How to Pay for College 2026-2027

Photo Courtesy of University of Arkansas - Northark

Why Is This Booklet Important?

Paying for college can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. This guide walks Arkansas students and families through FAFSA, scholarships, grants, student loans, and planning tools to help make your college goals become a reality. This booklet is provided to you by the Arkansas Student Loan Authority (a division of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority) and the Arkansas Division of Higher Education, two agencies which exist to provide access to higher education through financial aid programs and college planning information for Arkansas students and their families. Getting Ready to Apply for Financial Aid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................... 1 The Financial Aid Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................. 2 Federal Student Aid Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................... 4 Arkansas State Aid Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................ 7 Other Types of Federal & State Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......................... 10 Freshman – Junior Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................ 14 Senior Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..................................... 16 College Preparation Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................... 18 College Cost Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................ 20 Personal Information Log. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................ 21

Cover Photo Courtesy of Skylar Cox Photography