Our office is dedicated to assisting students with financial counseling and assistance from the time they enroll until the time they graduate. Entrance counseling, financial literacy for borrowers, and exit counseling are just a few of the services we employ to create financial awareness and responsibility on the part of the students.
Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Federal School Code: 042568
In support of the college’s mission statement, the Office of Financial Aid is dedicated to supporting students with financial assistance and educational resources vital to student success while pursuing a graduate/professional degree in health professions at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education.
Our office is located on the first floor of the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine building in the Office of Student Affairs. Our official means of communication is via e-mail, or ACHE Connect, so please check this often.
7000 Chad Colley Blvd
Fort Smith, Arkansas 72916-6024
PO Box 10366
Fort Smith, AR 72917-0366
The ACHE Office of Financial Aid works with all qualified students to meet the cost of their education at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE). Students may finance their education with scholarships, federal/private student loans, veteran education benefits, military health profession scholarships, or other federal and state programs as well as personal funds and any combination of funding sources to meet their educational expenses. It is the goal of the ACHE Office of Financial Aid to assist students in making responsible and informed decisions regarding the funding and financing of their health professions education. Contact a Financial Aid Officer with any questions or assistance in applying for financial aid for graduate/professional degrees available at ACHE via e-mail or phone at (479) 308-2200.
All new students receiving any form of financial aid will receive group aid advisement sessions and are encouraged to attend one-on-one advisement sessions with the aid office. Students are encouraged to attend an annual financial aid session. All students, who received any form of financial aid during their ACHE tenure, will participate in an exit counseling session with a financial aid officer prior to graduation.
The Office of Financial Aid adheres to the Financial Aid Code of Conduct which applies to the officers, employees, and agents of the school and must also prohibit employees of the financial aid office from receiving gifts from a lender, guaranty agency, or loan servicer. Click here to view the Financial Aid Code of Conduct.
An important step in reaching financial and academic success is to be well versed in financial literacy. Below are some resources to help aid in financial literacy.
Click on the below links for tools on the following:
Understanding Aid
Managing your Student Loans
It is recommended students attend an annual group financial aid session and/or schedule an appointment with the ACHE Officer of Financial Aid via e-mail to help increase financial literacy.
Scholarships are considered gift aid and do not have to be repaid back. Institutional scholarships may be applied for through the school. Outside scholarships may be applied for by a student on their own to the organization offering the scholarship.
Loans are funds students may borrow during school but must be repaid back. Students must be eligible for federal student aid to qualify for federal student loans. To qualify for federal student loans a student must be in an approved Title IV eligible program and qualify for federal student aid. Apply for federal student loans (Direct Unsubsidized or Direct PLUS Loans) by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The second step in applying for a Direct PLUS Loan is to complete a Direct PLUS Loan application as a graduate/professional student, which requires a credit check. Students may search for and apply for private loans on their own or through the FASTChoice web tool, which hosts ACHE’s historical lender list. Applying for a private loan requires a credit check and possible co-signer.
Veterans Education Benefits may be available to veterans, service members and their families for approved programs at ACHE. Apply for benefits by completing a VA Certification Request Form with the Office of Financial Aid and submit it with your Certificate of Eligibility. Eligibility and additional information about veteran’s education benefits can be found at VA|Vets.gov. The School Certifying Official at ACHE will review the submitted request for your eligibility for your program of study.
State aid for residents may be applied through their state grant agency. Arkansas residents who wish to apply for state aid or file grievances may do so with the Arkansas Division of Higher Education, who may be contacted via e-mail or phone at 501.371.2000.
Students who receive federal student loans must complete online Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note as a Graduate/Professional Student for the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education for each type of loan accepted. Financial aid will not be disbursed to any student until admitted and actively attending course(s) as a student, and all financial aid requirements are met. If a student leaves/withdraws during active enrollment any financial aid funding the student received will be reviewed and may be returned to the fund source per federal, state, private donor and institutional policies. The student will be responsible for any balance owed to the college as a result of any returned funds.
An important step in reaching financial and academic success is to create and follow a budget. Budgeting provides you with important information about your anticipated income, amount, date of required payments and what are your necessary and unnecessary expenses. Creating a budget is easy and can be done with paper and pen, spreadsheet, or an app. Below are some resources to help you understand more about budgeting.
For assistance with creating a budget request an appointment with a Financial Aid Officer via e-mail or phone at (479) 308-2200.
