93% of ATU students attend beyond free, meaning you could end up paying $0 out of pocket for tuition and fees, plus have money left over to offset costs for other educational expenses like housing and meals.
Other universities who claim a debt-free option may leave you responsible for paying out of pocket for things like:
*Beyond Free refers to data from Fall 2024 based on all student levels (Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, & Graduate students) who received a Pell Grant and Arkansas Academic Challenge. 93.4% of those students ended up paying $0 in tuition and fees.
**$7,082,156.30 was awarded to 8,595 students to help cover other educational expenses beyond the cost of tuition and fees.
At ATU, we know covering the cost of college is overwhelming, so we’ve done the research and identified 5 different solutions to potentially cover the cost of tuition & fees (and possibly other educational expenses) by stacking your financial aid.
Using the pre-made checklists below, check off the aid you know you’ll be receiving. If you check off all the boxes for one of the solutions, you are likely to attend ATU for beyond free!
Not sure if this applies to you? Reach out!
c Academic Challenge Plus (here)
c Maximum Pell Grant (info. here)
c Level 3 Academic Scholarship (here)
c Maximum Pell Grant (info. here)
c Level 4 Academic Scholarship (here)
c Maximum Pell Grant (info. here)
c Level 5 Academic Scholarship (here)
c Academic Challenge (here)
c Academic Challenge Plus (here)
c Level 5 Academic Scholarship (here)
Other schools will have specific requirements, check out the chart below to see what they typically require vs. ATU.
them |
us |
|
Be an Arkansas Resident |
No Residency Requirement |
|
Earn At or Below a Specific Income |
No Income Level Specified |
|
Pell-eligible per a Completed FAFSA |
No Eligibility Requirement |
|
Must Apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship through ADHE |
No Application Required (though it is encouraged) |
|
Work-Study Requirements |
No Requirements for Work-Study |
|
Required Service Hours or Volunteer Work |
No Required Service Hours or Volunteer Work |
It’s always FREE for first-time entering freshmen to apply to ATU, and you're automatically considered for Academic Scholarships when you’re admitted.
No need to:
Apply to ATU today to find out what scholarships you qualify for (and compare financial aid packages/cost of attendance).
A: A last-dollar scholarship is just that: Institutions apply every “last dollar” of your financial aid and scholarship package before they pay off the remaining balance of your tuition and fees.
A: Arkansas Tech University does not offer a last-dollar scholarship. Instead, ATU applies institutional scholarship funds you’ve earned towards tuition and fees first, before applying state and federal aid, potentially allowing you to attend beyond free—meaning money back in your pocket to pay for housing, meals, books, etc.
A: A last-dollar scholarship usually covers the cost of tuition and fees only after applying federal, state, and institutional financial aid to your account balance, leaving you responsible for housing, meals, books, and other everyday expenses that other forms of aid might have covered. Plus, there are typically extra requirements you must meet to even qualify for a last-dollar scholarship that may include but are not limited to:
A: At Arkansas Tech University, we believe in giving you the financial flexibility to make the most of your college experience. That’s why we apply institutional scholarship funds you’ve earned towards tuition and fees first, before applying state and federal aid, potentially leaving you with money to pay for things like housing, meals, and books. No Strings Attached.
A: While some institutions are advertising free tuition in the form of a last-dollar scholarship, we encourage prospective students to read the fine print. Additional requirements at these institutions to receive and keep that scholarship may include but are not limited to:
A: No, you are not required to fill out the FAFSA to be eligible to receive an Academic Scholarship from ATU. However, filling out the FAFSA gives you access to grants, loans, and work-study opportunities.
If you need help completing the FAFSA, you can email the Arkansas Tech University Financial Aid Office at fa.help@atu.edu, or give us a call at (479) 968-0399.
A: ATU makes it easy for you: your application for admission also serves as your scholarship application! There is no application fee and no essay to complete. Simply fill out the online undergraduate application for admission and send the ATU Office of Admissions a current copy of your high school transcript by the March 1 scholarship deadline.
A: There is no tuition hour cap for these scholarships. Your scholarship will be combined with any other aid for which you’ve applied and are eligible. Your total aid package will be applied to all your charges, not only tuition and fees. You must enroll in at least 15 hours each term to get your scholarship.
Review the official renewal requirements
A: Yes, you can stack your ATU Academic Scholarship with other scholarships up to the cost of attendance. So be sure to apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge (Lottery) Scholarship and any other private scholarships you might be eligible to receive. Ask your high school counselor about any community scholarships available to students at your school. Don’t forget to complete the ATU Foundation Scholarship application by the March 1 deadline. You can find additional information and a link to the application on our website here.
Get More Info. & Apply
A: Below are five quick and easy steps to stretch your dollar at ATU.
Submit ATU’s free application for admission.
Send a current copy of your high school transcript to the ATU Office of Admissions by the March 1 scholarship deadline.
Accept your ATU Academic Scholarship (on or before the deadline) using the link in your offer email or the QR code in the offer letter.
Complete the ATU Foundation Scholarship application by the March 1 deadline.
Explore other scholarship opportunities through the ATU Office of Financial Aid.
*Beyond Free refers to data from Fall 2024 based on all student levels (Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, & Graduate students) who received a Pell Grant and Arkansas Academic Challenge. 93.4% of those students ended up paying $0 in tuition and fees.
**$7,082,156.30 was awarded to 8,595 students to help cover other educational expenses beyond the cost of tuition and fees.