Dual-Enrollment Scholarship for Arkansas Homeschoolers: The ACCESS to Acceleration Scholarship

Understanding the ACCESS to Acceleration Scholarship for Arkansas Homeschoolers

In 2025, Arkansas introduced the ACCESS Act—short for Acceleration, Common-sense, Cost-eligibility, Scholarships & Standardization. A key feature of this legislation is the ACCESS to Acceleration Scholarship, a program that modernizes and expands the former Concurrent Challenge Scholarship. Its goal is to make it easier—and more affordable—for high school students, including homeschoolers, to earn college credit through concurrent (dual) enrollment.

What Is the ACCESS to Acceleration Scholarship?

The ACCESS to Acceleration Scholarship provides state funding to help Arkansas students in grades 9 through 12 pay for eligible college-level courses taken while still in high school. Unlike its predecessor, which offered a flat amount per course, this scholarship funds students at a rate of $65 per credit hour, up to 15 credit hours per semester and $2,000 per academic year.

Funding comes from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and is administered by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE). Awards are made directly to the college or university, and students must enroll in concurrent courses at an ADHE-approved institution.

Eligibility and Participation

Note: This program is separate from the LEARNS Act and its Educational Freedom Accounts (EFA).

The scholarship is available to public, private, charter, and homeschool students across Arkansas who meet the following criteria:

• Be in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12

• Be an Arkansas resident

• Enroll in college-level courses for concurrent credit at an approved institution

• Maintain a 2.5 GPA in their college coursework

  
  

Homeschoolers must pay tuition up front and then submit for reimbursement through the LEARNS portal. While the LEARNS portal is used for processing, the ACCESS scholarship is not funded through LEARNS—it is an entirely separate program.

How Much Will You Pay with the ACCESS Scholarship?

The scholarship reduces the cost of college dramatically:

• ACCESS covers $65 per credit hour (up to 15 credits per semester).

  
  

Most general education courses at colleges like Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) are approximately $91 per credit hour, meaning families pay only about $26 per credit, plus any fees.

Example:

• A 3-credit English course at $91/credit = $273

• ACCESS covers 3 × $65 = $195

• Family pays $78 out-of-pocket (plus applicable fees)

Health science and professional courses may be priced higher (e.g., $127/credit), but ACCESS still covers $65/credit, reducing the cost significantly.

What About the 120-Hour Limit?

Each student is allowed up to 120 total credit hours under the ACCESS scholarship. This limit includes:

• Courses taken while in high school through dual or concurrent enrollment

• Courses taken after high school graduation

  
  

However, here's an important exception:

In the 2025-2026 academic year, rising 11th and 12th grade students are currently exempt from the 120-hour cap.This means they can take concurrent classes during high school without having those hours deducted from their lifetime total—allowing them to save more scholarship hours for their college degree after graduation.

Once these students start taking ACCESS-funded college courses after graduation, their 120-hour scholarship "clock" begins, and hours will be deducted from their account. For students entering 10th grade in the 2025-2026 school year and for all those after them, any ADHE-instution college courses taken during high school will be deducted from their total 120-hour account.

The cap per semester is 15 hours, regardless of whether a student is in high school or already graduated.

Why It Matters for Homeschool Families

For homeschoolers, the ACCESS scholarship offers a unique opportunity to:

• Earn college credit early while saving money

• Experience college-level academics in a supported setting

• Strengthen transcripts with credible, outside academic validation

• Graduate high school with college credits already completed

  
  

What Is a Student Success Plan?

Homeschool students are required to submit a Student Success Plan as part of their scholarship documentation. This includes:

• Academic goals

• Course selections

• A timeline for completion

• Benchmarks for academic success

• Signatures from the student, parent, and a homeschool or college advisor

  
  

How to Get Started

1. Identify ADHE-approved colleges offering concurrent enrollment.

2. Create a Student Success Plan tailored to your student’s goals.

3. Enroll in courses and pay tuition upfront.

4. Submit for reimbursement via the LEARNS portal.

5. Track GPA and credit hours to maintain eligibility.

Participating Colleges

Many Arkansas colleges offer concurrent enrollment opportunities through ACCESS. Some homeschool-friendly options include:

• University of Arkansas (Fayetteville):Concurrent Enrollment Info

• Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC):Dual Enrollment Options

• University of Arkansas at Monticello

• Arkansas State University–Beebe

• Southern Arkansas University

• Black River Technical College

• Virtual Arkansas in partnership with Arkansas Tech University

Final Tips

Because the ACCESS scholarship has a lifetime credit limit (unless you’re a rising 11th or 12th grader), it’s important to be strategic:

• Focus on general education courses that will apply to most degree programs.

• Consult with college advisors to ensure your student’s courses fit their intended major.

With proper planning and guidance, the ACCESS to Acceleration Scholarship gives Arkansas homeschoolers a powerful, affordable way to get ahead on college—without sacrificing flexibility or quality.