Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship: A Mom's Guide for 2027

The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) pays a single mom up to $1,600 a semester while she is in school, and she decides where the money goes: child care, gas, car repairs and rent are all on the fund's own list (ASPSF, Scholarships). The fall 2026 window has closed. The next one opens January 1, 2027 and shuts February 1, with no late files accepted.

Below: who counts as a single parent under the fund's three-part test, the income line for a mother of two, the seven counties that apply somewhere else, and how this award sits beside Pell, Arkansas state aid, child care help and SNAP. Each figure was checked against the fund, agency or regulation linked next to it on October 21, 2026.

Before the January window opens

• Check your county: seven Arkansas counties are served by separate local funds
• File the FAFSA now, because its Submission Summary is one of five required uploads
• Find your latest Form 1040 or order an IRS tax return transcript
• Get your spring class schedule, since the award is set by credit hours

What the Arkansas single parent scholarship pays a single mom each semester

The amount depends only on the credit hours on your schedule that term. Grades and need decide whether you qualify, not how much you get. The same four levels apply to first-time and returning applicants.

Credit hours this term	ASPSF award per semester	Spring plus fall	Roughly, with 3-hour classes
12 or more	$1,600	$3,200	Four classes or more
9 to 11	$1,200	$2,400	Three classes
6 to 8	$800	$1,600	Two classes
3 to 5	$400	$800	One class

The money goes to you, not to the school's billing office. The fund's chief communications officer told KATV in 2025 that paying the parent directly is what sets the program apart (KATV, August 2025). So a mother can spend it on a sitter for lab nights or a new tire. If the car is the weak link, see the guide to free car repairs for single moms.

The fund is not small. In spring 2026 it paid $659,600 to 453 single parents across its 69-county area (ASPSF, spring 2026 awards). Dividing one figure by the other gives roughly $1,456 per parent, a simple average rather than a number the fund publishes. Since 1990 it reports more than $50 million in scholarships and support (ASPSF, fall 2026 announcement).

Who counts as a single parent under ASPSF rules

The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund uses a three-part definition, and a single mother has to meet every part on the day she applies.

• Marital status. Never married, divorced, widowed or legally separated. A mom who is married but living apart can apply if the divorce is final by the time awards are made.
• Custody. You have physical custody of at least one dependent child 50% of the time or more. A child counts through age 18, past 18 while still in high school, and as an adult with a severe disability who lives with and depends on you.
• Who lives with you. You are the only adult in the home, or the other adult is your parent, a relative, or a roommate who is not a partner, co-parent or significant other.

The third part is the one to read twice. Moving back in with your own mother keeps you eligible. A boyfriend moving in does not, whether or not he pays rent. Shared custody works as long as the children are with you at least half the time.

The income line for a mother with two kids

Household income cannot be more than 250% of the federal poverty guidelines. The scholarship page links the 2025 HHS chart (2025 poverty guidelines chart, via ASPSF), which sets that line at these yearly amounts:

• You and one child: $52,875
• You and two children: $66,625
• You and three children: $80,375

That line is high: for a household of three it is close to double the SNAP gross income limit of $2,960 a month. A mother of two earning $45,000 a year is under it with room to spare. Proof is your latest federal Form 1040 or an IRS tax return transcript.

If your income fell after that return was filed, after a separation for example, ask the program manager how to show it before you upload. The fund has not said whether it moves to the 2026 chart for spring 2027. If it does, 250% of the 2026 HHS guidelines works out to $54,100 for a mom and one child, $68,300 with two and $82,500 with three (HHS, 2026 poverty guidelines). Check the linked chart when the window opens.

School rules: hours, grades and which programs count

To get an Arkansas single parent scholarship you need at least 3 credit hours, on campus or online, at a university, community college, or trade or vocational school. The goal can be an associate degree, a first bachelor's degree, or a professional license or certificate. A mom who already holds a bachelor's degree is not eligible.

You also need a high school diploma or GED and a 2.0 GPA, plus U.S. citizenship, legal residency or DACA status. The fund names welding, HVAC, health care and mechanics among the trade paths it pays for. To weigh programs by length and pay, see the guide to degrees for single moms.

Seven Arkansas counties apply to a different fund

The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund covers 68 counties plus Bowie County, Texas. If you live in Benton, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Sevier, Washington or White County, it does not take your application. Each of those areas has its own local fund, form and calendar. The full guide to Arkansas grants for single mothers covers the state programs beyond school.

• Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington. The Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas pays $2,500 a semester full time, $1,875 at three-quarter time and $1,250 part time (SPSFNWA, Scholarships). Its spring deadline was October 15, so the next ones are March 15 for summer and June 15 for fall.
• Northwest Arkansas, continued. Applicants interview and reapply each semester. From October 16 the fund moved from Submittable to GoodGrants, so returning moms need a new profile. It also offers $500 to $1,500 credentialing awards for programs such as phlebotomy, medical assisting and a commercial driver's license.
• Marion. The Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Marion County, based in Yellville, handles its own applications. ASPSF lists who to contact for the form on its Marion County page.
• White. This fund still uses a paper form. Download the application from the White County page and mail it to PO Box 8325, Searcy, AR 72145.
• Sevier. Apply through the Sevier County fund's own site. It says its awards can cover household, daycare and commuting costs as well as school.

Deadlines from now through fall 2027

Most of these programs repeat the same windows each year. The dates below follow the schedules each program published as of October 21, 2026; confirm them when each window opens.

Date	Program	Who it is for
Jan. 1 to Feb. 1, 2027	ASPSF spring 2027 application	New and returning single moms in the 68-county area
Jan. 10, 2027	ArFuture Grant, spring deadline	STEM or high-demand certificate and associate programs
March 15, 2027	Northwest Arkansas fund, summer	Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties
May 1 to June 1, 2027	ASPSF summer 2027 application	Current ASPSF recipients only
June 15, 2027	Northwest Arkansas fund, fall	Same four counties
July 1, 2027	Academic Challenge and ArFuture, fall	Arkansas residents, including adults going back
Aug. 1 to Sept. 1, 2027	ASPSF fall 2027 application	New and returning single moms
30 days before class starts	Arkansas Workforce Challenge	Short programs in five high-demand fields

Five uploads, every single term

Applications go through the fund's online portal on Submittable. Each time you apply, new or returning, you upload:

1. Proof of your marital status
2. Your most recent federal tax return (Form 1040) or a tax return transcript
3. Your FAFSA Submission Summary
4. A transcript: official copies from every school if you are new, an unofficial one if you are continuing
5. Your class schedule for the term you are applying for

For spring 2027, the FAFSA that applies is the 2026-27 form, the same one that sets your Pell Grant. If you have not filed it yet, do it in November or December so the summary is ready before January 1.

How the Arkansas single parent scholarship stacks with Pell and state aid

The federal Pell Grant tops out at $7,395 for the 2026-27 award year (Federal Student Aid, Pell Grants). Pell is set by your FAFSA and enrollment and usually runs through your school account. ASPSF money reaches you directly, so the two tend to cover different costs.

Picture a single mother of two taking 9 credit hours in spring 2027. ASPSF pays her $1,200 for the term to spend on the sitter, gas or rent, while any Pell Grant goes first to her tuition bill. If she adds a fourth class, the ASPSF award rises to $1,600.

The Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, the state lottery award, takes adults who return to school as Non-Traditional students. Income does not decide whether you qualify, and part-time study of 6 to 14 hours earns a prorated award. You need a 2.5 college GPA, or with no college credit, a 19 ACT or a 3.00 high school GPA. The deadline is July 1 (ADHE, Academic Challenge).

Full-time first-year awards are $2,000 at both two-year and four-year schools for 2025-26 onward. One catch: if your total aid passes the school's federal cost of attendance, the state can reduce this award under its stacking rules.

For a short program in health care, IT, construction, manufacturing or logistics, the Arkansas Workforce Challenge pays up to $3,000 per program, or $1,500 for courses of 80 to 179 clock hours. Apply at least 30 days before you enroll. It cannot be held alongside Academic Challenge (ADHE, Workforce Challenge).

Arkansas Future, or ArFuture, covers tuition and mandatory fees for STEM and high-demand certificates and associate degrees at Arkansas public colleges for up to five semesters, first come, first served. A mom who already holds an associate degree cannot use it. It pays what is left after state, federal and private scholarships (ADHE, ArFuture Grant). Ask your aid office whether it subtracts your ASPSF award.

For aid open to mothers in every state, the college grants for single mothers guide covers federal programs. A wider list of private awards sits in scholarships for single moms.

Child care and SNAP while you are in class

State child care help, now called School Readiness Assistance and run by the Office of Early Childhood, covers children from birth to 12. To qualify you must attend school full time, work 30 hours a week, spend 30 hours in job training, or combine them to reach 30 hours (Arkansas Office of Early Childhood).

That rule leaves a gap. A single mom taking two classes with no job does not meet it, and an Arkansas single parent scholarship can be what pays the sitter in the meantime. The child care assistance guide for single mothers explains other routes, such as Head Start.

Students enrolled half time or more are barred from SNAP unless they meet an exemption. Three fit single mothers: caring for a child under 6, caring for a child 6 to 11 when adequate child care is not available, or being a single parent in school full time with a child under 12 (7 CFR 273.5). Working 20 paid hours a week also counts.

A household of three can get up to $808 a month in SNAP from October 1, 2026 (USDA, SNAP FY2027 allotments). Scholarship money is not ignored by default, though. Federal rules exclude educational aid spent on tuition, fees, books, supplies, transportation and dependent care, but not room and board (7 CFR 273.9(c)(3)).

In practice, ASPSF money spent on rent can be counted as income, while money spent on gas and child care can be left out. Keep receipts and tell the caseworker how you used the award.

Staying funded after the first term

There is no automatic renewal of an Arkansas single parent scholarship. Returning students apply again each spring and fall with the same five uploads, though an unofficial transcript is enough. Summer money goes only to current recipients, so the first award has to come in spring or fall.

Keep your GPA at 2.0 or higher and your home inside the single parent definition. If a partner moves in or income passes the line, you stop qualifying. ASPSF does not publish a limit on how many terms a single mother can be funded, so ask your program manager if you are planning a four-year degree.

Recipients also get mentoring, tutoring, career and financial planning, and referrals to local services. Questions about a filed application go to your program manager through the portal. The North Little Rock office answers at (501) 858-2010.

Frequently asked questions

Can I spend the Arkansas single parent scholarship on rent?

Yes. ASPSF lists rent among the costs it is meant to cover, along with child care, gas and car repairs. If you also get SNAP, though, the share you put toward rent can be counted as income, while money spent on gas or child care can be excluded. Keep receipts in case the caseworker asks.

Can I apply while my divorce is still pending?

You can if you and your husband live apart and the divorce is final by the time awards are made. Plan the dates carefully: spring 2027 applications close February 1, and if the divorce is still open when awards go out, you do not meet the marital status part of the definition.

I already have a bachelor's degree. Is there anything for me?

ASPSF and Academic Challenge both exclude anyone with a bachelor's degree. The Northwest Arkansas fund lists graduate degrees among the programs it pays for, but only for Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington county residents. A short certificate may also fit Workforce Challenge, which pays up to $3,000 per program.

Is one class a semester enough to qualify?

Yes. Three credit hours is the minimum, and it pays $400 that term. Two classes pay $800. A mother working part time can combine work and school hours to reach the 30 hours a week that state child care help asks for, which a single class alone usually does not cover.

What happens if I miss the February 1 deadline?

The fund does not accept late applications, and the summer round is open only to current recipients. A first-time applicant who misses spring would wait for the fall window, August 1 to September 1. Use the gap to file the FAFSA, collect transcripts and check the state aid deadlines.

Sources

• Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Scholarships (eligibility, award amounts, deadlines, required documents). aspsf.org (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, via ASPSF. 2025 Poverty Guidelines, 48 contiguous states (250% column). aspsf.org (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ASPE. 2026 Poverty Guidelines, 48 contiguous states. aspe.hhs.gov (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Day of Giving raises $61K as 453 single parents receive spring scholarship. aspsf.org (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Fall 2026 scholarships available for single parents in Arkansas (August 1, 2026). aspsf.org (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• KATV. Arkansas scholarship fund empowers single parents to pursue education and career goals (August 7, 2025). katv.com (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas. Scholarships (deadlines, award levels). spsfnwa.org (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Marion County. aspsf.org (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. White County. aspsf.org (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Sevier County. Home. singleparentscholarship-sc.org (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education. Federal Pell Grants (2026-27 maximum). studentaid.gov (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Arkansas Division of Higher Education. Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship. sams.adhe.edu (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Arkansas Division of Higher Education. Arkansas Workforce Challenge. sams.adhe.edu (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Arkansas Division of Higher Education. Arkansas Future Grant. sams.adhe.edu (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Arkansas Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood. Help paying for child care (School Readiness Assistance). dese.ade.arkansas.gov (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 7 CFR 273.5, Students. ecfr.gov (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• USDA Food and Nutrition Administration. SNAP FY2027 cost-of-living adjustment. fna.usda.gov (retrieved October 21, 2026)
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 7 CFR 273.9, Income and deductions. ecfr.gov (retrieved October 21, 2026)