Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship
Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE)
Up to $3,000 per program for workforce training in manufacturing, construction trades, healthcare, IT, or logistics, for Arkansans not receiving Academic Challenge.
- How much
- Up to $3,000 per program (up to $1,500 for 80-179 clock-hour programs)
- Who qualifies
- Arkansas resident for at least 6 months; high school graduate or equivalency; not a current Academic Challenge recipient; admitted to an approved institution in an associate degree or certificate program (non-credit allowed) in an eligible high-demand field.
- For trade school students, adults going back to school, students starting college, undergrads
- For advanced manufacturing, construction trades, health care students
- When to apply
- Apply any time Rolling; apply at least 30 days before enrollment in the program
- How to apply
- Apply in your SAMS account at sams.adhe.edu at least 30 days before you enroll in an eligible program
- What you'll need
- state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (sams.adhe.edu) and page 2
The details
Lottery-funded. Up to $1,500 for approved professional skills training programs of 80-179 clock hours; up to $3,000 for programs of 180+ clock hours or credit programs of 6+ credit hours. Not to exceed the institution's standard tuition and fees. Eligible fields: advanced manufacturing, construction trades, health care, information technology, and logistics, distribution and transportation (approved program list on ADHE's Workforce Challenge page and Explore AR Careers). Non-renewable, but students who complete a program can reapply for another eligible program; students who don't complete can reapply once. The ACCESS Act raised the cap from $800 to $3,000 and opened it to approved private vocational-technical schools and technical institutes, effective no earlier than 2026-27.
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
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