Title 6 — Education

The General Assembly recognizes that outstanding students are an essential ingredient for the economic and social benefit of the State of Arkansas. Benefits accrue to the state when a majority of National Merit Scholars, National Achievement Scholars, and superior students attend…

(1) As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Academic ability” means the intellectual standing of a student. In determining superior academic ability, the Division of Higher Education shall examine the student's high school records, competitive exami…

A scholarship program to promote academic excellence and to encourage the state's most talented graduates to enroll in Arkansas postsecondary educational institutions is created and established which shall be cited as the “Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program”.

(1) The Division of Higher Education shall administer the Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program and shall have the following authority and responsibility with respect to the program to:(1) Prepare application forms or such other forms as the division shall deem necessary to proper…

(a) Students receiving scholarships shall be known as “Arkansas Governor's Scholars”. (b) Arkansas Governor's Scholarship recipients who exhibit extraordinary academic ability shall be known as “Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholars”.

(a) The Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program scholarships are to be awarded to those students who demonstrate the highest capabilities for successful college study. (b) A student is eligible for a scholarship under subsection (a) of this section if he or she:(1) Meets the admissi…

(1) Each applicant shall, in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter and the rules of the Division of Higher Education:(1) Complete and file with the division the appropriate application for the Arkansas Governor's Scholars Program and such other information and data as…

(a) If sufficient funds are available, effective for students receiving their initial awards beginning in fall 2007, the number of initial scholarship awards to eligible high achievers shall not exceed three hundred seventy-five (375) each year. (b) (1) A report that demonstrates…

An Arkansas Governor's Scholarship or Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholarship will be awarded to a student in a manner to be determined by the Division of Higher Education.

(a) No student may utilize scholoarship funds for educational purposes beyond the baccalaureate degree. (b) There shall be an exception to the requirement of subsection (a) of this section for any student who receives a baccalaureate degree in three (3) years or less. The student…

(a) An Arkansas Governor's Scholarship or Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholarship may be awarded annually for a period not to exceed an academic year. (b) (1) A scholarship shall correspond to academic terms, semesters, quarters, or equivalent time periods at the eligible i…

(a) An Arkansas Governor's Scholarship or Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholarship awarded to a new recipient who enrolls in an approved institution as a first-time entering freshmen shall be in an amount that equals the lesser of:(1) Ten thousand dollars ($10,000); or(2) Tu…

The scholarship will be terminated if a student does not complete a baccalaureate degree program within five (5) years from initial college entrance.

If a recipient of an Arkansas Governor's Scholarship or Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholarship withdraws from an approved private or public institution and under the policy of that institution the student is entitled to a refund of any tuition, fees, or other charges, the …

(1) As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Academic ability” means the intellectual standing of a student. In determining superior academic ability, the Division of Career and Technical Education shall examine the student's high school records, com…

There is created and established a program which shall be cited as the “Arkansas High Technology Scholarship Program”.

(1) The Division of Career and Technical Education shall administer this subchapter and shall have the following authority and responsibility with respect thereto:(1) To prepare application forms or such other forms as the division shall deem necessary to properly administer and …

(a) The scholarships shall be awarded to those students who demonstrate the highest capability for successful high technology study. (b) A student is eligible for this scholarship if the individual:(1) Has met the admission requirements and is accepted for enrollment as a full-ti…

(1) Each applicant shall, in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter and the rules of the Division of Career and Technical Education:(1) Complete and file with the division the appropriate application for the scholarship and such other information and data as may be req…

A scholarship shall be awarded to the student in a manner to be determined by the Division of Career and Technical Education.

The number of scholarship awards to eligible students shall be twenty (20).

A scholarship shall be awarded in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500).

(a) A scholarship may be awarded annually for a period not to exceed an academic year. (b) (1) A scholarship shall correspond to academic terms, semesters, quarters, or equivalent time periods at the eligible institutions.(2) In no instance may the entire amount of a grant for an…

If a recipient of a scholarship withdraws from an approved institution and under the policy of that institution the student is entitled to a refund of any tuition, fees, or other charges, the institution shall pay the refund to which the student may be entitled to the Division of…

The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board is directed and empowered to promulgate rules as necessary to administer benefits awarded under this subchapter by the Arkansas State Claims Commission.

(a) If any Arkansas law enforcement officer, full-time or volunteer firefighter, emergency medical technician, state highway employee, state correction employee, Division of Community Correction employee, state parks employee, teacher, or state forestry employee suffers fatal inj…

(a) In order for a natural child to be eligible to receive a scholarship benefit:(1) The child must have been born prior to the date of the death or total and permanent disability of the law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, state highway employee, s…

(a) No child will be entitled to receive benefits under this subchapter during any semester or quarter when the child has reached twenty-three (23) years of age on or before the first day of the semester or quarter. (b) No spouse will be eligible for the education benefit if he o…

Any person claiming benefits awarded by the Arkansas State Claims Commission under the provisions of this subchapter shall make written application with the Division of Higher Education on forms provided by the division.

(1) To retain eligibility for a scholarship benefit under this subchapter, a recipient shall:(1) Maintain a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scholastic grading scale; and(2) Meet any other continuing eligibility criteria established by the Division of Higher Educatio…

(a) As used in this section:(1) (A) “Dependent” means:(i) A spouse of a: (a) Disabled veteran; (b) Prisoner of war; or (c) Person declared to be: (1) Missing in action; (2) Killed in action; or (3) Killed on ordnance delivery; (ii) A child born to or conceived by a: (a) Disabled …

A.C.A. § 6-82-602Current through all legislation of the 2025 Regular Session.Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated Official EditionCopyright © 2026 by the State of Arkansas All rights reserved

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Arkansas Brighter Future Fund Plan Act”.

It is the intent and purpose of this chapter to create and establish the Arkansas Brighter Future Fund Plan pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 529, as in effect on January 1, 2024, to be administered by the Section 529 Plan Review Committee through the adoption of rules for the administrati…

(1) As used in this chapter:(1) “Account” means an account established in accordance with this chapter;(2) “Account owner” means the person or nonprofit that, under this chapter or the rules promulgated by the Section 529 Plan Review Committee, is entitled to select or change the…

(a) There is created the Arkansas Brighter Future Fund Plan Trust. (b) The cotrustees of the trust shall be the Commissioner of the Division of Higher Education, the Executive Director of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, and the Treasurer of State.

(a) This chapter shall be administered by the Section 529 Plan Review Committee, which shall be composed of:(1) The Commissioner of the Division of Higher Education;(2) The Executive Director of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System; and(3) The Treasurer of State. (1) The Commis…

Except as permitted in 26 U.S.C. § 529, as in effect on January 1, 2024, no person shall have the right to direct the investment of any contributions to or earnings from the Arkansas Brighter Future Fund Plan.

(a) (1) (A) An account owner or contributor may establish an account by making an initial contribution to the Arkansas Brighter Future Fund Plan, signing an application form approved by the Section 529 Plan Review Committee, and naming the account owner and the designated benefic…

(a) An account owner shall have the right to name the designated beneficiary of an account and at any time to change the designated beneficiary of an account to another individual who is a member of the family of the former designated beneficiary. (b) At the direction of an accou…

(a) Withdrawal from an account may be made on thirty (30) days' written notice by the account owner to the Section 529 Plan Review Committee or on shorter notice as the committee may by rule provide. (b) (1) An account withdrawal paid to or for the benefit of any person during an…

(a) (1) Total contributions to all accounts established on behalf of a particular designated beneficiary in excess of those reasonably necessary to meet the designated beneficiary's qualified higher education expenses are prohibited.(2) An employer matching contribution to the ac…

(a) (1) Except as otherwise indicated in this chapter, interest, dividends, and capital gains from funds invested in the Arkansas Brighter Future Fund Plan or a tax-deferred tuition savings program established by another state under 26 U.S.C. § 529, as in effect on January 1, 202…

Neither the Arkansas Brighter Future Fund Plan, the Section 529 Plan Review Committee and each of its members, nor the state shall insure any account or guarantee any rate of return or any interest rate on any contribution, nor shall they or any one of them be liable for any loss…

This chapter shall be liberally construed to comply with the requirements of 26 U.S.C. § 529, as in effect on January 1, 2024.

(a) The Section 529 Plan Review Committee shall develop and implement a pilot program to be known as the “Aspiring Scholars Matching Grant Program” that uses available administrative funds to match a contribution made into an account for a designated beneficiary under this chapte…

(1) The General Assembly finds that:(1) In approving Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 87, the citizens of this state provided an opportunity to increase the resources provided for higher education scholarships and grants through a state lottery;(2) The net proceeds from the state…

The Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program is hereby created and established.

(a) Recipients of Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholarships may receive an Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship under this subchapter. (b) The amount of an Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship awarded to a recipient of an Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholarship s…

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “ACT” means the ACT administered by ACT, Inc.;(2) “ACT equivalent” means the SAT, COMPASS, ACCUPLACER, or other nationally normed test that is correlated with the ACT and approved by the Division of Higher Education for use by institutions of hi…