UAMS Announces 40 New Full-Tuition Scholarships for Incoming Students in Fall 2026
| LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) announced today a new initiative for attracting some of the best Arkansas students to UAMS. The program will provide full tuition and fees for 40 exceptional students entering UAMS, including the College of Medicine, with the fall 2026 semester.
“The UAMS Chancellor’s Scholars Program reflects our university’s deep commitment to academic excellence, service, and the future of health care in Arkansas,” said Interim Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D. “This program embodies our belief that investing in talent — paired with a shared responsibility to serve — strengthens our institution and our state. I am confident that the students selected for this program will become leaders who advance health, education, and discovery in our state for generations to come.”
The scholars will include:
- College of Medicine – 15 scholarships (Doctor of Medicine, 4 years)
- College of Health Professions – 5 scholarships:
- Audiology (AuD, 4 years) – 1 scholarship
- Speech-Language Pathology (MS, 2 years) – 2 scholarships
- Dietetics (MS, 15 months) – 2 scholarships
- College of Nursing – 10 scholarships (Traditional BSN, 2 years – 5 scholarships; Accelerated BSN, 15 months – 5 scholarships)
- College of Pharmacy – 5 scholarships (Doctor of Pharmacy, 4 years)
- College of Public Health – 5 scholarships (Master of Public Health, 2 years)
Recipients will commit to living and working in Arkansas following completion of their academic program (and residency or fellowship, where applicable) for a period equal to the length of the scholarship award. This mutual commitment ensures that the benefits of this program extend well beyond the individual scholar and contribute meaningfully to the health and well-being of communities across Arkansas.
Applicants must be Arkansas residents and be admitted to an eligible UAMS academic program beginning in fall 2026. Students who completed an undergraduate degree outside Arkansas are eligible for the scholarships.
Chancellor’s Scholars will be selected based on academic merit, evaluated through a holistic review of the applicant’s academic record. Selection will consider objective measures of academic performance, the rigor and consistency of prior coursework, and demonstrated commitment to scholarly excellence, as assessed by the admissions or scholarship selection committee within each college.
“The UAMS Chancellor Scholars Program is a significant investment in our students, who are the future of health care in our state,” said Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., provost and chief strategy officer. “I want to thank Dr. Barnes for his leadership on this issue.”
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,553 students and 902 medical residents and fellows. It is the state’s largest public employer with about 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###