Procedures
Organization and Structure
The Arkansas Department Division of Higher Education shall administer the Governor's
Scholars Program within the policies set by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
All formal communications shall be addressed to or signed by the Director of the Arkansas
Department Division of Higher Education or his/her designee. The Governor's Scholars
Advisory Council shall provide advice to the Department Division of Higher Education
regarding the administration of the program.
Governor's Scholars Program Advisory Council
A. The Governor's Scholars Program Advisory Council shall consist of ten members
appointed by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board for staggered
two-year terms and shall represent the public and private sectors of postsecondary education and secondary schools.
B. The Governor's Scholars Program Advisory Council shall advise the Arkansas
Department Division of Higher Education in the determination of guidelines and
regulations for the administration of this program.
C. The Director of the Arkansas Department Division of Higher Education or his/her
designee shall serve as presiding officer of the Governor's Scholars Program
Advisory Council and shall ensure that staff services for the Council are provided.
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The final responsibility for selecting scholarship recipients shall rest with the Director of the
Arkansas Department Division of Higher Education pursuant to the provisions of Arkansas Code
Annotated § 6-82-301 et. Seq.
When functioning under Arkansas Code Annotated § 6-82-301 et. Seq., the Arkansas
Department Division of Higher Education shall follow the provisions of the Administrative
Procedures Act.
Eligibility Criteria
(a) The Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program scholarships are to be awarded to those
students who demonstrate the highest capabilities for successful college study.
(b) A student is eligible for this scholarship if he or she:
(1) Meets the admission requirements and is accepted for enrollment as a fulltime undergraduate student in an eligible public or private college or
university in Arkansas;
(2) (A) Is a bona fide resident of the state, as defined by the Department Division
of Higher Education, and is either:
a. (3) Is A citizen of the United States or a permanent resident alien;
b. The holder, or the child of a holder, of a Federal Form I-766
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services-issued
Employment Authorization Document, known popularly as a
“work permit”; or
c. A person who is a migrant from the Compact of Free Association
Islands
(B) Preference will be given to students who plan to enter college at the beginning of the
academic year directly following their last year of high school attendance;
(4) (3) Graduates from a high school;
(4) Completes and submits to the U.S. Department of Education a Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a subsequent application
required by the U.S. Department of Education for federal financial aid;
(5) (A) Demonstrates proficiency in the application of knowledge and skills in reading and
writing literacy and mathematics by passing the end-of-course examination as may be developed
by the Department of Education and as may be designated by the Department of Higher
Education for this purpose.
(B) "End-of-course" assessment means those assessments defined in § 6-15-419; and
(6) (5)(A) Satisfies the qualifications of superior academic ability as established
by the Department Division of Higher Education with criteria consisting of value
points for academic achievement and leadership, including without limitation:
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(i) American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score,
National Merit Finalist, or National Achievement Finalist;
(ii) High school grade point average;
(iii) Rank in high school class; and
(iv) Leadership in school, community, and employment.
(B) (i) The Department Division of Higher Education may alter the weight
assigned to the individual criterion to more appropriately meet the needs of the
state as determined by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Value points assigned to each selection criterion are weighted as follows:
American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score, National Merit Finalist,
or National Achievement Finalist ----------------------------------------------------- 45%
High school grade point average ---------------------------------------------------------------- 35%
Rank in high school class ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10%
Leadership in school, community, and employment --------------------------------------- 10%
(ii) The Department Division of Higher Education shall ensure that the weight
assigned to each individual criterion under this subdivision (b)(6)(B) (b)(5)(B)
does not place a home-schooled, public school, or private school student at a
disadvantage.
(iii) (a) After determining qualified recipients based on the qualifications under
subdivision (b)(6)(A) (b)(5)(A) of this section, the Department Division of Higher
Education shall ensure that at least one (1) recipient is selected from each of the
seventy-five (75) counties in Arkansas.
(b) If any of the seventy-five (75) counties is not represented, the Department
Division of Higher Education shall select a student from each nonrepresented
county with the highest qualifications under subdivision (b)(6)(A) (b)(5)(A)
of this section who was not initially qualified.
(c) The scholarship shall be weighed on the factors of achievement, ability,
and demonstrated leadership capabilities.
(d) Students who are selected as Arkansas Governor's Scholars who also
exhibit extraordinary academic ability as defined in the definitions section of
this rule shall be designated as Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholars.
(e) Preference will be given to students who plan to enter college at the
beginning of the academic year directly following their last year of high
school attendance.
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Continued Eligibility
(a) An Arkansas Governor's Scholarship or Arkansas Governor's Distinguished
Scholarship may be awarded annually for a period not to exceed an academic year.
(b)(1) A scholarship shall correspond to academic terms, semesters, quarters, or
equivalent time periods at the eligible institutions.
(2) In no instance may the entire amount of the grant for an educational year be paid to
or on behalf of students in advance.
(c) Provided sufficient funds are available, a scholarship shall be awarded for one (1)
academic year and renewed annually for three (3) additional academic years if the
following conditions for renewal are met:
(1) The student maintains not less than a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scholastic
grading scale;
(2) A student receiving a scholarship under the Scholarship Amounts subsection (a)
maintains not less than a 3.25 grade point average on a 4.0 scholastic grading
scale;
(3) The recipient has successfully completed a total of at least twenty-seven (27) hours
during the first full academic year and, if applicable, a total of at least thirty (30)
hours per academic year thereafter; and
(4) The recipient has met any other continuing eligibility criteria established by the
Department Division of Higher Education.
(5) If a student who has continuously been a recipient of the scholarship for at least
three (3) consecutive years is enrolled as a part-time student in the student's fourth
academic year, the student shall be eligible to continue to receive the scholarship if
the student has completed, by his or her fourth academic year, or is enrolled in, for
his or her fourth academic year, the requisite number of credit hours to complete
the student's degree program.
Application
Students must submit an on-line application, available at the ADHE website
http://scholarships.adhe.edu/.
The application deadline shall be established by the Department Division of Higher
Education of the calendar year in which a student graduates from high school. At its
discretion, the Department Division of Higher Education may extend the deadline, provided
sufficient notice is provided to the public. The applicant is responsible for submitting the
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application and all supporting documentation in a timely manner.
Number of Scholarships
(a) If sufficient funds are available, effective for students receiving their initial awards
beginning in fall 2007, the number of initial scholarship awards to eligible high
achievers shall not exceed three hundred seventy-five
(375) each year.
(b) If there are more eligible applicants than available scholarships, the department division
may determine a procedure for awarding additional scholarships while not exceeding
available funds.
Use of Scholarship
(a) No student may utilize scholarship funds for educational purposes beyond the
baccalaureate degree.
(b) There shall be an exception to the requirement of subsection (a) of this section for any
student who receives a baccalaureate degree in three (3) years or less. The student may
receive an award of the scholarship for a fourth academic year to be used as a fulltime student enrolled in a postgraduate program at an approved institution.
Scholarship Amounts
(a) An Arkansas Governor's Scholarship or Arkansas Governor's Distinguished
Scholarship awarded to a new recipient who enrolls in an approved institution as a
first-time entering freshman shall be in an amount that equals the lesser of:
(1) Ten thousand dollars ($10,000); or
(2) Tuition, room and board, and mandatory fees charged for a regular full-time
course load by the approved institution in which the recipient is enrolled.
(b) A student selected as a recipient under the “Eligibility Criteria” subsection
(b)(6)(B)(iii)(b) who enrolls in an approved institution as a first-time entering
freshman after July 1, 2017, shall be awarded in an amount that equals the lesser of:
(1) Five thousand dollars ($5,000); or
(2) Tuition, room and board, and mandatory fees charged for a regular full-time
course load by the approved institution in which the recipient is enrolled.
(c) The scholarship amount for each semester in which a student who is the recipient of a
scholarship is enrolled as a part-time student during their fourth academic year shall
be prorated by the number of credit hours in which the student is enrolled.
Notification of Application and Award Status
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(a) An Arkansas Governor's Scholarship or Arkansas Governor's Distinguished
Scholarship shall receive an award notice and information sheet explaining
disbursement procedures and conditions of the Arkansas Governor's Scholars Award.
(b) The Arkansas Department Division of Higher Education shall notify applicants who
are determined to be ineligible and provide the reason for ineligibility. They will also
be given instructions on how to correct any information on the application they
believe to be incorrect.
(c) Applicants who fail to submit complete applications, or who fail to supply the
required documentation to process the application, will be classified as Incomplete.
The Arkansas Department Division of Higher Education shall notify these students of
their status. The Incomplete Notice provides a list of the incomplete items and the
actions necessary for completion.
