ADHE extends scholarship application deadlines to July 1 for Faulkner, Independence, Randolph, Pulaski, White County residents

ADHE extends scholarship application deadlines to July 1 
for Faulkner, Independence, Randolph, Pulaski, White County residents

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The deadline to apply and accept financial aid – including the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship – through the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE) has been extended until July 1, officials said Monday, for residents in the tornado and flood damaged counties of Faulkner, Independence, Randolph, Pulaski and White, which were recently declared disaster areas by Gov. Mike Beebe.

“After touring the area last week, we began assessing what we could do to assist those affected by this terrible disaster,” said Director Shane Broadway, “and with our normal deadline of June 1 fast approaching, we wanted to be certain to allow more time for families most directly impacted.”

ADHE personnel have met with local public school officials in Mayflower and Vilonia, as well as Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM). ADHE has provided informational brochures that will be included in packets that FEMA representatives will distribute to families in the coming days. 

ADHE employees will be temporarily stationed with computers and Internet access at Mayflower High School beginning today and Vilonia High School beginning Tuesday to assist applicants through Friday and longer if necessary. ADHE is also working with the other counties affected to determine possible placement of staff to assist victims in those communities.  

ADHE has also coordinated with each Arkansas university and college to identify a contact person who can assist those who may have lost the normal documentation necessary for applications for financial aid and college. The extenuating circumstances may also affect students who may not have qualified previously for some types of aid, officials said, ADHE will work with these students and the contact at their institution to revise their YOUniversal Scholarship Application and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if necessary. 

There are also programs available for those individuals whose jobs have been lost to the destruction, Broadway said, and decide now may be the time to go back to school or seek training in another field while those businesses are being re-built.

“As the clean-up continues,” Broadway said, “we encourage students and their families to look to their future. However, if it seems impossible to enroll in the fall, students should know they are able to apply and accept the state’s scholarships and put them on hold for up to one year.”

The hold option also applies to students currently receiving ADHE scholarships who may have been impacted by the tornado and choose to take a semester or two off during recovery.

Questions for the ADHE financial aid department can be directed via email at finaid@adhe.edu with the subject line “Disaster Relief” or toll-free by telephone to 1-800-54-STUDY (7-8839). 

The ADHE is responsible for carrying out the policy directives of the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, approving and reviewing college and university academic programs and developing funding recommendations for the state’s 11 public universities and 22 public two-year colleges as well as several other post-secondary entities. 

In addition, the agency is responsible for distributing approximately $150 million annually from state revenues and lottery funds intended to ease the financial burden of students seeking an education beyond high school. For more information, visit www.adhe.edu or call 501-371-2000.