Ouachita (say it WASH-ih-taw) is a small Southern Baptist liberal arts university in Arkadelphia, a little over an hour southwest of Little Rock, with just under 1,900 students after a record-setting fall 2025. The application is free and has no essay. Everyone pays the same sticker price no matter what state they live in, and every merit dollar comes off a published grid, so a family can know its number before the student ever applies. The catch is that the grid for students starting in Fall 2027 changed in ways that make the ACT matter a lot more than it used to.
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Ouachita Baptist (Read This First)
One test score can be worth $32,000. For Fall 2027, merit is set by either the ACT or the GPA. A 3.0 student gets $13,000 a year on GPA alone, but the same student with a 25 ACT qualifies for $21,000, and a 29 ACT reaches $23,000.
The February ACT is the last one that counts. Ouachita doesn’t publish a superscore policy, so plan as if only your best single sitting will be used.
The grid changed for Fall 2027. There’s a new $23,000 Trustee’s Scholarship, the President’s Scholarship no longer needs a 3.8 GPA, and the bottom tier now starts at a 2.50 GPA. Below a 2.50 with no qualifying score, the new grid lists no award, even though some Ouachita pages still say every new student gets merit.
December 1 is the priority scholarship deadline. Ouachita says being admitted with a FAFSA already on file is how to get the most aid. The FAFSA opens October 1 (school code 001102).
Arkansas money travels here. Academic Challenge and the Governor’s scholarships work at Ouachita, not just at public colleges. They need a separate application through the state’s SAMS portal.
There’s a ceiling. All Ouachita aid combined stops at tuition, fees, housing and food, and none of it comes back as a refund check.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Ouachita Baptist University is test-optional for admission, but scholarships can work differently (see the next question).
Do you need test scores for scholarships at Ouachita Baptist University? Merit is set by either the ACT or the GPA. A 25 ACT (1200 SAT / 83 CLT) unlocks $21,000 a year and a 29 ACT (1330 / 95) unlocks $23,000, with scores counted through the February ACT.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 22-28; SAT: 1070-1280.
Average net price? About $24,532/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Ouachita Baptist University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Ouachita Baptist University 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 $1,000 to $2,400 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$48,060
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$37,360
Housing & meals (typical)
$10,700
Total billed cost
$48,060
Average federal net price: $24,532 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, 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.
One Price, Every State
Ouachita charges the same tuition whether your student lives in Arkadelphia or Atlanta, which is a big reason about a third of its freshmen come from outside Arkansas. Arkansas families still get an edge: state money like the Academic Challenge Scholarship can be used at Ouachita and stacks on top of the merit award.
📅 2027-28 Rates Are Already Out
Ouachita has posted next year’s numbers: $19,400 a semester in tuition, $400 in fees, $2,730 for housing and $2,940 for food. That’s $50,940 in direct costs for 2027-28, up $2,880 from this year. The full federal cost of attendance, with books, travel and personal expenses, is $58,114. Merit awards stay at the same dollar amount all four years, so plan for the gap to grow a little each year.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Ouachita Baptist University
Is Ouachita cheaper for Arkansas residents?
The sticker price is identical for everyone. Where Arkansas students come out ahead is state aid: Academic Challenge adds $2,000 to $5,000 a year, and top scorers can add the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship. Out-of-state students get the same Ouachita merit grid, just without the Arkansas money.
What do families actually pay after aid?
The federal average net price is about $24,500 a year. It varies a lot by income: families earning under $75,000 paid roughly $15,000 to $18,000 on average, while families over $110,000 paid about $26,300. Ouachita’s net price calculator will give a closer estimate for your situation.
Does tuition go up if my student takes more classes?
No. Tuition is flat from 10 to 18 hours a semester, so a student who takes 18 hours pays the same as one taking 12. Below 10 hours, it’s $725 per credit hour.
What’s included in housing and food?
The rate assumes a standard double room and unlimited meals at the Ouachita Commons, plus some money for campus retail dining. Wi-Fi, laundry, cable and local phone service are included.
Does the scholarship go up when tuition goes up?
No. Ouachita states the merit amount stays the same all four years. With tuition rising about $2,000 a year recently, the family’s share grows a bit each year, so budget for that.
Are there any extra fees to watch for?
Some courses carry lab, music lesson or similar fees. Paying the bill by credit card adds a service fee of 1.8% to 3.3%, so e-check or a mailed check is the cheaper way to pay.
October 1: FAFSA opens. Ouachita’s school code is 001102.
December 1: Priority scholarship deadline. Be admitted with the FAFSA on file.
February: Last ACT test date Ouachita counts toward the merit grid.
March 1: Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship application (SAMS) and National Merit first-choice deadline.
July 1: Arkansas Academic Challenge and Governor’s Scholars applications through SAMS, plus the FAFSA.
Parent rule of thumb: if a retake might move your student up a tier, schedule it before February, not after.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Ouachita Baptist University
Every award on Ouachita’s merit grid comes with admission. There’s no separate scholarship application. For students starting in Fall 2027, the award is set by either the ACT or the high school GPA through seventh semester. The top two tiers go by test score, and the rest go by GPA.
How a Test Score Changes the Number (Fall 2027)
High School GPA
GPA Award
With a 25 ACT
With a 29 ACT
3.85 to 4.0
$18,000
$21,000
$23,000
3.55 to 3.849
$16,000
$21,000
$23,000
3.00 to 3.549
$13,000
$21,000
$23,000
2.50 to 2.99
$5,000
$21,000
$23,000
Per year, renewable for four years. Score equivalents: 25 ACT = 1200 SAT = 83 CLT; 29 ACT = 1330 SAT = 95 CLT. Ouachita’s text says an ACT is required for the test tiers while the tiers list SAT and CLT equivalents, so confirm an SAT or CLT will count. Run Ouachita’s scholarship calculator to confirm your student’s tier.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidApp Required
Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship
📅 Deadline: 07-01 ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~19 ACT✎ ~990 SATArkansas resident; 3.0 GPA with any test score on record, OR a 19 ACT / 990 SAT with a lower GPA, OR a Diploma of Merit; no income cap; SAMS application and FAFSA by July 1
✚
Stacking & Combining
Lottery-funded and it climbs: $2,000 as a freshman, $4,000 as a sophomore and junior, $5,000 as a senior at a four-year school. Challenge PLUS adds need money for families with a Student Aid Index under 8,000. Stacks with every college award. Renewal takes a 2.5 GPA, 15 hours a semester, and 27 earned hours the first year (30 after that).
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Nearly every Arkansas graduate with either a 3.0 or a 19 ACT, which is most of them. The losses come on hours, not grades: a student who drops to 12 hours in a spring semester, or finishes freshman year with 24 earned hours instead of 27, loses the sophomore jump to $4,000.
State AidApp Required
Governor's Distinguished Scholarship
📅 Deadline: 03-01 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~32 ACT✎ ~1410 SATArkansas resident; 32 ACT (superscore accepted) or 1410 SAT, plus a 3.5 GPA; National Merit and National Achievement finalists skip the GPA test; FAFSA required regardless of income; SAMS application by March 1
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to $10,000 a year for four years, and it can pay room and board, not just tuition. The catch is the cap: Academic Challenge and Governor's Distinguished together cannot exceed $10,000, so as Challenge rises from $2,000 to $5,000, Distinguished shrinks to match. Stacks with college merit on top of that.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
32-ACT seniors who applied by March 1. The February ACT is the last date that counts, and a score that arrives after the deadline requires a second SAMS application, which is where a handful of eligible students fall through every year.
State AidApp Required
Governor's Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: 07-01 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Arkansas resident; a Diploma of Distinction from an Arkansas public high school, OR an associate degree earned by the summer after graduation, OR the top Academic Challenge applicant in a county with no Distinguished Scholar; FAFSA required; SAMS application by July 1
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to $5,000 a year for four years, payable toward room and board. Sits on top of Academic Challenge for students who qualify through the Diploma of Distinction or the county route. Stacks with college awards.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Public high school graduates with the Diploma of Distinction, which is a course-pattern designation the high school has to certify, and the top scorer in each rural county that produced no 32-ACT Distinguished Scholar. Private and homeschool graduates cannot use the diploma route.
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
Trustee's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: 12-01 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$23,000/yr
✔ Stackable
✎ ~29 ACT✎ ~1330 SATIncoming first-time Fall 2027 freshmen with a 29 ACT, 1330 SAT or 95 CLT. No GPA minimum is listed for this tier. Ouachita counts ACT scores through the February test date, and admission is the only application.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, the highest they qualify for. It stacks with Arkansas state aid, federal grants, athletic and talent awards, and Ouachita's faith and family awards. All Ouachita aid combined is capped at tuition, fees, housing and food, and none of it is cash refundable.
💡
Strategic Detail
New for Fall 2027 ($92,000 over four years). The amount stays the same all four years. Ouachita's wording says an ACT is required for this tier while the tier itself lists SAT and CLT equivalents, so confirm with admissions before relying on an SAT or CLT.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students in the top quarter of the freshman class by test score: the middle 50% ACT for enrolled freshmen runs 22 to 28, so a 29 sits just past the top of that range. Because GPA plays no part in this tier, a B-plus student who tests well lands in the same spot as the valedictorian.
Automatic
President's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: 12-01 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$21,000/yr
✔ Stackable
✎ ~25 ACT✎ ~1200 SATIncoming first-time Fall 2027 freshmen with a 25 ACT, 1200 SAT or 83 CLT. No GPA minimum is listed for this tier for Fall 2027. ACT scores count through the February test date.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, the highest they qualify for. It stacks with Arkansas state aid, federal grants, athletic and talent awards, and Ouachita's faith and family awards. All Ouachita aid combined is capped at tuition, fees, housing and food, and none of it is cash refundable.
💡
Strategic Detail
$84,000 over four years. For Fall 2026 this award required a 26 ACT plus a 3.8 GPA; the Fall 2027 grid dropped the GPA requirement and lowered the score to 25. Same SAT and CLT wording caveat as the Trustee's Scholarship.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students at or above Ouachita's median, since the middle ACT for enrolled freshmen is 25. This is the tier where one test score moves the most money: a 3.0 student with a 25 ACT goes from the $13,000 Collegiate award to $21,000 here, a $32,000 difference over four years.
Automatic
Founder's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: 12-01 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$18,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.9+ GPAIncoming first-time Fall 2027 freshmen with a 3.85 to 4.0 high school GPA through the seventh semester. No test score required.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, the highest they qualify for. It stacks with Arkansas state aid, federal grants, athletic and talent awards, and Ouachita's faith and family awards. All Ouachita aid combined is capped at tuition, fees, housing and food, and none of it is cash refundable.
💡
Strategic Detail
$72,000 over four years. The amount stays the same all four years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Straight-A and nearly straight-A students. Anyone in this range with a 25 ACT should still send it, because the President's Scholarship pays $3,000 more a year and a 29 ACT pays $5,000 more.
Automatic
Dean's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: 12-01 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$16,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.6+ GPAIncoming first-time Fall 2027 freshmen with a 3.55 to 3.849 high school GPA through the seventh semester. No test score required.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, the highest they qualify for. It stacks with Arkansas state aid, federal grants, athletic and talent awards, and Ouachita's faith and family awards. All Ouachita aid combined is capped at tuition, fees, housing and food, and none of it is cash refundable.
💡
Strategic Detail
$64,000 over four years. The amount stays the same all four years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
A-minus students. Sending a 25 ACT is worth $5,000 a year more for a student in this range, and a 29 is worth $7,000 more.
Automatic
Collegiate Scholarship
📅 Deadline: 12-01 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$13,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPAIncoming first-time Fall 2027 freshmen with a 3.00 to 3.549 high school GPA through the seventh semester. No test score required.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, the highest they qualify for. It stacks with Arkansas state aid, federal grants, athletic and talent awards, and Ouachita's faith and family awards. All Ouachita aid combined is capped at tuition, fees, housing and food, and none of it is cash refundable.
💡
Strategic Detail
$52,000 over four years. The amount stays the same all four years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Solid B students, which describes a big share of any freshman class. This is the tier where testing pays off most: a 25 ACT turns $13,000 a year into $21,000.
Automatic
Opportunity Award
📅 Deadline: 12-01 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.5+ GPAIncoming first-time Fall 2027 freshmen with a 2.50 to 2.99 high school GPA through the seventh semester. No test score required.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, the highest they qualify for. It stacks with Arkansas state aid, federal grants, athletic and talent awards, and Ouachita's faith and family awards. All Ouachita aid combined is capped at tuition, fees, housing and food, and none of it is cash refundable.
💡
Strategic Detail
$20,000 over four years. Older grids started this tier at a 2.00 GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a 2.50 to 2.99 GPA. Below a 2.50 with no qualifying test score, the Fall 2027 grid lists no award at all, even though Ouachita's cost page still says every new student receives merit. Families in that range should ask admissions directly before counting on a number.
Data last verified Oct 29, 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: Students receive one merit tier, the highest they qualify for. Merit stacks with Arkansas state aid, federal grants, and Ouachita’s talent, faith and family awards, up to the total of tuition, fees, housing and food.
Does my student need an ACT to get a scholarship?
No. The Founder’s, Dean’s, Collegiate and Opportunity awards go by GPA alone. A score is only needed for the Trustee’s ($23,000 at a 29 ACT) and President’s ($21,000 at a 25 ACT) Scholarships. For most B and B-plus students, though, a 25 ACT is the single biggest money lever on the grid.
Which ACT dates count?
Ouachita accepts ACT scores through the February test date for the entering class. A score that arrives after that won’t move your student up a tier.
Does Ouachita superscore the ACT?
Ouachita doesn’t publish a superscore policy for scholarships. Plan around your student’s best single sitting, and ask admissions directly if a superscore would change the tier.
Is the award guaranteed?
Yes, for admitted students who meet the published GPA or test criteria. Admission is the only application. Applying by the December 1 priority date with the FAFSA on file is how Ouachita says to get the most aid overall.
What does it take to keep the scholarship?
A 2.0 cumulative college GPA. The award lasts up to eight semesters and the dollar amount stays the same all four years.
Do out-of-state students get the same awards?
Yes. The grid is the same for every state, and so is tuition. Arkansas residents can also stack state aid like Academic Challenge on top.
My student has a GPA under 2.50. Is there anything?
A 25 ACT still qualifies for the President’s Scholarship regardless of GPA. Without a qualifying score, the Fall 2027 grid lists no merit award below a 2.50, so call admissions before counting on one.
Ouachita does not run a full-tuition scholarship competition. There’s no interview weekend or essay contest for a big award. The largest academic money is the automatic merit grid, and the competitive awards below are smaller add-ons. For most families, that’s actually good news: the number is predictable.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Ouachita?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Ouachita Parent Translation
Merit Grid
N/A
Your student gets one tier, the highest they qualify for by ACT or GPA.
Athletic Scholarships
Yes
Ouachita says athletic aid stacks with merit, up to tuition, fees, housing and food.
Talent Awards (band, music, art, theatre)
Yes
Up to $3,000 a year on top of merit, by audition or portfolio.
Spirit Squad
Yes, with a lower cap
Combined Ouachita aid for spirit squad members can’t exceed tuition, not the usual full direct cost.
Faith and Family Awards
Yes
Legacy, minister’s child, missionary and church matching awards sit on top of merit.
Arkansas State Aid
Yes
Academic Challenge stacks. Academic Challenge plus Governor’s Distinguished together top out at $10,000 a year.
The Ceiling
Applies to all
All Ouachita aid combined stops at tuition, fees, housing and food. None of it is cash refundable.
Athletics is the one place Ouachita money can get really big. The Tigers compete in NCAA Division II in the Great American Conference, with teams in football, baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and cross country, volleyball and wrestling. Athletic aid can reach full tuition, fees, housing and food, and it stacks with merit. Coaches drive that process, so contact them directly through the Athletic Department at (870) 245-5181.
App Required
National Merit Ouachita Baptist University Scholarship
📅 Deadline: 03-01 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ National Merit Finalists only
👥 ~Minimum of 3 per year winners/yrNational Merit Finalists who name Ouachita as their first-choice college with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation by March 1. A student chosen for another NMSC or corporate-sponsored award is not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Sits on top of the student's merit tier and Arkansas state aid, within Ouachita's cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
📄
How to Apply
Reach Finalist standing through the PSAT/NMSQT, then list Ouachita as first choice with NMSC by March 1.
💡
Strategic Detail
Ouachita is a college sponsor of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Its aid page lists the amount but not the renewal terms; NMSC rules allow college-sponsored awards to renew for up to four years, so confirm the terms in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: National Merit Finalists who make Ouachita their first choice. Ouachita commits to at least three of these a year at $1,000 each. That makes it a nice add-on to a Trustee's award, not a full-ride package, so a Finalist comparing offers should weigh it against schools that build large National Merit packages.
App Required
Tiger Network Leadership Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies Non-Renewable
$1,000
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires an alumni nomination
🏫 2.8+ GPAIncoming freshmen with a 2.75 high school GPA who are nominated by a Ouachita graduate or former student. Recipients take part in leadership activities.
✚
Stacking & Combining
A one-time first-year award that stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
📄
How to Apply
A Ouachita graduate or former student submits the nomination through the Tiger Network.
💡
Strategic Detail
$1,000 for the first year only.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a Ouachita alum in their corner, which in Arkansas Baptist circles is a lot of students. Families without a direct connection can ask their church, youth minister or admissions counselor whether an alum would make the nomination.
Data last verified Oct 29, 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.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does Ouachita offer a full-tuition or full-ride competition?
No. The top academic award is the automatic $23,000 Trustee’s Scholarship for a 29 ACT. The only paths to Ouachita money that can cover full direct cost are athletics and the Baptist Children’s Home Award.
What does Ouachita offer National Merit Finalists?
Ouachita sponsors at least three $1,000 National Merit awards a year. Finalists must name Ouachita as their first choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation by March 1. It sits on top of the merit grid but is far from a full ride, so a Finalist should compare it against schools with large National Merit packages.
How does the Tiger Network Leadership Scholarship work?
A Ouachita graduate or former student nominates an incoming freshman with at least a 2.75 GPA. It pays $1,000 for the first year, and recipients join leadership activities on campus.
Can athletic money and merit money be combined?
Yes. Ouachita states athletic scholarships stack with merit, up to the total of tuition, fees, housing and food.
Are there deadlines for competitive awards?
National Merit runs on the March 1 first-choice deadline. Talent awards run on audition schedules, and the Art & Design Scholarship is due the second Friday of November. Treat the December 1 priority scholarship date as the deadline for everything else.
Many of Ouachita’s extra awards depend on who your family is, not what your student did. They’re easy money, but only if someone sends the right document. Before December 1, go down this list:
Did a parent attend Ouachita? Make sure the application shows it for the $1,000 Legacy Award.
Is a parent or spouse in Southern Baptist ministry? Ask Student Financial Services how to verify it for the $2,000 Minister’s Child and Spouse Award.
Does your church give graduating seniors a scholarship? Send Ouachita’s church match form with it and the gift is matched up to $500.
Serving overseas as missionaries? Get the sending-organization letter in early for the $5,000 Missionary Dependent Award.
Art, music or theatre kid? Book the audition or portfolio review now. Art & Design is due the second Friday of November.
Parent translation: these stack on top of merit, so a Collegiate student with a legacy parent and a church match can add $2,000 a year without writing a single essay.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These awards aren’t on the merit grid, but they stack with it and can fill real gaps. Some are for incoming freshmen, and a few are only for students already on campus.
App Required
Missionary Dependent Award
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Dependents of overseas missionaries
U.S. citizens who are dependent students of full-time, cross-cultural evangelical missionaries serving outside the U.S. and Canada. A letter verifying service from the sending organization is required.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Ouachita states this award stacks with its merit scholarships, within the overall cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
📄
How to Apply
Submit a service verification letter from the sending organization to Student Financial Services.
💡
Strategic Detail
$5,000 a year, renewable over four years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Missionary kids and third culture kids, a group Ouachita has welcomed for generations. The university can limit how many it awards in a given year, so get the sending-organization letter in early.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Minister's Child and Spouse Award
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Southern Baptist ministry families
🎓 All UndergradDependent children and spouses of active, retired or deceased full-time ministers in Southern Baptist churches, current associational missionaries, chaplains endorsed by the North American Mission Board, and Arkansas Baptist State Convention employees in Executive Board approved positions.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
💡
Strategic Detail
$2,000 a year; a 2.0 cumulative GPA keeps it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Pastors' kids and ministry families in Southern Baptist life. Ouachita's aid page doesn't spell out the verification step, so call Student Financial Services early and ask what they need to confirm the ministry position.
Automatic
Legacy Award
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Parent attended Ouachita
Students with at least one parent who attended Ouachita.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
💡
Strategic Detail
$1,000 a year; a 2.0 cumulative GPA keeps it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any student with a parent who attended Ouachita. The wording is attended, not graduated, so a parent who left before finishing may still count. Make sure the parent's attendance shows up on the application.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Southern Baptist Church Matching Grant
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews
$500/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Gift must come from a Southern Baptist church
🎓 All UndergradStudents who receive a scholarship from any Southern Baptist church. Ouachita matches up to $500 a year ($250 a semester) when its church match grant form is included with the church's gift.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
📄
How to Apply
Ask the church to send its scholarship with Ouachita's church match grant form for the current year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students whose home church gives a scholarship, which many Southern Baptist churches do for graduating seniors. A $500 church gift becomes $1,000 on the bill, but only if the matching form goes in with the check. The form changes each year, so use the current year's version.
App Required
Band Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Audition required
Awarded on performance through an audition with Ouachita's band director.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
📄
How to Apply
Contact the band director to schedule an audition.
💡
Strategic Detail
A 2.0 cumulative GPA keeps it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Marching and concert instrumentalists who schedule an audition. Awards run up to $3,000 a year, and auditioning early gets the number onto the award letter sooner.
App Required
Music Scholarship (School of Performing Arts)
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Intended music majors; audition
Students who intend to major in music and pass a vocal or instrumental audition in piano, organ, voice, winds, percussion or strings. High school GPA is also weighed.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
📄
How to Apply
Schedule an audition through the School of Performing Arts at (870) 245-5139.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Future music majors. The School of Performing Arts doesn't publish a dollar range, so the audition is the only way to find out the number.
App Required
Art & Design Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Second Friday of November ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Portfolio required
Art education, graphic design and studio art students. Awarded on a portfolio of work and a brief essay.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Art and Design Scholarship application with a portfolio and short essay.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Graphic design and studio art students who have a portfolio ready in the fall of senior year. The deadline is the second Friday of November, months ahead of most scholarship dates, and it's the one families most often find out about too late.
App Required
Theatre Arts Scholarship (Performing and Designing)
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Audition, portfolio and interview
Performing and design students. Awarded on an audition, a portfolio of work and an interview.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
📄
How to Apply
Contact the theatre arts faculty to schedule an audition.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Actors, musical theatre students and technical designers. Reach out to the theatre faculty early, because the audition, portfolio review and interview all have to be scheduled.
App Required
Spirit Squad Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (2 GPA)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Audition required
Awarded by audition with the spirit squad director.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with other Ouachita aid, but for spirit squad members Ouachita caps the combined total at tuition, which is lower than the usual cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
💡
Strategic Detail
A 2.0 cumulative GPA keeps it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Cheer and dance students who make the squad. Worth knowing before signing: the tuition-only cap means a high-merit student may see less added value from this award than the audition suggests.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Baptist Children's Home Award
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (2 GPA)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Arkansas Baptist Children's Home dependents
🎓 All UndergradDependents of the Arkansas Baptist Children's Home. Requires a letter of support from the director of Arkansas Baptist Children's Home and Family Ministries.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Combined with any federal aid the student qualifies for, it can cover up to full tuition, fees, housing and food.
💡
Strategic Detail
A 2.0 cumulative GPA keeps it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Young people raised through Arkansas Baptist Children's Homes. It is one of the few awards at Ouachita built to close the full direct-cost gap.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
TRIO Program Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (2 GPA)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ TRIO participants
🎓 All UndergradAwarded each year to an outstanding participant in Ouachita's TRIO program. Applications are available in the TRIO Programs office.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
💡
Strategic Detail
$1,000 a year; a 2.0 cumulative GPA keeps it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Current students in Ouachita's TRIO program, which serves first-generation and income-eligible students. Students who qualify for TRIO should join early in freshman year to be in line for it.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Ouachita Student Foundation Scholarship
📅 Deadline: 03-01 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Juniors and seniors living on campus
🎓 UpperclassmenResidential students classified as juniors or above (59 or more hours) by the fall semester. Recipients reapply each year. A committee of students from the Ouachita Student Foundation makes the selections.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
📄
How to Apply
Apply online through the Ouachita Student Foundation by 5 p.m. on March 1.
💡
Strategic Detail
Recipients are notified by mail in April.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Juniors and seniors who live on campus and apply by March 1. Ouachita says events like Tiger Tunes, the student-produced show each fall, raise money for aid to returning students, so this is a scholarship students help fund and award themselves.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Byron and Carol Eiseman Endowed Pre-Law Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Pre-law juniors and seniors
🎓 UpperclassmenFull-time juniors and seniors preparing for law school, with a record of academic excellence and good standing in the campus community.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
📄
How to Apply
Return the completed application form to the Hickingbotham School of Business.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Pre-law juniors and seniors. Applications go through the Hickingbotham School of Business, and the amount isn't published.
Automatic
Youth Speaker's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies Non-Renewable
$400–$600
✔ Stackable
⚠ ABSC youth speakers tournament placers
Winners and runners-up of the youth speakers tournament sponsored by the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. The convention must notify Student Financial Services.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the merit tier and other Ouachita aid, within the cap of tuition, fees, housing and food.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Winners and runners-up of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention youth speakers tournament. It's small and one year only, so the main job is making sure the convention's notice actually reaches the financial aid office.
Data last verified Oct 29, 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
How does the Southern Baptist church match work?
If your student’s Southern Baptist church gives them a scholarship, Ouachita matches up to $500 a year ($250 a semester). The church has to include Ouachita’s church match grant form with its gift, and the form changes each year, so use the current one.
Does the Legacy Award require a parent to have graduated?
No. Ouachita’s wording is that at least one parent attended. The award is $1,000 a year and needs a 2.0 GPA to keep.
Does my student have to major in music to get a music scholarship?
The School of Performing Arts scholarship is for students who intend to major in music. Band scholarships are awarded on audition performance, and theatre scholarships cover both performers and designers.
Are there scholarships for students already at Ouachita?
Yes. Juniors and seniors living on campus can apply for an Ouachita Student Foundation Scholarship by March 1 each year. Pre-law juniors and seniors can apply for the Eiseman Pre-Law Scholarship, and TRIO participants can apply for a $1,000 TRIO award.
Is there help for students from the Arkansas Baptist Children’s Home?
Yes. Combined with federal aid, the Baptist Children’s Home Award can cover up to full tuition, fees, housing and food. It requires a letter of support from the Children’s Home director.
Carl Goodson Honors Program at Ouachita Baptist University
Ouachita runs an Honors Program, not a separate honors college. The Carl Goodson Honors Program has been around since 1964 and is built around undergraduate research, seminars and a senior honors thesis. The thing parents most need to know: it doesn’t come with tuition money. Ouachita’s own FAQ says there are no honors scholarships for general tuition. The value is in the experience and in research grants later on.
Invited automatically: 28 ACT and 3.5 high school GPA
No ACT? Students with a 3.8 GPA or higher can appeal by emailing the program director
Second chance: Any freshman who earns a 3.5 GPA in the first semester is invited to join
Honors Program Grants
App Required⚠ Junior Only
Carl Goodson Honors Program Research and Travel Grants
📅 Deadline: February of junior year Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Honors Program juniors
🎓 JuniorMembers of the Carl Goodson Honors Program apply in February of junior year for grants that fund travel and research for the senior honors thesis.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Project money on top of all other aid. It pays for the research, not the tuition bill.
💡
Strategic Detail
Grant amounts are not published on the current honors pages.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Honors juniors with a thesis project that needs travel or research money. Ouachita's honors FAQ says plainly that there are no honors scholarships for general tuition, so these grants are the honors money, and they go to the project itself.
Data last verified Oct 29, 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.
Honors grants pay for thesis research and travel, and students apply in February of junior year. Ouachita doesn’t publish current grant amounts.
Parent Note: A 29 ACT student who joins Honors gets the $23,000 Trustee’s Scholarship from the merit grid, not from Honors. Don’t count on Honors adding to the award letter. Count on it adding to the resume.
What Honors Students Actually Get
Priority class registration
Research and travel grant opportunities for the senior thesis
Directed study with a professor of the student’s choice
A chance to present at Scholars Day each April and at national honors conferences
Golden stoles at commencement and an honors credential on the transcript
Is there a separate Honors application?
Not for students who qualify. Students who send an ACT and meet the 28 ACT and 3.5 GPA standard are invited to join. Students without an ACT and with a 3.8 GPA can make their case by email.
Does Honors come with a scholarship?
No. Ouachita’s honors FAQ says there are no honors scholarships for general tuition. Honors students can apply for research and travel grants in February of junior year.
What if my student doesn’t qualify as a freshman?
Any student who earns a 3.5 GPA in the first semester at Ouachita is invited to join, so the door stays open.
What is Scholars Day?
An April afternoon when Ouachita students present research, papers and performances to the campus. Honors sponsors it, but all students can take part, and families are welcome to attend.
Can Honors students still play sports or join clubs?
Yes. Ouachita says its honors students take part in athletics and social clubs like anyone else.
Ouachita is a small, Christian liberal arts university where most students live on campus and know their professors by name. It was named the top private university in Arkansas in Niche’s 2027 rankings. The academic strengths line up with where its graduates actually go: health careers, business, ministry, education and the performing arts.
Nationally Known Program: Hickingbotham School of Business: AACSB-accredited since 2002, the same accreditation big state flagships carry. Finance is one of Ouachita’s most popular majors, and the school promotes a hands-on twist that’s rare at a college this size: students help manage $1 million of the university’s endowment.
Nursing and Pre-Health: Biology is Ouachita’s largest major, and nursing (an accredited BSN) is close behind, making health careers the biggest pipeline on campus.
Communication Sciences and Disorders: A popular track for students headed toward speech-language pathology graduate programs.
Christian Studies and Ministry: Biblical studies, missions, worship and pastoral ministry, with a long tradition of preparing missionaries.
Performing and Visual Arts: Musical theatre, music, theatre and graphic design, plus Tiger Tunes, the student-produced show that helps raise scholarship money.
Dietetics, Exercise Science and Psychology: Exercise science and psychology draw steady numbers, and dietetics students can continue into Ouachita’s accredited dietetic internship.
🔗 Official Ouachita Baptist University Links
Use Ouachita’s official pages below to check the latest scholarship grid, costs and deadlines. Always rely on these pages for final award terms.
Big picture? Ouachita is one of the most predictable private colleges a family can shop. There’s one price for every state, a free application with no essay, and a merit grid you can read before your student applies. The new Fall 2027 grid rewards test scores more than ever, which cuts both ways: a B student with a 25 ACT can walk in with $21,000 a year, while a student under a 2.50 GPA without a qualifying score may see nothing from the grid at all.
The families who do best here handle three things early. They get the ACT where it needs to be by February. They’re admitted with a FAFSA on file by December 1. And they send in the paperwork awards: legacy, ministry, church match, missionary, auditions. Add Academic Challenge if you’re in Arkansas, and the gap between Ouachita and the state school down the road can get a lot smaller than the sticker price suggests.
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