of superscores rather than single sittings. This is worth real money. A student sitting at a 24 composite who retakes and pulls their math up two points can land on Inspire at $6,000 instead of Enrichment at $4,000. Over four years that one retake is worth $8,000.
What is the difference between the Mileage Waiver and the Out-of-State Scholarship?
Geography versus scores. The Mileage Waiver goes to admitted students from Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas with no test-score or GPA minimum beyond regular admission. The Out-of-State Scholarship goes to nonresidents from any state who have a 24 ACT superscore (or 1160 SAT) and a 3.0 GPA. Both produce the same result, which is that you pay in-state rates. If you qualify for the Mileage Waiver you do not need to worry about the score threshold at all.
Can I take a waiver and an academic scholarship at the same time?
Yes, and this is the combination that makes A-State genuinely affordable for non-residents. A Tennessee student with a 3.6 GPA and a 26 ACT gets the Mileage Waiver (worth about $8,670) plus A-State Inspire ($6,000). That is roughly $14,670 a year against a $23,070 direct-cost bill.
Are these renewable?
All three academic tiers renew for up to eight semesters. Inspire, Enrichment and Endeavor each require 15 A-State credit hours per semester on the Jonesboro campus and a 3.00 cumulative GPA. The waivers renew as long as you stay full time, with one wrinkle: the waiver does not apply to summer terms unless you attended full time the previous spring.
Who does not qualify?
Three groups get caught here. A-State Online students are excluded from all institutional scholarships. These awards are for current-year high school graduates, so a gap year forfeits them. And students attending at an off-campus degree center rather than Jonesboro are outside the program.
What if my student’s GPA is strong but the test score is not?
A-State’s grid is a hard AND, not an OR. Endeavor needs a 3.0 GPA and a 19 ACT. A 4.0 with an 18 ACT gets nothing from the automatic system. That is exactly why the retake math above matters so much here.
Sources:
https://www.astate.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid-and-scholarships/scholarships/university-scholarships/index.html
https://www.astate.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid-and-scholarships/scholarships/index.html
🏆 Flagship Scholarships (Competitive Scholarships)
A-State runs exactly two competitive awards, and together they represent the entire top of the funnel. Both close February 1 of senior year and both require acceptance by March 1. Neither involves an interview or a finalist weekend, which makes them unusually winnable compared to the flagship competitions at larger schools.
App Required
A-State Scholar
📅 Deadline: February 1 (application and admission)
✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$18,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~31 ACT✎ ~1400 SAT👥 ~Small competitive cohort — funded based on institutional allocation and applicant pool each cycle. winners/yrAwarded during the senior year of high school to current-year graduates entering A-State in the upcoming fall. Requires enrollment at the Jonesboro campus and Honors College membership.
✚
Stacking & Combining
A-State Scholar cannot be combined with A-State's academic scholarship tiers (Trailblazer, Inspire, Enrichment, Endeavor). A-State does not publish a restriction against combining Scholar with the nonresident waivers, so out-of-state families should confirm directly with the Scholarships Office rather than assume either way. It does combine with outside private scholarships up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Two steps. First, apply for admission as a current-year high school graduate and U.S. citizen and be admitted by February 1. Second, complete the separate A-State Scholar application at AState.edu/AStateScholar, which requires a student resume of high school activities and awards, an essay, and two reference letters submitted by your recommenders. All materials are due February 1. If selected, accept the offer by March 1.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
A-State publishes the Scholar package at up to $18,000 per academic year for on-campus students. The most recent published breakdown is the 2025-2026 guideline sheet, which split a smaller $14,000 award into up to $3,000 for on-campus housing, up to $3,000 for an on-campus meal plan and the balance toward tuition and fees; A-State has not yet published a 2026-2027 breakdown. Students who decline on-campus housing do not receive a cash equivalent. Renewal is demanding: a 3.50 cumulative GPA, 30 A-State credit hours per academic year, one Honors course every fall and spring, and graduation "In University Honors" including an Honors senior thesis. There is a real safety net, though. A recipient whose GPA slips below 3.50 but stays at or above 3.00 with 30 hours completed moves down to the Inspire award instead of losing everything, and there is a published path back to Inspire-level eligibility after a qualifying semester.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: A small cohort of top applicants — think 31+ ACT (or 1400+ SAT), 3.5+ GPA, strong Honors-caliber essays, leadership and service depth, and rigorous coursework. Applications that clearly demonstrate curiosity, impact, and college-ready writing rise to the top.
App Required
A-State Trailblazer
📅 Deadline: November 1 (A-State priority admission recommendation)
✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~28 ACT✎ ~1300 SAT👥 ~Limited cohort — funded based on institutional allocation and applicant pool each cycle. winners/yrOpen to current-year high school graduates entering A-State in the upcoming fall as first-time freshmen. A-State Online students are not eligible for institutional scholarships.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Trailblazer cannot be combined with A-State's other academic scholarships (Inspire, Enrichment, Endeavor) or with A-State Scholar. You keep whichever single institutional award is largest. It does combine with the nonresident waivers, state aid, federal aid and outside private scholarships up to your total cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply and be admitted to A-State as a first-time freshman U.S. citizen with at least a 3.50 high school GPA and a 28+ ACT superscore (or 1300+ SAT) by the February 1 deadline, then accept the offer in MyDen by March 1. A-State lists Trailblazer under competitive scholarships rather than automatic ones, so unlike Inspire, Enrichment and Endeavor it is not simply applied to your account. There is still no essay, resume or recommendation packet, which makes it the easiest high-value award on this list to win if you hit the numbers and the dates.
💡
Strategic Detail
Trailblazer pays $10,000 per year for up to four years (eight semesters) for eligible on-campus students, and launched with the fall 2026 entering class. Renewal is a 3.50 cumulative GPA plus 15 A-State credit hours each fall and spring. Two timing traps: the December ACT/SAT administration in the year before enrollment is the last test date counted, and A-State has said its posted deadlines are firm, so documents submitted on February 1 may not process in time. The same 28 ACT superscore and 3.50 GPA that qualifies for Trailblazer also clears the Honors College admission bar.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming freshmen with a 3.50+ GPA and a 28+ ACT superscore (or 1300+ SAT) who complete admission well before the February 1 deadline and accept in MyDen by March 1. Because the criteria are numeric and there is no application packet, the students who miss out are almost always the ones who submitted late rather than the ones who fell short academically.
Data last verified Aug 15, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
✅ What Stacks and What Replaces at A-State
| Aid Type |
Stacks with Merit? |
A-State Parent Translation |
| A-State Scholar or Trailblazer |
Replaces |
Winning either one cancels Inspire, Enrichment and Endeavor. You keep the biggest single award, never two. |
| Nonresident waivers |
Yes, with Trailblazer |
Trailblazer plus a waiver is the strongest out-of-state package A-State offers. For A-State Scholar, ask the Scholarships Office directly, since A-State does not publish a rule either way. |
| Promise Plus |
Yes, but it shrinks |
Promise Plus is a gap-filler. A big merit award reduces the gap, so it reduces the Promise Plus amount. You are not losing money, you are just seeing it arrive under a different name. |
| Departmental and donor awards |
Usually yes |
The AcademicWorks portal awards are the real stacking opportunity. See Hidden Gems below. |
| ROTC and band |
Often yes |
Both generally stack up to cost of attendance. Read the award letter for replacement language. |
| Outside private scholarships |
Yes |
Stack freely until total aid hits cost of attendance, then A-State reduces institutional aid to fit. |
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
What is the difference between A-State Scholar and Trailblazer?
Scholar is the bigger and harder award: up to $18,000 a year, needing a 31 ACT superscore (or 1400 SAT) and a 3.50 GPA, plus a full application with a resume, an essay and two reference letters. Trailblazer pays $10,000 a year and needs a 28 ACT superscore (or 1300 SAT) with the same 3.50 GPA, but there is no essay packet. You apply for admission, meet the numbers, hit February 1 and accept by March 1.
Is Trailblazer automatic or competitive?
A-State lists it as competitive, and that distinction costs families money every year. It sits on the competitive scholarships page, not the automatic one, and A-State’s academic scholarship page specifically excludes Scholar and Trailblazer from the “you automatically qualify” rule. Practically, it behaves like an automatic award with an early deadline attached. Do not assume July 1 covers it.
What does A-State Scholar actually require after you win it?
More than most families expect. You need a 3.50 cumulative GPA, 30 A-State credit hours per academic year, one Honors course every fall and spring semester, and you must graduate “In University Honors,” which includes an Honors senior thesis. If the thesis does not happen, the scholarship is revoked. Talk about this as a family before accepting.
What happens if my student’s GPA slips?
A-State has one of the more humane safety nets we have seen. A Scholar recipient who falls below 3.50 but stays at or above 3.00 with 30 hours completed moves down to the Inspire award rather than losing everything. There is also a published route back to Inspire-level eligibility after a qualifying semester. Students on probation have until the end of Summer II to fix a GPA or hours deficit.
Does the housing portion of A-State Scholar convert to cash if we live off campus?
No. A-State states directly that students who decline to live in a residence hall do not receive the financial equivalent. If your student plans to live at home or off campus, the Scholar award is worth meaningfully less than the headline number.
How many awards are given?
A-State does not publish a number, saying only that a limited number are available and that awards depend on state-supported funds each year. Meeting the minimums does not guarantee selection for Scholar.
Is A-State a Stamps or QuestBridge partner?
No to both.
Sources:
https://www.astate.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid-and-scholarships/scholarships/competitive-fellowships-and-scholarships.html
https://www.astate.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid-and-scholarships/scholarships/guidelines/2025-2026/25-26-scholar.pdf
🧠 Parent Strategy: A-State’s Second Application
Getting admitted to A-State and getting an automatic scholarship happen in one step. Getting the donor and departmental money is a completely separate step that a lot of families never take. It lives in A-State’s privately funded scholarship portal at
astate.academicworks.com.
- The portal opens October 1 and closes February 2. Same window as the big competitive awards.
- Complete the general application. That alone puts your student into the “Auto-Match” pool.
- Then go back and hit APPLY on every “Apply-To” award your student qualifies for. These are the ones with essays or extra questions, and they are the ones most students skip.
- Every A-State student has to reapply every single year. This is not a set-it-and-forget-it portal.
Parent translation: the portal is open to accepted high school seniors, not just enrolled students. If your student is admitted in the fall, they can be applying for donor money in October of senior year.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are the awards that fill the gap between your merit scholarship and your actual bill. Most require a separate application, most are smaller, and most stack. For Arkansas families under the income cap, the first two on this list are far and away the most valuable thing on this page.
Full TuitionAutomaticgeographicneed based
Promise Plus (On-Campus)
📅 Deadline: No posted scholarship deadline; driven by FAFSA and the Arkansas Academic Challenge application timeline
✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
last-dollar tuition, fee, and housing grant
✔ Stackable
⚠ Arkansas-resident, Pell-eligible, income-capped last-dollar award covering tuition and mandatory fees, plus on-campus housing in year one only.
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~19 ACT✎ ~990 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Last-dollar program. Pell, Arkansas Academic Challenge, Challenge Plus and any A-State academic scholarship are applied to tuition and mandatory fees first, and Promise Plus covers whatever remains for up to 15 hours per semester. On-campus housing is covered in the first year only, and only if not already covered by those other sources. Students pay their own meal plan, books and any hours above 15. Total aid cannot exceed cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Promise Plus is the most valuable award on this page for the families who qualify, and the most commonly misunderstood. Two things trip people up. First, housing is covered for the first year only, not all four. Second, it is not a scholarship you win, it is a gap-filler that pays whatever Pell and Arkansas Academic Challenge do not, so a student with a large academic scholarship may see a small Promise Plus amount. Renewal requires 15 hours per semester, 30 completed hours per year, a 2.50 cumulative GPA, an annual FAFSA, and staying under the income cap. A-State Online students are not eligible.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Arkansas residents with financial need who qualify for substantial Pell and lottery aid, meet ACT/SAT and GPA minimums, and enroll full-time on campus.
Full TuitionAutomaticgeographicneed based
Promise Plus (Off-Campus)
📅 Deadline: No posted scholarship deadline; driven by FAFSA and the Arkansas Academic Challenge application timeline
✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
last-dollar tuition and meal support grant
✔ Stackable
⚠ Arkansas-resident, Pell-eligible, income-capped last-dollar award covering tuition and fees, plus meal and campus-spending funds in year one only.
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~19 ACT✎ ~990 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Same last-dollar structure as the on-campus version. Pell, Arkansas Academic Challenge, Challenge Plus and A-State academic scholarships apply to tuition and mandatory fees first, and Promise Plus covers the remainder for up to 15 hours per semester. Students living off campus receive $1,500 per semester in the first year only, split as a $1,000 Voluntary Meal Plan and $500 in Promise Plus Perks. Total aid cannot exceed cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
The off-campus version trades the housing benefit for spending money. Instead of first-year housing, students get $1,500 per semester for the first year only: a $1,000 Voluntary Meal Plan usable at campus dining and on-campus vendors, and $500 in Promise Plus Perks usable at Textbook Brokers and the team stores at Centennial Bank Stadium, First National Bank Arena and Tomlinson Stadium. Unused funds do not refund. Eligibility, renewal terms and the $70,000 AGI cap are identical to the on-campus version.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Need-based Arkansas students who live off campus but qualify for Promise Plus and want built-in meal and express funds.
Full TuitionApp Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Army ROTC (Red Wolves Battalion)
📅 Deadline: National and campus ROTC deadlines, often in senior year of high school or early in college.
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
ROTC tuition/room-board coverage plus stipend
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Determined by Army allocations to the Red Wolves Battalion. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students may choose tuition and fee coverage or room and board options; scholarships include a monthly living stipend and book allowance and may stack with some institutional aid within Army rules.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through national Army ROTC boards or campus-based ROTC competitions; complete medical, academic, and fitness screening and sign a service commitment.
Selection criteria: Army evaluation of academic performance, leadership potential, and physical fitness.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table summarizes typical Army ROTC benefits at A-State, including full tuition or room and board plus a $420/month stipend and book allowance.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: U.S. citizens who meet Army academic and fitness standards and are committed to commissioning as Army officers after graduation.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Departmental & Club Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Typically around February 1, though exact dates vary by fund.
Non-Renewable
$500–$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Varies widely by department and club fund. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Generally stackable with institutional and external awards, provided total aid does not exceed cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Follow each college or club’s procedures—typically applying through AcademicWorks or departmental forms and maintaining active participation in organizations like Agriculture clubs, FFA, or other student groups.
Selection criteria: Departmental or club-based selection prioritizing GPA, involvement, and alignment with donor or organization priorities.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table summarizes common departmental and club scholarship ranges of $500–$2,000 across areas such as Agriculture, Education, and student organizations.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students actively engaged in departmental activities or student organizations who meet specific academic and involvement criteria.
App Required
ASTATE Leadership Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies
✓ Renews
$1,000–$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited cohort of student leaders per year. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
May stack with some institutional, donor, and external awards within cost-of-attendance limits; stacking with large academic awards may be restricted.
📄
How to Apply
Submit a competitive Leadership Scholarship application through A-State’s scholarship portal with evidence of leadership involvement, resume, and references.
Selection criteria: Holistic review prioritizing sustained leadership, service, and academic readiness.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table summarizes this leadership-based program as offering $1,000–$4,000 per year plus potential housing allowance, awarded via a competitive application process.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming freshmen who pair high ACT/SAT and GPA with strong leadership records, service, and campus engagement potential.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
A-State Merit Scholarship (holistic)
📅 Deadline: Varies
✓ Renews
$1,000–$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Varies; multiple awards funded by different donors and institutional sources. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Often stackable with automatic awards and departmental scholarships up to cost-of-attendance limits.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the A-State scholarship portal, providing academic information, activities, service, and essays as requested.
Selection criteria: Holistic scoring based on academics, involvement, leadership, and service.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table aggregates several small holistic merit awards into this umbrella category with typical ranges of $1,000–$3,000 per year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with balanced academic and extracurricular profiles—good grades and test scores plus leadership and community involvement.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Band Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Varies
✓ Renews
$500–$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Varies annually according to band budget and instrumentation needs. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Band awards stack with academic and other scholarships up to cost-of-attendance; continuation depends on ensemble participation and musical performance.
📄
How to Apply
Audition with A-State Bands and commit to marching band in fall and a concert ensemble in spring following program procedures.
Selection criteria: Band directors assess musical ability, reliability, and ensemble contribution.
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table lists band scholarship ranges of roughly $500–$3,000 per year depending on instrument, talent, and ensemble needs.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Music majors and non-majors who successfully audition and consistently participate in A-State Bands.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Undergraduate Research Awards
📅 Deadline: Set by the Undergraduate Research Office for each application cycle.
Non-Renewable
👥 ~Limited by annual research funding; multiple awards across colleges. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Funds can be used for stipends, supplies, or travel and generally stack with other scholarships and aid.
📄
How to Apply
Work with a faculty mentor to submit an Undergraduate Research Award application through the research office, including a project description and budget.
Selection criteria: Research office review emphasizing project quality, feasibility, and student development.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table cites typical Undergraduate Research Awards in the $500–$1,500 range per project, varying by discipline and funding.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students in any major who secure a faculty mentor and present a feasible and meaningful research or creative project.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Study Abroad Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Program-specific; typically well before the departure term.
Non-Renewable
👥 ~Depends on available donor and institutional funds each year. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Intended to supplement federal, state, and institutional aid for overseas study; stackable up to the cost of attendance for the study-abroad term.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Study Abroad Office for A-State and partner-funded scholarships after acceptance into an approved study abroad program.
Selection criteria: Committee review focused on academic preparation, program fit, and quality of goals statement.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table lists typical awards of $500–$2,000 per term for eligible students participating in A-State-approved programs.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students in good academic standing who demonstrate clear educational goals for study abroad and submit strong applications.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
C. Calvin Smith African-American Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies
Non-Renewable
$500–$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited; depends on annual donor funding. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stackable with institutional and external awards subject to cost-of-attendance limits.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the History Department or A-State scholarship portal according to posted instructions for the C. Calvin Smith scholarship.
Selection criteria: Departmental committee review emphasizing academic performance and commitment to teaching social sciences.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table lists this scholarship for African-American students majoring in Social Science Education (B.S.Ed.) with typical awards between $500 and $2,000 per year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
African-American students preparing to teach social sciences at the secondary level who demonstrate academic promise.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Jon A. Linder/Douglas Jon Seitz Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies
Non-Renewable
$500–$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited; dependent on endowed fund earnings. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with other scholarships and aid subject to cost-of-attendance caps.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the A-State Foundation or relevant college using the designated application form, documenting Arkansas residency, single-parent status, and completed undergraduate credits.
Selection criteria: Holistic evaluation of financial need, academic progress, and single-parent responsibilities.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Typical awards cited in CRP table range from $500–$2,500, depending on funding and applicant pool.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Single-parent Arkansas residents who have completed a minimum number of undergraduate hours and demonstrate financial and family responsibilities.
Data last verified Aug 15, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
What exactly is Promise Plus, and is my family eligible?
It is Arkansas’s last-dollar program at A-State, and eligibility is a narrow gate with five parts. You need to be an Arkansas resident and current-year graduate, have household adjusted gross income under $70,000, be Pell eligible, have a 19+ ACT superscore (or 990+ SAT) with a 3.00 GPA, and be an actual recipient of the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship. All five. If you clear all five, A-State covers whatever tuition and mandatory fees remain after Pell, Challenge and any academic scholarship you have.
Does Promise Plus cover housing for four years?
No, and this is the misunderstanding we see most often. Housing is covered in the first year only. Students who live off campus get $1,500 per semester instead, again in the first year only, split between a $1,000 meal plan and $500 in Promise Plus Perks. From sophomore year forward, Promise Plus is a tuition and fees program. Budget accordingly for years two through four.
Why did my Promise Plus award come out smaller than my friend’s?
Because it is a gap-filler, not a fixed award. If your student has a $6,000 Inspire scholarship and your friend’s student has nothing, A-State applies Inspire first and Promise Plus only covers what is left. Your total is the same or better; the money just arrives under different labels.
When do the departmental and donor awards close?
The privately funded portal closes February 2. Individual departmental funds sometimes run on their own calendars, often around February 1, so check with your intended major’s department directly rather than assuming the portal date covers everything.
My student is not in a scholarship-heavy major. Is the portal worth the time?
Yes. The awards in the portal span agriculture clubs, education, history, music, first-generation students, single parents, study abroad and undergraduate research. Many are endowed funds with small applicant pools. An hour spent on the general application plus three or four targeted applications is one of the better returns available to an A-State family.
Can current students apply, or is it freshman-only?
Current students very much can, and several of these awards are aimed at them specifically. The undergraduate research awards, study abroad funds and most departmental scholarships are open to continuing students. That is also why the annual reapplication rule matters.
How does ROTC fit in?
A-State hosts the Army ROTC Red Wolves Battalion. Scholarships cover either tuition and fees or room and board, plus a monthly stipend and book allowance, and they generally stack with institutional aid within Army rules. It comes with a service commitment after graduation, so it belongs in a different category of family conversation than a $1,500 departmental award.
Sources:
https://astate.academicworks.com/
https://www.astate.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid-and-scholarships/scholarships/university-scholarships/promise-scholarship.html
https://www.astate.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid-and-scholarships/scholarships/index.html
Honors College at Arkansas State University
Here is the part that makes A-State different from most schools on this site. There is no separate Honors College application for incoming freshmen. A-State screens every admitted student automatically, and if your student has a 28 ACT superscore and a 3.50 GPA, they are a candidate. No essay, no extra form, no second deadline to track.
The one number that opens two doors.
28 ACT superscore plus a 3.50 GPA is simultaneously the Honors College admission bar and the A-State Trailblazer scholarship threshold. A student who hits that mark and applies by February 1 is looking at $10,000 a year plus Honors membership from a single set of numbers and a single application. We do not see that overlap often, and it is the cleanest target a college-bound sophomore or junior at A-State can aim at.
- Incoming freshmen: ACT superscore 28+ and GPA 3.50+, screened automatically at admission.
- Transfer students: 18+ college credit hours, 3.25 cumulative GPA, plus a faculty or advisor recommendation and an Honors Transfer Application.
- Current A-State students: same 18-hour and GPA pathway, applied for directly through the Honors College.
- Cost: a $75 Honors fee in fall and spring, roughly $150 a year.
Honors College Scholarships & Grants
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Hoeper Family Honors Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies annually — typically the late-winter Honors donor scholarship cycle
✓ Renews
$1,000–$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited by Hoeper Family endowed fund earnings and Honors selection each year. winners/yr🎓 All UndergradRestricted to Honors College members. Specific criteria and dollar amounts may vary from year to year based on donor guidelines.
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is a donor award, so it stacks nicely on top of institutional merit scholarships, nonresident waivers, and other private awards up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
During the annual Honors donor scholarship cycle, current Honors College students submit an application through A-State AcademicWorks describing their academic record, out-of-state residency status, and financial circumstances. Selection and dollar amounts are set each year by the Honors College.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
This is one of the private scholarships the Honors College highlights for its students. Amounts and deadlines are set each cycle rather than fixed — students should check AcademicWorks in the fall for exact criteria.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Out-of-state Honors College students with strong academics and demonstrated financial need who apply through the Honors donor portal on AcademicWorks.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Shelby Rhodes Honors Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies annually — typically the early-spring Honors donor scholarship cycle
Non-Renewable
🏫 3.3+ GPA👥 ~A small number of recipients each year based on donor funding. winners/yr🎓 UpperclassmenRestricted to Honors College members at the junior or senior level. Specific criteria may vary slightly year to year.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One-time donor award that layers on top of existing institutional and Honors scholarships up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Upper-division Honors College students apply through the annual Honors donor scholarship process on AcademicWorks, highlighting leadership, campus involvement, and academic performance.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The Shelby Rhodes award recognizes upper-division Honors students who show up as leaders — think Honors Council, campus organizations, service projects. It's a smaller dollar amount but a meaningful line on a graduate school or fellowship application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Junior and senior Honors students with 3.25+ GPAs and notable leadership and service inside the Honors College and across the wider campus community.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Honors Experience Grants (HEG)
📅 Deadline: Deadlines vary by term and activity — applications typically due in advance of the experience
Non-Renewable
$100–$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Depends on annual Honors enrichment funding and the pool of qualified proposals. winners/yr🎓 All UndergradAvailable only to Honors College students planning an approved experience. Students should consult the Honors College directly for current cycle dates and application specifics.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One-time experience-based award. Because it's applied to specific project costs (travel, registration, materials), it stacks freely with tuition scholarships and waivers.
📄
How to Apply
Current Honors College students submit an Honors Experience Grant application outlining a proposed research project, study abroad experience, internship, or conference — with a clear budget. Awards are competitive and reviewed by the Honors College.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
HEG is one of the Honors College's most under-used levers. It's not a tuition scholarship — it's a targeted grant for the kind of resume-building experience (research, conferences, study abroad) that makes graduate school and top employers pay attention. Students should talk to the Honors College early to plan a proposal.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Engaged Honors students who develop well-planned experiential learning projects — undergraduate research, study abroad, conference presentations — and secure faculty or program mentorship.
Data last verified Aug 15, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
*These are donor-funded awards administered through the Honors College. Criteria, dollar amounts and deadlines are set fresh each cycle, so check AcademicWorks in the fall for current terms.*
Do not overlook the Honors Experience Grant. It is not tuition money, which is exactly why students ignore it. HEG funds the specific thing that makes a graduate school or first-job application stand out: a research project, a conference presentation, a study abroad term, an internship with real costs attached. Amounts are modest and the pool of applicants is small. A student who walks into the Honors College sophomore year with a well-planned proposal and a faculty mentor is competing against very few people.
Honors College — FAQs (Arkansas State University)
Do we need to apply to the Honors College?
Not as an incoming freshman. A-State screens all admitted students automatically and there is no separate application. Transfer and current students do apply, and they need 18 completed college credit hours plus a 3.25 GPA and a recommendation.
Does Honors admission come with a scholarship?
Not by itself. Honors membership and merit money are separate systems at A-State that happen to share a threshold. What Honors does give you is access to a pool of donor scholarships and grants that non-Honors students cannot apply for, plus the Honors living-learning community, honors coursework and study abroad programming.
Is Honors required for A-State Scholar?
Yes, and it is a continuing requirement rather than a one-time box. Scholar recipients must complete one Honors course every fall and spring semester and must graduate In University Honors, which includes an Honors senior thesis. Losing Honors standing means losing the scholarship.
Are Honors classes harder?
Different rather than harder. A-State describes them as interactive and discussion-based, with smaller enrollments and faculty who function more as mentors. The workload is comparable; the format asks for more participation.
Can out-of-state students join?
Yes, and at least one Honors donor award, the Hoeper Family scholarship, is aimed specifically at out-of-state Honors students with financial need. Honors membership also stacks cleanly with the nonresident waivers.
When should we apply for the Honors donor scholarships?
They run through the same AcademicWorks portal as everything else, opening October 1 and closing February 2. The Hoeper award runs on a late-winter cycle and Shelby Rhodes on an early-spring cycle for upper-division students, but the portal window is the date to put on the calendar.
Sources:
https://www.astate.edu/academics/undergraduate-academics/honors-college/index.html
https://astate.academicworks.com/
https://www.astate.edu/admissions-and-aid/tuition-and-fees/undergraduate-students.html
⭐ College Specialty
Arkansas State is a working university in a farming and logistics region, and its academic strengths track that honestly. It is an R2 research institution and one of Arkansas’s two flagship campuses, but the programs that define it are the applied ones: agriculture, nursing and health professions, engineering, and a business school built around supply chain and sales. Students come here to enter a field, and A-State reports an average starting salary of $59,862 for its bachelor’s graduates.
Newly Distinctive:
Arkansas’ College of Veterinary Medicine opened its doors at A-State in August 2026 with an inaugural class of 122 students. It is the first and only veterinary college in Arkansas. The DVM itself is a graduate program, so it is not something a high school senior applies to directly, but its arrival reshapes what an A-State undergraduate degree in biology, agriculture or animal science can lead to. Pre-vet students now have a veterinary college, its faculty and its facilities on the same campus where they take organic chemistry.
- Neil Griffin College of Business: AACSB-accredited with 12 undergraduate degree programs and STEM designation on several of them. Global supply chain is a genuine regional strength given northeast Arkansas’s freight and logistics economy, and the R.M. “Bob” Wood Sales Leadership Center gives sales-track students something most business schools do not offer.
- Nursing & Health Professions: One of A-State’s largest and most reliable career pipelines, with simulation lab facilities and a range of health professions beyond nursing itself. Note that nursing courses carry a higher per-credit support fee.
- College of Agriculture: The historical core of the institution, which began life as an agricultural school in 1909. Agriculture clubs and FFA-connected donor scholarships are a real and underused funding source here.
- Engineering & Computer Science: Housed in newer facilities and paired with the Arkansas Biosciences Institute on the research side.
- Research and place-based study: The Arkansas Biosciences Institute anchors sponsored research on campus, and the Delta Studies focus gives students a regionally distinctive angle on rural economics, agriculture and public health that is hard to replicate at a larger university.
🔗 Official Arkansas State University Links
Every link below was checked directly against A-State’s site. Use these for final deadlines, award terms and official institutional data, because scholarship figures change each spring when the Board of Trustees approves new rates.
✅ Wrapping It Up
Arkansas State is one of the more honest schools on this site about what it takes to get money. There is no committee guessing, no interview weekend, no mystery. Two numbers, an ACT superscore and a GPA, run almost the entire system, and A-State publishes exactly where the lines are. That is a gift to a family that plans ahead and a genuine trap for one that does not.
The single most important thing on this page is that A-State has two deadlines and most families only hear about one. July 1 covers the automatic tiers and tops out at $6,000 a year. February 1 covers A-State Scholar and Trailblazer and tops out at $18,000. Six months and $12,000 a year separate those two dates. Put February 1 of senior year on the refrigerator now.
The second thing worth internalizing is the retake math. Because A-State superscores and because every threshold is a hard cutoff, one extra test sitting can move a student a full tier. A 24 to a 25 is worth $2,000 a year. A 27 to a 28 is worth $4,000 a year plus Honors College admission. Very few investments of a Saturday morning pay that well, and December of senior year is the last date that counts toward Trailblazer.
For families in Memphis, the Missouri Bootheel, northeast Mississippi or east Texas, the Mileage Waiver deserves a serious look. It erases about $8,670 a year with no test score requirement and no application, and it stacks on top of whatever academic tier your student earns. For Arkansas families under $70,000 in income, Promise Plus is the headline, with the honest caveat that its housing benefit is a first-year benefit only.
And if your student is thinking about animals, agriculture or health care, A-State just changed its own story. The state’s first College of Veterinary Medicine opened here in August 2026. That is a different campus to be a pre-vet or ag science undergraduate on than it was two years ago.
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