Residents of the state of Arkansas with a minimum 19 ACT and a family income of $70,000 or less (Adjusted Gross Income)

The A-State Promise Plus Scholarship is only available to traditional, on-campus students.  A-State Online students are not eligible.

STEP ONE

Apply for admission to Arkansas State University. You can apply immediately at AState.edu/Apply.

STEP TWO

Fill out the College Board’s CSS Profile. You can also complete this step immediately at https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/.

STEP THREE

Complete the FAFSA. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the new simplified Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be open by Dec. 1, 2023.

We are encouraging students for the entering Class of 2024 to complete these three steps by Feb. 1, 2024, for their best opportunity to enroll, but students will have until June 1, 2024, to finish their FAFSA.

Complete 30 hours of coursework at Arkansas State University and maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA as well as annually completing the FAFSA and any Arkansas Challenge or Lottery Scholarship requirements.

To qualify for the A-State Promise Plus:

• Your family income is $70,000 or less (based on the Adjusted Gross Income or AGI from federal income tax form)
• You must be a resident of the state of Arkansas, as defined by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board Policy, Section 5.10
• Accepted for admission at Arkansas State University
• Complete the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship application
• Meet Federal Title IV eligibility criteria
• Annually complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by June 1 each year
• Complete 15 credit hours each semester for a 30-hour total each academic year
• Maintain a grade-point average of 2.5

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid allows A-State to determine your eligibility for need-based aid, and is required by the federal government for all federal financial aid that includes grants (like the Pell Grant), scholarships and loans. Along with missing out on A-State Promise Plus, students and their families are likely not maximizing the financial aid they could qualify for.

A-State’s role is to support each individual with the scholarship necessary to bring their tuition and fees balance to zero.  The amount will vary depending upon how much in federal and state grants each student qualifies for.  The fixed amount is the Plus, which can only be applied to room and board costs.  In the first year, students who stay on campus will receive $2,500.  For the student’s second through fourth year when living on campus, they will receive $4,500.

When the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery was established in 2009, Arkansas State University was among the first to supplement the ASL’s annual Academic Challenge Scholarships with what was then known and trademarked as the Arkansas Promise Scholarship starting in 2010-11.  Over the years, A-State has provided other opportunities based upon need.  The main difference between the past scholarships and the A-State Promise Plus is the additional support for living on-campus and the guarantee that qualifying students will have no cost for tuition and fees.

The CSS Profile is meant to be used in addition to -not in place of- the FAFSA, due to the Department of Education’s delay with the FAFSA 2024-25 you can get an early start on knowing what your eligibility will be by completing the CSS Profile for 2024-25.

When the FAFSA becomes available you will be required to complete it too.

You only need to fill out the CSS Profile if the FAFSA is not available. To check the FAFSA 24-25 availability visit FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid