Arkansas Health Education Grant (ARHEG)
Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE)
Helps Arkansans attend out-of-state dental, optometry, chiropractic, podiatry, and veterinary schools by paying part of their tuition through state contracts.
- How much
- Varies by field; FY 2025-26 SREB contract fee per student: $10,000 (chiropractic) to $36,962 (veterinary)
- Who qualifies
- Certified Arkansas resident; accepted by a participating out-of-state school under contract with the state; good academic standing.
- For grad students
- For dentistry, chiropractic medicine, optometry students
- When to apply
- Due July 1, 2027 Annual; July 1
- How to apply
- Apply and be accepted by a participating school, then submit the ARHEG application and residency affidavit in SAMS by July 1
- What you'll need
- state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (sams.adhe.edu) and page 2
The details
Arkansas has no in-state programs in these fields, so the state contracts for seats: 67 entering slots (dentistry 33, chiropractic 13, optometry 7, podiatric medicine 2, veterinary medicine 12) at named schools such as UT Health Science Center Memphis, LSU, Southern College of Optometry and LSU Vet. For SREB contract schools the state pays a set fee per student (FY 2025-26: dentistry $24,163, chiropractic $10,000, optometry $21,184, podiatry $14,344, veterinary $36,962). For direct contracts, the state pays the difference between resident and non-resident tuition (or at least $5,000 where tuition is the same). The participating school chooses recipients. The rules also include a forgivable loan for dental (and optometry) students, forgiven one year per year of practice in Arkansas; that loan part is not covered by this record.
More money from Arkansas
- Governor's Scholars Program - Distinguished ScholarsUp to $10,000 per academic year for 4 years ($40,000 total)
- Arkansas Washington Center ScholarshipUp to $6,000 (one-time)
- Arkansas Academic Challenge ScholarshipYear 1 $2,000; Years 2-3 $4,000; Year 4 $5,000 at a four-year college (two-year: $2,000 / $3,000 / $1,500 5th semester); plus Challenge PLUS for SAI 7,999 or below, up to $2,500 per semester total
- Governor's Scholars Program - Achievement ScholarsUp to $5,000 per academic year for 4 years ($20,000 total)
- Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)Up to $4,000 (spring-summer or spring-fall) or $2,750 (spring only), incl. student stipend up to $1,250
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.