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Grants

Federal grants are gift aid that does not have to be repaid. Grants are usually need based, and eligibility depends on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and Cost of Attendance (COA).

Federal Pell Grants

Federal Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students with exceptional financial need who have not earned a bachelor, graduate, or professional degree. To apply for a Federal Pell Grant complete the FAFSA at StudentAid.gov. For additional information on Pell Grant awards, visit the Pell Grant section of StudentAid.gov.

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith only disburses Federal Pell Grant funding to those who are degree seeking at UAFS.

Important Note: The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over his or her lifetime is limited by a federal law to be 600 percent. If a student's LEU equals or exceeds 600 percent (six years or 12 semesters of full-time enrollment), the student may no longer receive Federal Pell Grant funding. Students can log in to StudentAid.gov to view their Federal Pell Grant LEU.

Year Round Federal Pell Grant (receiving Federal Pell Grant for summer term)

  • The U.S. Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2017, allows a student to receive Federal Pell Grant funds for up to 150 percent of the student's Pell Grant Scheduled Award for an award year.
  • To be eligible for the additional pell Grant funds, the student must be otherwise eligible to receive Pell Grant funds for the payment period and must be enrolled at least half-time, in the payment period, for which the student receives the additional Pell Grant funds, in excess of 100 percent of the student's original pell Grant Scheduled Award.

Every situation is unique. If you have questions about your Federal Pell Schedule Award, please contact the UAFS Financial Aid Office. Our professional financial aid counselors are happy to help answer your questions.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunities Grant

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunities Grant (FSEOG) is a need-based grant that does not have to be repaid. The FSEOG is a limited fund that is awarded to students on a first-come, first-serve basis with the highest need based on the EFC and COA. Learn more about the FSEOG at the Federal Student Aid website.

Federal TEACH Grant

The Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH) is not a need-based grant and may not have to be repaid.
 
Eligibility Criteria
Students must:
  • Meet basic eligibility criteria for federal student aid programs
  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
  • Be enrolled in a TEACH Grant-eligible program
  • Receive TEACH Grant counseling (Must be completed each year a student receives the award)
  • Sign an Agreement to Serve to qualify for TEACH, in which the student agrees to:
    • Teach in a high-need field
    • Teach at an elementary or secondary school or an educational service agency that serves students from low-income families
    • Teach for at least four complete academic years within eight years after completing (or ceasing enrollment in) the course of study for which the student received the grant.
NOTE: If you do not complete your service obligation, all TEACH Grant funds you received will be converted to a Direct Unsubsidized Federal Loan. You must then repay this federal loan to the U.S. Department of Education with interest charged from the date the TEACH Grant was disbursed, including back interest.
 

For more information about TEACH, visit the TEACH Grant website.

Arkansas Future Grant (ArFuture)

Arkansas Future (ArFuture) is the newest state grant program. The purpose of this grant is to increase the education and skills of Arkansas’s workforce in an affordable manner. The grant applies to students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs or regional high-demand areas of study. The grant will cover tuition and fees for qualifying certificate and associate degree programs at Arkansas’s public institutions for eligible students. The grant is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Learn more about the ArFuture grant by visiting the Arkansas Department of Higher Education website.