UA Little Rock launches Trojan Guarantee scholarship to avoid student loan debt

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has launched a new scholarship program, Trojan Guarantee, that will allow qualified students to get a bachelor’s degree without incurring student loan debt.

University leaders made the announcement Wednesday (Nov. 8) during Discover, one of the school’s admissions events. About 1,100 potential students and their family members visited campus during the event.

Students have to be Pell Grant eligible and must also receive the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship. Incoming students who aren’t Trojan Guarantee eligible may still qualify for the school’s half off tuition scholarship, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cody Decker said. The goal is to remove cost barriers to attaining a four-year degree.

“I am excited to announce Trojan Guarantee, a program designed to help you earn a college degree with zero tuition cost,” UA Little Rock Chancellor Christina S. Drale said in a written announcement to campus visitors. “This program represents an opportunity for students to expect more for themselves and their future, without accumulating significant debt.”

Decker said that Drale was ill and unable to attend the event in person, but wanted to send along written remarks that Decker delivered to the crowd.

“Extending beyond the half-off scholarship, which is available to all freshmen, regardless of income, the Trojan Guarantee covers the cost of tuition not covered by the Pell Grant and Arkansas Challenge Scholarship,” said Decker. “UA Little Rock has long led in affordability for middle-class families, and the Trojan Guarantee takes this one big step further to ensure all Arkansans have an affordable degree pathway from UA Little Rock.”

About 50% of the school’s incoming freshmen and 58% of undergraduate students are eligible to receive Pell grants. The scholarship will cover the remaining tuition and mandatory fee costs after other financial aid has been applied.

Trojan Guarantee will be available to all first-time and transferring full-time freshmen who begin UA Little Rock in the fall 2024 semester. The scholarship will be renewable for three years, covering all four years at UA Little Rock for eligible students. UA Little Rock anticipates awarding the first round of Trojan Guarantee scholarships to approximately 200 freshmen during the 2024-25 academic year.

This program is only one aspect of UA Little Rock’s ongoing work to ensure affordability for all students. UA Little Rock launched the half-off scholarship in 2020, which has so far provided nearly 950 students with the opportunity to attend UA Little Rock with half-off tuition, regardless of their family income, to the tune of $2.9 million in scholarships. Additionally, UA Little Rock students who receive the half-off scholarship as well as the Academic Challenge Scholarship can complete a four-year bachelor’s degree for just $14,000.

“I am grateful to so many both on campus and in the community who have helped ensure that we continue leading in affordability efforts for Arkansas students,” Drale said. “It all started several years ago, with a transformative anonymous gift of $25 million that allowed us to launch the groundbreaking half-off scholarship. I am excited for this next step in ensuring UA Little Rock is affordable for all.”