Arkansas education officials will grant conditional approval of state scholarship applications as the federal government addresses issues associated with the updated FAFSA form.

The release of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form was delayed until Dec. 31 because it was being redesigned. The delayed release prevented students from knowing if they qualified for scholarships as well as new free tuition programs at Arkansas universities.

FAFSA redesign delays Arkansas universities’ free tuition program rollout

The Arkansas Department of Education Division of Higher Education will conditionally approve state scholarships to ensure students “do not experience a notification delay regarding much-needed scholarships,” according to a Monday press release.

“There is no question that higher education serves an important role in success beyond high school, and for many students, furthering their education is not possible without state and federal financial assistance,” ADHE Commissioner Ken Warden said. “Arkansas students, however, should not be penalized or face needless worry regarding funding because of improper planning by the federal government. We are pleased to provide reassurance to these students, who can feel confident in their state applications.”

In the week since the FAFSA form’s release, students have had issues with limited windows of time available to access their application and technical issues while completing the form, according to a press release. 

Each year 18,000 to 25,000 Arkanans apply for state scholarships that require a completed FAFSA form, like the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship and the Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship, according to ADE.

The Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship application deadline remains Mar. 1. The deadline for other state scholarships is July 1. 

Students conditionally approved have until Aug. 1 to complete the FAFSA form and finalize their award.