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Affording The Williams Way

Higher education is an investment in your future. At WBU, we maximize your return on that investment in many ways, starting with a strong financial aid plan custom-tailored to you.

FAFSA. Scholarships. Work-study. Counselors that rock. Invest in your dream. High-value, affordable Christian liberal arts education. We make it happen.

Funding your education is a universal challenge, certainly, but our Office of Financial Aid is a godsend. Nobody knows the ins and outs and pros and cons of all the financial aid options better. If you want to attend WBU but aren’t sure how to pay for it, you’re not alone. Nearly 99 percent of our students receive financial aid. We can help you make it possible!

 

University Grant (ACT 18-19): $5,000 per year

Dean’s Scholarship (ACT 20-23): $8,000 per year

President’s Scholarship (ACT 24-27): $10,000 per year

Founders’ Scholarship (ACT 28 and above): $12,000 per year

* The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

Transfer Grant (College GPA 2.0-2.49): $3,000 per year

Excellence Scholarship (College GPA 2.5-2.99): $6,000 per year

Summit Scholarship (College GPA 3.0 or higher): $8,000 per year

Phi Theta Kappa (For members of Phi Theta Kappa): $1,000 per year

* The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

  • Open to Freshmen & Transfer Students
  • Student-athletes interested in athletics can fill out a recruiting questionnaire online
  • Scholarships offered by head coach

 

* The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

Church Matching ScholarshipWilliams will match contributions up to $3,500 per year from the student’s church

  • Any checks received after the deadline will NOT be matched.
  • According to the IRS guidelines, contributions for this scholarship must be from the church and cannot represent designated gifts from an individual for a particular student.
  • Williams Works students may participate in the church matching scholarship, but Williams will match contributions up to $1,000 per year from the student’s church.

Acteens Scholarship – Amount Varies

  • Designated to students who have completed a level of MissionsQuest.
  • Notify the Financial Aid Office at 870-759-4112 upon completing the MissionsQuest levels. 

Baptist Associational Scholarship – $500 per year and is offered for one year only

  • Designated to Baptist students who are nominated by Directors of Associational Missions.
  • The Director of Missions (DOM) of each Arkansas Baptist Association is encouraged to recommend one high school senior from their association for the scholarship.
  • Students selected must enroll full-time at Williams for the semester following their selection.
  • WBU will need a letter of recommendation from the DOM; no application is required.

* The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

ARKANSAS SCHOLARSHIPS

Take advantage of the Arkansas online universal application by going to www.adhe.edu and selecting the YOUniversal icon. This universal application serves as the online application for Arkansas state-funded financial aid. With this application, you can search and apply for scholarships and grants, create your account, check your status and receive notices through email and manage your account 24/7. To the right is a list of scholarship programs and grant opportunities that you can apply for through the YOUniversal application.

ARKANSAS ACADEMIC CHALLENGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Students must complete the FAFSA form, but there is no income requirement for this scholarship. Amounts are subject to change. Visit https://scholarships.adhe.edu/scholarships-and-programs/high-school/.

GOVERNOR’S DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARSHIP OR NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT FINALIST OR NATIONAL MERIT FINALIST

A limited number of Arkansas residents receive this scholarship. Visit https://scholarships.adhe.edu/scholarships/detail/governors-distinguished-scholarship.

HAMMONS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP
Hammons Charitable Foundation Scholarship was established in memory of Mr. and Mrs. O.P. Hammons by their son, Dr. Edward P. Hammons. Freshmen or sophomores from eastern Arkansas or western Tennessee who are active members of a Southern Baptist church are eligible to apply. The application is available at www.abf.org.

Family and Child ScholarshipAssures the recipient of a full tuition, fees, resident hall semi-private room and board award through a combination of federal, state, and private funds

  • Awarded to single students from the Arkansas Baptist Family and Child Care Services.

  • The Family and Child Care Agency provides books and a personal expenses allowance.

  • Must maintain a 2.0 GPA.

* The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

Take advantage of federal student aid by going to www.studentaid.gov

Lawrence County Scholarship$1,000 per year

  • Designated to high school seniors who graduate from one of the four schools in Lawrence County.

  • One scholarship awarded per high school every year.

  • Awards determined by the Financial Aid Office.

* The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

Legacy Scholarship$1,000 per year

  • Awarded to students who have at least one parent who attended Williams

*The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

Missionary Dependent ScholarshipValued at 50% of tuition and general fees and is renewable based on continuation of the TCK College Allowance from the IMB and satisfactory academic progress at Williams

  • Available to dependent children of Southern Baptist missionaries.
  • Must be eligible for the TCK College Allowance from the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and meet WBU’s admissions standards.
  • Must be enrolled full-time at the University and must be financially dependent on their parent.
  • A parent must be employed by the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.
  • A student receiving a Missionary Dependent Scholarship may NOT receive Athletic, Academic, or Transfer scholarships funded by the University.

 

* The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

Pastoral Ministry Scholarship

  • A ministerial student, enrolled full-time, is eligible for a $1125 ministerial loan-scholarship per semester if a sponsoring church contributes $125 per semester.
  • If the ministerial student is employed by a church the convention will award $2125 ministerial loan-scholarship per semester if a sponsoring church contributes $125 per semester.
  • Provided in large part by the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, the full-time student must have made a public commitment of a call to pastoral or preaching ministry, youth ministry, or church planting ministry in a Southern Baptist church.
  • The church must respond by granting the student a “license to the gospel ministry”.
  • The church must recommend the student for participation in the scholarship program.
  • Students are responsible for securing a sponsoring Southern Baptist church that will contribute $125.00 per semester to the student’s scholarship program to demonstrate that the church believes in the student enough to invest in them.
  • The church contribution is in addition to and shall be added to the total scholarship amount provided by the ABSC. Applications are incomplete until money is received by the ABSC.
  • The church’s contribution should be made by check payable to the “Arkansas Baptist State Convention” and sent to: Financial Aid Office, Box 3734, Walnut Ridge, AR,72476. A notation should accompany the check indicating the student’s name, the semester covered (Fall or Spring), and the name and address of the sponsoring church.
  • First-time scholarship recipients shall attend the Ministry Leadership Development Retreat within the first two years of receiving the scholarship.
  • The applicant must be an undergraduate student seeking a bachelor’s degree with a declared major in Christian studies.
  • The Chair of the Department of Christian Ministries at Williams Baptist University may recommend up to ten other ministry students each semester who may not meet some of the qualifications and requirements listed in Section II to the Executive Director of the ABSC.
  • Exceptions to these qualifications may be considered by the Executive Director of the ABSC.

Additional information is available at: http://www.abf.org/scholarships/

Williams Singers Scholarship $2,000 per year

  • Awarded to students with musical abilities who become members of the Williams Singers.

Music Talentship Scholarship $3,000 per year

  • Awarded to 3 full-time students majoring in music and exhibiting outstanding musical abilities.

Music Accompanying Scholarship $4,000 per year

  • Awarded to a student majoring in music who demonstrates exceptional skill in keyboard accompanying.

Concert Band Scholarship Amounts vary

  • Awarded on an audition basis upon the recommendation of the band director.

Worship Band Scholarship $2,000 per year

  • Awarded on an audition basis upon the recommendation of the director of the worship band. 

 

* The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

  • The 2024-2025 Restricted Scholarship Application will be on your Financial Aid Portal.
  • Williams offers a number of private scholarships.

  • Students should click the link above, review the scholarships and apply for ones in which they meet the criteria for.

 

* The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

SBC Ministerial Dependent Scholarship50% tuition OR $1,000 per year stacked with an institutional scholarship whichever is greater

  • Designated to dependent children of Southern Baptist ministers.
  • Must be enrolled full-time at the University and must be financially dependent on their parent.
  • The parent must be employed as a minister in a Southern Baptist Church or employed as a denominational employee of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention or a retired or deceased Southern Baptist minister or employed as an Associational missionary.

*The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

Student Ambassador ScholarshipDesignated by the Office of Institutional Advancement

  • Students serve as campus hosts

* The FAFSA must be completed in order for the student to be eligible for institutional scholarships. If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from completing the FAFSA, please contact the WBU Financial Aid Office.  

Zac Steele
Director of Financial Aid
zsteele@williamsbu.edu
Lisa Foley
Financial Aid Counselor
lfoley@williamsbu.edu
Mailing Address
Office of Financial Aid
56 McClellan Drive
Walnut Ridge, AR 72476
 
 
Phone
870.759.4112 or 1.800.722.4434

WBU Academic Scholarships

Williams Baptist University offers a variety of scholarships related to merit, athletics, performing arts, region, church affiliation, and previous Williams affiliation. We will also accept al external scholarships to support our students as they pursue future academic excellence. The FAFSA score will determine opportunities for additional grants, work-study eligibility, and student loans.

FOUNDERS
SCHOLARSHIP
ACT:28-36
$48,000

4- year value
($12,000/year)

PRESIDENT'S
SCHOLARSHIP
ACT: 24-27
$40,000

4-year value
($10,000/year)

DEAN'S
SCHOLARSHIP
ACT: 20-23 $32,000

4-year value
($8,000/year)

UNIVERSITY
SCHOLARSHIP
ACT: 18-19
$20,000

4-year value
($5,000/year)

FOUNDER'S
SCHOLOSHIP
ACT:28-36
$48,000

4- year value
($12,000/year)

PRESIDENT'S
SCHOLARSHIP
ACT: 24-27
$40,000

4-year value
($10,000/year)

DEAN'S
SCHOLARSHIP
ACT: 20-23$32,000

4-year value
($8,000/year)

UNIVERSITY
SCHOLARSHIP
ACT: 18-19
$20,000

4-year value
($5,000/year)

Have more questions?

Contact Us

Office of Financial Aid