AGFC Conservation Scholarships Fuel Future of Wildlife, Fisheries in The Natural State 

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is accepting applications through Dec. 31 for conservation scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year.

Any Arkansas resident majoring in a conservation-related field and attending an Arkansas college or university is eligible to apply. Students must have and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher (on a 4.0 scale). Applicants must also submit a current transcript, a curriculum vitae of their course of study, a 300-word minimum essay, and a short video about their background and career plans and how those relate to conservation.

Becky Bloomfield, program coordinator, said incoming freshmen and sophomores who receive a scholarship will receive $2,500 per semester. This amount increases to $5,000 per semester for incoming juniors and seniors.

“We still have some students who reapply under a former scholarship format that allowed more scholarships but less money; those students may reapply for that format at the reduced rate, but we are phasing it out as they complete their studies,” Bloomfield said.

As a component of the scholarship, recipients are required to complete at least 40 hours of volunteer work with the AGFC involving at least four AGFC divisions during the year they receive funding.

Bloomfield says the volunteer aspect is much more than a requirement for a scholarship; it’s a valuable “foot in the door” at the AGFC.

“This is a golden opportunity for a student to build their network early,” Bloomfield said. “And they’re not just meeting people where they’re placed to volunteer. They’ll be working on the ground in a variety of roles to make contacts, get on-the-ground training, work experience, all the good stuff. I wish I had access to a program like this when I was in college in Kentucky.”

Visit www.agfc.com/conservationscholarships for more information and to apply.

The AGFC’s Conservation Scholarship Program is funded by the sale of Conservation License Plates. This program has been helping Arkansas students since 2001, the year after the first Conservation License Plate was issued. Since that time, more than $9 million has been delivered to students pursuing careers related to conservation.

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