Press Release Details

Note: The original press release can be found on the Arkansas Department of Education webpage. Below is a copy of the press release text.

ACCESS Portal opens alongside statewide campaign connecting students to pathways of enrollment, enlistment, and employment

The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) is pleased to announce the Arkansas ACCESS Portal, Arkansas’ single, universal college application, is now accepting applications from high school seniors. The announcement comes as ADE is once again launching the Arkansas Applied Campaign, encouraging students to take the next step toward enrollment, enlistment, and employment. The Arkansas Applied Campaign is a collaborative effort led by ADE’s Division of Career and Technical Education, Division of Higher Education, and the Arkansas Career Coach Program.

“We want every Arkansas student to know what comes next and be prepared for life after high school,” said Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva. “The important thing is that students don’t have to choose just one path. They can enroll, enlist, and become employed, but every opportunity starts with taking that first step and applying. The Arkansas Applied Campaign builds on the key principles of LEARNS and ACCESS, reinforcing the tools, opportunities, and pathways we’ve built into Arkansas’ education system to help every student graduate with a plan.”

“Every day, career coaches and military and higher education recruiters walk into Arkansas schools and help students understand the pathways available to them,” said Ross White, Director of the Arkansas Division of Career and Technical Education. “Thanks to LEARNS and ACCESS, the tools and opportunities available to students support goals. It’s a privilege to work alongside students who are thinking seriously about their futures in a state committed to helping them turn their goals into a plan. This campaign takes that commitment one step further by ensuring students have the support they need to take action, apply, and pursue the pathway that’s right for them.”

ADE recognizes that for some students, the difference between considering a pathway after high school and pursuing it can be having the right support during the application process. Arkansas Applied brings resources from across the Department together to help students complete applications to higher education institutions, technical programs, employers, and the military, ensuring more students take the next step toward their future.

The Arkansas Applied Campaign runs from Oct. 1 through Dec. 19, as proclaimed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Arkansas ACCESS Portal

As Arkansas Applied is underway, students interested in the enrollment pathway have a new tool to help them take that first step. With the Arkansas ACCESS Portal now accepting applications, high school seniors can apply to up to five participating Arkansas colleges and universities with one form, one login, and no application fees, making it easier than ever to pursue higher education in Arkansas. The Portal opened for students to create their accounts in August.

The Portal delivers the Eligibility pillar of Arkansas ACCESS, the Governor’s landmark 2025 higher education law. Building on the success of LEARNS, ACCESS aligns education from Pre-K through postsecondary. The law replaces multiple, repetitive college applications with one streamlined process and provides provisional admission to students who meet participating institutions’ baseline admission requirements.

“The Arkansas ACCESS Portal represents a significant step forward in how we connect students with higher education opportunities,” said Dr. Ken Warden, Director of the Arkansas Division of Higher Education. “By simplifying the application process and removing unnecessary barriers, we are making it easier for students to see higher education as an attainable next step. Arkansas’ colleges and universities are ready to welcome these students, and this Portal gives us another powerful tool to help them move from considering higher education to applying, enrolling, and ultimately earning a degree or credential.”

Arkansas has achieved full participation from the state’s public two- and four-year colleges and universities, along with 50% participation among private institutions. ADE built the Arkansas ACCESS Portal entirely in-house, launching it within 12 months of ACCESS becoming law.

School counselors and career coaches are leading the statewide rollout by introducing the Portal during senior advisories and FAFSA nights, hosting application days, guiding students and families through the INFO Center, and working to ensure every senior submits at least one application before priority deadlines.

Seniors, parents, counselors, and career coaches can get started today at the Arkansas ACCESS Portal. Guides, FAQs, participating institutions, and key dates are available through the AR ACCESS Portal INFO Center.

For more information about career coaches, visit the Division of Career and Technical Education's Operations Webpage.

To learn more about the LEARNS Act passed in 2023, visit the Arkansas LEARNS website.

To learn more about the ACCESS Act passed in 2025, visit the Arkansas ACCESS website.