Arkansas Launches Statewide ACCESS Portal, Creating One Universal College Application for Seniors

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

The Arkansas Department of Education alongside Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today announced the statewide launch of the Arkansas ACCESS Portal, a single, universal college application that allows Arkansas high school seniors to apply to participating institutions of higher education with one form, one login, and no application fees for up to five colleges. The Portal is live now at araccessportal.adhe.edu for the Class of 2027.

"I signed Arkansas ACCESS last year to rebuild our higher education system so that every Arkansas high school student is prepared for the in-demand careers of the future - whether by enrolling, enlisting, or becoming employed," said Governor Sanders. "I'm proud to see the Arkansas Department of Education taking massive steps forward to make quality education more accessible and prioritizing a system geared towards students."

The Portal delivers the Eligibility pillar of Arkansas ACCESS, the Governor's landmark higher-education law passed in 2025. Building on the transformational success of the LEARNS Act, ACCESS aligns education from Pre-K through postsecondary so that Arkansas students graduate ready for enrollment, enlistment, or employment. ACCESS directed the state to replace multiple, repetitive college applications with one streamlined process and to grant provisional admission to students who meet participating institutions' baseline admissions requirements. The ACCESS Portal carries out that process.

"The Arkansas ACCESS Portal takes what used to be a confusing, repetitive college application process that would overwhelm students and families and streamline it into a simple process," said Arkansas Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva. "With one application and one login, students can reach nearly every campus in Arkansas without fees or barriers. Now, every student in Arkansas can learn about different pathways and directly connect with the institution to help them reach their goals."

Through the Portal, students can apply to up to five participating institutions at no cost, receive a Next Action Steps (NAS) letter up front that provides provisional admission and clear directives from each institution, and benefit from automatic transcript population through the ADE Electronic Transcript System. With coursework, GPA, and test data already flowing into the system, families no longer have to re-enter information multiple times. The state has achieved full participation from Arkansas' public four-year and two-year colleges and 50% participation across private institutions.

The Arkansas Department of Education built the Arkansas ACCESS Portal entirely in-house within 12 months of ACCESS becoming law. School counselors and career coaches will drive the rollout by introducing the Portal in senior advisories and FAFSA nights, hosting application days, guiding families through the INFO Center, and ensuring every senior submits at least one application before priority deadlines.

Seniors, parents, counselors, and career coaches can get started today at araccessportal.adhe.edu, with guides, FAQs, participating institutions, and key dates available in the INFO Center at araccessportal.adhe.edu/info.

For more information about the Arkansas ACCESS Act passed in 2025, visit access.ade.arkansas.gov.