Priority deadline Jan 15 · Final deadline Feb 15
UA Little Rock · Donaghey Scholars
Up to $100,000 per scholar · About 25 chosen each year
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3.5
GPA to apply · median 3.9
The George W. Donaghey Foundation's merit scholarship pays four years of tuition, fees, and living costs for about 25 high-achieving students at UA Little Rock each year. Freshmen, transfer, and international students can apply with a 3.5 GPA and a 24 ACT or 1180 SAT.
The Donaghey Scholarship Program is a merit scholarship at UA Little Rock. Funded by the George W. Donaghey Foundation since 1987, it rewards academic achievement and curiosity with a full ride, small honors seminars, and guaranteed study abroad.
Admitted scholars have a median 3.9 GPA and 30 ACT, which is well above the minimums. If you meet the minimums, apply anyway. The committee also weighs leadership, essays, and recommendations.
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | Paid in full for up to 18 hours a semester, for 8 semesters |
| Annual stipend | $8,000 to $10,000 a year, depending on qualifications |
| Housing subsidy | $700 a semester while living on campus |
| Study abroad | $8,500 toward the required experience |
| Laptop | One new laptop |
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. For the full breakdown, see the Donaghey full ride scholarship.
| Measure | Minimum to apply | Admitted median |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | 3.5 | 3.9 |
| ACT | 24 | 30 |
| SAT | 1180 | Not published |
| Scholars selected each year | About 25 new scholars | |
Incoming freshmen, transfer students, current UA Little Rock students, and international students can apply once they're admitted to UA Little Rock. Transfer and current students must have completed fewer than 36 hours of college credit, not counting AP or concurrent credit from high school. Every major is welcome.
Test scores alone should not stop a student from applying.
Your academic record (coursework, GPA, and test scores) carries the most weight. After that, the committee considers:
You're eligible to apply to be a Donaghey Scholar. Review begins January 15, 2027.
| Essay prompt | Length | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| A question you wish the committee would ask you, and your answer | About 350 words | Self-awareness and what you care about |
| How you'd spend a summer, cost no object, learning about something unrelated to your career goals | About 350 words | Curiosity beyond your major |
| A defended position on a contested issue, with sources and the other side acknowledged | Up to 800 words | Argument, research, and fairness |
Top applicants are invited to a 45-minute interview with three members of the admissions committee: the program's director or associate director, a faculty or alumni member of the Policy Council, and a current scholar from the Student Committee. Interviews start in late January and are usually held on campus, with a virtual option if travel is a problem.
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.
Donaghey Scholars replace the general education core with small, discussion-based honors seminars built on primary texts, writing, and collaborative projects.
| Honors core | What it covers |
|---|---|
| History of Ideas | Early Western, later Western, and non-Western thought |
| Science and Society | Two semesters |
| Rhetoric and Communication | Two semesters |
| The Individual and Society | Two semesters |
| The Creative Arts | Includes concerts, plays, and exhibitions |
| Scholars Colloquium | Freshman fall, plus research methods in junior year |
Every scholar also writes a senior thesis or project, usually rooted in their major and guided by a faculty committee they choose. The proposal is due in the spring of junior year, and the oral presentation is in May of senior year.
To keep the scholarship, scholars maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA, take two honors core courses a semester, live on campus in year one, study abroad, and complete the thesis. There are no required service hours.
A merit scholarship is awarded for achievement, such as grades, test scores, leadership, or talent, rather than for financial need. A full academic scholarship is a merit award that covers full tuition and usually fees. When it also covers living costs, as Donaghey's does, it's a full ride.
| Type of merit aid | How you get it | Typical value |
|---|---|---|
| Donaghey Scholars | Competitive application for new UA Little Rock students, including transfer and international students | $92,000 to $100,000 over four years |
| Competitive full academic scholarships | Separate application with essays and interviews | Full tuition, sometimes more |
| Automatic institutional awards | Granted on admission based on GPA and test scores | Partial tuition |
| State merit scholarships | Meet state criteria, such as Arkansas's Academic Challenge Scholarship | A set amount per year |
| Private and community awards | Apply to foundations, employers, or local groups | Usually one-time |
At least a 3.5 GPA and a 24 ACT or 1180 SAT, plus admission to UA Little Rock. Freshmen, transfer, and international students can apply. Admitted medians are a 3.9 and a 30.
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.
Yes, and more. It covers full tuition and fees and adds a stipend, housing support, $8,500 for study abroad, and a laptop, for a total of $92,000 to $100,000.
The academic record weighs most, followed by leadership, community involvement, desire to study abroad, essays, recommendations, and an interview for top applicants.
A 3.0 cumulative GPA, plus two honors core courses a semester, living on campus in year one, study abroad, and a senior thesis.
Sometimes. Donaghey 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.
An award for achievement rather than financial need. Amounts range from a few hundred dollars to full academic scholarships like Donaghey Scholars.
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. Confirm current requirements with the program office at 501-916-3389.
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