Institutional Scholarships

South Arkansas College funds a number of scholarships for full or part-time degree or certificate seeking students.  

Most scholarships are awarded in the spring semester for the following academic year.  The priority deadline for most scholarships is March 1; however, scholarships will continue to be awarded to eligible students only as long as funding is available.

The value of a full-tuition or a half-tuition scholarship is determined by the recipient's residency status (in-district or out-of-district).  The maximum value of any institutional and foundation scholarships will be the value of tuition at the out-of-district rate.  Eligible scholarship recipients from outside Arkansas must pay the difference between the out-of-district and out-of-state tuition rates.  

Pending satisfactory completion of course work in the first year, institutional and foundation scholarships are renewable for the second academic year as long as the student re-applies for the scholarship and meets all renewal requirements.  The scholarship committee must approve all exceptions to scholarship requirements.

Presidential Scholarship

  • Award

  • Full Tuition Scholarship

  • Eligibility

  • First Time Entering college student

  • Score a composite or superscore of 24 or above on the national ACT exam OR a 1160 or higher on the national SAT exam, OR graduate from an Arkansas high school or high school in Claiborne, Morehouse, Union or Webster Parishes in Louisiana ranked in the top 10% of graduating class

  • Must enroll in at least 15 credit hours each semester

  • Submit ACT or SAT scores and a copy of the high school transcript or a letter from high school counselor stating class rank

  • Renewal/Retention

  • Must have completed at least 9 credit hours with a minimum 2.5 GPA at the end of the 1st semester

  • Must have completed at least 24 credit hours with a minimum 3.0 GPA at the end of the 2nd semester

  • Must have completed at least 36 credit hours with a minimum 3.0 GPA at the end of the 3rd semester 

Valedictorian/Salutatorian Scholarship

  • Award

  • Full Tuition Scholarship

  • Eligibility

  • First Time Entering college student

  • Valedictorian or Salutatorian of an Arkansas high school OR high school within Claiborne, Morehouse, Union or Webster parishes in Louisiana

  • Must enroll in at least 15 credit hours each semester

  • Submit a copy of the high school transcript or a letter from high school counselor stating class rank

  • Renewal/Retention

  • Must have completed at least 9 credit hours with a minimum 2.5 GPA at the end of the 1st semester

  • Must have completed at least 24 credit hours with a minimum 3.0 GPA at the end of the 2nd semester

  • Must have completed at least 36 credit hours with a minimum 3.0 GPA at the end of the 3rd semester

Freshman Recognition Scholarship

  • Award

  • One-half Tuition Scholarship

  • Eligibility

  • First Time Entering college student

  • Score a composite or superscore of 19 – 23 on the national ACT exam OR a 990-1150 on the national SAT exam OR a 246 or higher on the Next-Generation ACCUPLACER exam (average of Reading, Writing, and Math scores and all three scores must be on one test)

  • Must enroll in at least 15 credit hours each semester

  • Submit ACT, SAT, or ACCUPLACER scores and a copy of the high school transcript or a letter from high school counselor stating graduation date

  • Renewal/Retention

  • Must have completed at least 9 credit hours with a minimum 2.5 GPA at the end of the 1st semester

  • Must have completed at least 24 credit hours with a minimum 3.0 GPA at the end of the 2nd semester

  • Must have completed at least 36 credit hours with a minimum 3.0 GPA at the end of the 3rd semester

Part-time Academic Scholarship

  • Award

  • Full or One-half Tuition Scholarship (based on original scholarship award)

  • Eligibility

  • First Time Entering college student

  • Meet the requirements for the Valedictorian/Salutatorian, President’s, GED or Freshman Recognition Scholarships

  • Enrolls in less than 12, but at least 6, credit hours during a semester in courses applicable to a degree

  • Renewal/Retention

  • Complete all hours enrolled in during that specific semester

  • Must have completed all hours enrolled during that specific semester with a minimum 3.0 GPA

Student Ambassador Scholarship

  • Award

  • Full tuition and mandatory fees

  • Eligibility

  • Student Ambassadors represent the college at official functions and assist with recruiting.

  • Arkansas resident OR resident of Claiborne, Morehouse, Union or Webster parishes in Louisiana

  • Minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA

  • Show evidence of leadership

  • Enroll in at least 12 credit hours each semester; at least 6 hours must be on-campus

  • Submit two letters of recommendation

  • Submit a one-page essay on “The Importance of Student Leadership in College”

  • Renewal/Retention

  • To renew from fall to spring during first year on scholarship, must have a minimum 2.5 GPA for fall semester, complete at least 9 credit hours and achieve a satisfactory review on a supervisor performance evaluation.

  • To be considered for a second year on the scholarship, reapplication is required.

  • To be eligible, must have completed at least 24 credit hours during first academic year that scholarship is awarded, with a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA.

  • To renew from fall to spring during the second year on scholarship, must have completed at least 36 total credit hours with a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA

GED Scholarship

  • Award

  • Full Tuition Scholarship

  • Eligibility

  • First Time Entering college student

  • Must have achieved a standard score of 610 or higher on the GED examination, a score that places him or her in the top ten (10) percent nationwide

  • Must enroll in at least 12 credit hours each semester

  • Submit a copy of the GED scores

  • Renewal/Retention

  • Must have completed at least 9 credit hours with a minimum 2.5 GPA at the end of the 1st semester

  • Must have completed at least 24 credit hours with a minimum 3.0 GPA at the end of the 2nd semester

  • Must have completed at least 36 credit hours with a minimum 3.0 GPA at the end of the 3rd semester

Skills USA Scholarship

  • Award

  • Pays tuition for the complete technical course

  • Eligibility

  • High school graduate who has placed first, second, or third in a secondary school statewide Skills USA competition

  • Must enroll within one year of high school graduation

  • Provide documentation of Skills USA award

  • Renewal/Retention

  • Renewable for technical programs greater than one year in length provided the student meets the College’s financial aid policy for satisfactory academic progress

HOSA Scholarship

  • Award

  • Pays tuition for the complete technical course

  • Eligibility

  • High school graduate who has placed first, second, or third in a secondary school statewide HOSA competition

  • Must enroll within one year of high school graduation

  • Renewal/Retention

  • Renewable for technical programs greater than one year in length provided the student meets the college’s financial aid policy for satisfactory academic progress

Miss Ouachita River Pageant Scholarship

  • Award

  • Full Tuition Scholarship

  • Eligibility

  • Awarded to the winner of the Miss Ouachita River Pageant

  • Renewal/Retention

  • Renewable each semester provided the student meets the college’s financial aid policy for satisfactory academic progress