Arkansas Heroes Scholarship
Offered by Arkansas Division of Higher Education · Free to apply
The Arkansas Heroes Scholarship covers in-state tuition, on-campus housing and mandatory fees for up to eight semesters at public or private Arkansas colleges for the spouses and dependent children of Arkansans killed or permanently and totally disabled in military service or in the line of duty. Covered military situations include those killed or missing in action, prisoners of war, Medal of Honor or Purple Heart recipients and 100 percent totally and permanently disabled veterans. Covered public servants include law enforcement officers, firefighters, sheriffs, constables, game wardens, EMTs, forestry and highway department workers, correction and community punishment employees, and teachers. The student must have lived in Arkansas for a year, be a citizen or permanent resident, be under 26 if a dependent child, and be enrolled or accepted at an approved Arkansas school. For military families, three months of federal Chapter 35 benefits are deducted first, so a Chapter 35 application by June 15 is required. Apply in the SAMS portal by July 1.
Other deadlines near this one
- Arkansas Academic Challenge ScholarshipDue July 1, 2027 · $1,000 freshman year, then $4,000-$5,000/yr at 4-year colleges (up to $14,000 total)
- Arkansas Future Grant (ArFuture)Due July 1, 2027 · Full tuition and mandatory fees for qualifying certificate/associate programs (last-dollar)
- Arkansas Governor's Higher Education Transition ScholarshipDue July 1, 2027 · Up to $2,500 a semester
How hard is the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship to win?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award.
- Odds
- not published by the provider
- Paperwork
- ~4 hrs to file
What drives the odds here
Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.
- Fewer rivalsOpen only to Arkansas residents
- Fewer rivalsRequires a military or national-service connection
- Fewer rivalsRequires a specific life circumstance
- Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.
Who can apply for the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Must be a resident of Arkansas
- Must attend a college in Arkansas (the award does not travel out of state)
- Open to high school seniors
- Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)
- For students who lost a parent in military service or active-duty military or veteran families
- For parent first responder line of duty death
- Age 25 or younger
- Parent or spouse must be an Arkansan killed, MIA, POW, Medal of Honor or Purple Heart recipient, or 100% disabled in service, or killed or disabled in the line of duty in a listed public job
- Military families must first apply for federal Chapter 35 (DEA) benefits by June 15
Personalized matching
Does your student actually qualify?
Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
What the application takes
No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is July 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around July 1 each year.
- Chapter 35 (DEA) application to VA
- June 15, 2027
- Application deadline
- July 1, 2027
Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.
Common questions about the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship
How much is the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship worth?
The Arkansas Heroes Scholarship awards in-state tuition, on-campus housing and mandatory fees and is renewable in later years.
When is the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship deadline?
The current deadline is July 1, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around July 1 each year.
Who is eligible for the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship?
Key requirements: Must be a resident of Arkansas; Must attend a college in Arkansas (the award does not travel out of state); Open to high school seniors; Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card). 3 more criteria are listed on this page.
Does the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship require an essay?
No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 4 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. The provider does not publish applicant or winner counts, so Solyo shows no odds figure for this award. What is known: open only to Arkansas residents and requires a military or national-service connection. Plan on about 4 hrs of work.
Is the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship free to apply?
Yes. The Arkansas Heroes Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More military & service families
- Army ROTC 4-Year High School ScholarshipFull tuition and fees (or room and board) + stipends · due March 4, 2027
- Coast Guard Foundation Scholarship$2,500 or $5,000 per year · due April 1, 2027
- Delaware Educational Benefits for Children of Deceased Veterans and OthersTuition and fees · due May 15, 2027
- Dolphin Scholarship$3,000 to $4,500 per year, renewable · due March 15, 2027
- Douglas J.J. Peters Veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship (VAIC)Up to $9,189 per year · due October 15, 2027
- Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy and Jean B. Cryor Memorial ScholarshipsUp to $14,086 per year · due July 15, 2027
Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.