Priority deadline Jan 15 · Final deadline Feb 15
UA Little Rock · Donaghey Scholars
Full Ride Scholarships: Become a Donaghey Scholar
Up to $100,000 per scholar · About 25 chosen each year
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$100K
Four-year full ride
- Full tuition and fees, 8 semesters
- $8,000–$10,000 stipend every year
- $8,500 for study abroad, plus a laptop
Each year, the George W. Donaghey Foundation pays for a four-year full ride for about 25 new Donaghey Scholars at UA Little Rock. Freshmen, transfer, and international students can apply. The final deadline for fall 2027 entry is February 15, 2027.
The Donaghey Scholarship Program is an honors program and a full ride scholarship in one. Since 1987, the George W. Donaghey Foundation has paid for every Donaghey Scholar's tuition, fees, and more, so scholars can focus on small seminars, study abroad, and a senior thesis instead of loans and extra jobs.
Most students apply during their senior year of high school, once UA Little Rock has admitted them. Transfer students and current UA Little Rock students can also apply if they have completed fewer than 36 hours of college credit.
What the Donaghey full ride scholarship covers
| Benefit | What every Donaghey Scholar receives |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | Paid in full for up to 18 hours a semester, for up to eight semesters |
| Annual stipend | $8,000 to $10,000 a year, depending on qualifications |
| Housing subsidy | $700 a semester while living on campus (required in the first year) |
| Study abroad | $8,500 toward the required study abroad experience (how it works) |
| Laptop | One new laptop computer |
Not covered: summer courses, hours over 18 in a semester, a ninth semester, and retaken courses.
The scholarship stacks with most State of Arkansas scholarships, private scholarships, and Pell Grants. It doesn't stack with other UA Little Rock institutional scholarships, such as the Chancellor's Academic Distinction, Provost's Academic Excellence, and Deans' Academic Merit awards. Pell Grants and state aid have their own citizenship and residency rules.
Donaghey Scholars requires no service hours and no mandatory events.
Who can apply to be a Donaghey Scholar
| Measure | Minimum to apply | Admitted median |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | 3.5 | 3.9 |
| ACT | 24 | 30 |
| SAT | 1180 | Not published |
- Incoming freshmen, transfer students, current UA Little Rock students, and international students can apply. You must be admitted to UA Little Rock first.
- Transfer and current UA Little Rock students must have completed fewer than 36 hours of college credit. AP and concurrent credit earned in high school doesn't count toward that limit.
- All majors are welcome.
- The program looks for curious students who want to study abroad.
The 2026-27 class was chosen from 115 applicants. Admitted scholars' scores run well above the minimums, but the program says test scores alone shouldn't stop a student from applying.
Ready to apply?
Start your Donaghey Scholar application now. Review begins January 15, 2027.
How to apply to be a Donaghey Scholar
- Apply for admission to UA Little Rock. You'll receive a Student ID once you're admitted.
- Send official ACT or SAT scores.
- Send official high school transcripts, plus college transcripts if you've taken college courses.
- Complete the Donaghey General Data sheet.
- Complete the aid application in ScholarshipUniverse.
- If invited, upload three essays and teacher recommendations.
Application timeline
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Apply to UA Little Rock and send scores and transcripts. Visit campus. |
| January 15, 2027 | Priority date. Review and interview scheduling begin. |
| Late January | Interviews begin |
| February 15, 2027 | Final application deadline |
| March 2027 | Decisions sent, mid to late month |
| July 2027 | On-campus orientation for the new cohort |
How to stand out as a Donaghey applicant
The committee weighs your academic record most. After that, it looks at leadership and community involvement, your desire to study abroad, your essays, teacher recommendations, and, for top applicants, an interview.
Write essays you'd be glad to defend
You'll write two essays of about 350 words each: one answering a question you wish the committee would ask you, and one describing how you'd spend a summer learning about something unrelated to your career goals. A third essay of up to 800 words defends a position on a contested issue, using sources.
Interviewers will ask about your essays, so choose topics you'd enjoy talking about for 45 minutes.
Ask teachers for recommendations
Teachers who have seen how you think in class write the strongest letters. Ask early.
Prepare for the interview
Interviews run about 45 minutes with the program's director or associate director, a faculty or alumni member of the Policy Council, and a current scholar from the Student Committee. They're usually on campus, and virtual interviews are available if travel is a problem.
What Donaghey Scholars commit to
- A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
- Two honors core courses a semester. These are small, discussion-based seminars that replace general education.
- Living on campus in the first year
- A study abroad experience
- A senior thesis or project
The Donaghey Foundation behind the scholarship
In 1929, former Arkansas Gov. George W. Donaghey and his wife, Louvenia, created the George W. Donaghey Foundation to support Little Rock Junior College and its successors. They endowed it with the Donaghey Building and the Federal Bank and Trust Building, the largest bequest in Arkansas history at the time. The college became UA Little Rock in 1969, and in 1987 the Foundation launched the Donaghey Scholars Program. That gift still funds every Donaghey Scholar today.
What makes a scholarship a full ride?
"Full ride" has no official definition. In general, a full ride pays for tuition and fees plus a meaningful share of living costs. Awards with similar names cover different things:
| Award type | What it usually covers |
|---|---|
| Full tuition scholarship | Tuition only, sometimes fees |
| Merit scholarship | A set amount based on achievement, from a few hundred dollars up to full tuition |
| Full ride scholarship | Tuition, fees, and most living costs |
| Donaghey Scholars | Tuition and fees, a stipend of $8,000 to $10,000 a year, housing support, $8,500 for study abroad, and a laptop |
When you compare offers, check three things: what's covered, whether it lasts all eight semesters, and what it takes to keep it. For more on achievement-based awards, see merit scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Donaghey Scholars full ride cover?
Full tuition and fees for up to 18 hours a semester for eight semesters, an $8,000 to $10,000 yearly stipend, $700 a semester for on-campus housing, $8,500 toward study abroad, and a new laptop. It's worth $92,000 to $100,000.
Who can apply to be a Donaghey Scholar?
Incoming freshmen, transfer students, current UA Little Rock students, and international students, in any major. You need at least a 3.5 GPA, a 24 ACT or 1180 SAT, and admission to UA Little Rock.
Can transfer or international students apply?
Yes. Transfer students and current UA Little Rock students can apply if they meet the GPA and test score minimums and have completed fewer than 36 hours of college credit. AP and concurrent credit earned in high school doesn't count toward that limit. International students can apply too, once they're admitted to UA Little Rock.
When is the Donaghey Scholars deadline?
For fall 2027 entry, January 15, 2027 is the priority date and February 15, 2027 is the final deadline. Decisions go out in March, and orientation is in July.
Does the Donaghey full ride cover all 4 years?
Yes, for up to eight fall and spring semesters, if scholars keep a 3.0 GPA and stay on track. It doesn't cover summer courses, a ninth semester, hours over 18, or retaken courses.
Can I combine the Donaghey scholarship with other aid?
Yes, with most. It stacks with most Arkansas state scholarships, private scholarships, and Pell Grants, but not with other UA Little Rock institutional scholarships, such as the Chancellor's Academic Distinction, Provost's Academic Excellence, and Deans' Academic Merit awards.
How do you get a full ride scholarship?
Take challenging courses, apply early, write essays that show how you think, ask teachers for recommendations, and prepare for an interview. Then apply to programs like Donaghey Scholars that offer a true full ride.
Apply to be a Donaghey Scholar
About 25 new scholars are selected each year. The final deadline for fall 2027 entry is February 15, 2027.
About the author
Jamie Taylor manages marketing for the George W. Donaghey Foundation, sharing the Donaghey Scholars program with prospective students and telling the stories of alumni and their accomplishments.
Sources: George W. Donaghey Foundation program materials (October 2026) and UA Little Rock's Donaghey Scholars pages. Amounts and dates can change from year to year. Confirm them with the program office at 501-916-3389.