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University of Central Arkansas

The student guide to Conway, Arkansas: where to eat, live and get help, what a year really costs, and the free stuff most students miss.

UCA at a glance

7,762
undergrads
89%
of applicants admitted
73%
come back for year 2
53%
graduate
15 : 1
students per teacher
$49,756
typical pay 10 years in

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard.

What a year really costs

After grants and scholarships, by family income. Average: $16,423.

Under $30k $14,394
$30k–$48k $14,404
$48k–$75k $15,095
$75k–$110k $18,724
Over $110k $23,158
Tuition, in state
$10,940
Tuition, out of state
$18,746
Typical debt at graduation
$19,500
46% of students get a Pell Grant

Free stuff most students miss

Career

WOW Closet (free professional clothes)

Free professional clothes from Career Services: any student can take one free outfit per academic year to keep, for interviews, career fairs or class…

Student life

Student Government Association

UCA's student government, in Student Center Room 208. Students can print for free in the SGA office. Fall and spring office hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Career

Big Interview Mock Interviews

Free online interview practice for UCA students and alumni at uca.biginterview.com: record answers to interview questions for dozens of industries…

Eat

Dining halls, quick bites and coffee on campus.

14 places
Christian Cafeteria
Christian Cafeteria
Dining hall

UCA's all-you-care-to-eat dining hall, across from the Student Health Center. Every residence-hall meal plan includes unlimited visits here.

201 Donaghey Ave.
Student Center POD
Student Center POD
Market

Familiar food brands for a meal or a snack break in the Ronnie Williams Student Center food court, a social hub where students meet, study and eat.

201 Donaghey Ave.
Market
Bear Village C-Store
Market

Convenience store at the Bear Village Apartments on Moix Boulevard, on the south end of campus, handy if you live in the apartments and do not want…

2201 Moix Blvd.
Restaurant
Chick-fil-A
Restaurant

Chicken sandwiches, salads, entrees and sides, open from 7 a.m. on weekdays. Closed Sundays.

201 Donaghey Ave.
Einstein Bros. Bagels
Einstein Bros. Bagels
Cafe

Bagels, bagel sandwiches, wraps, salads and coffee on the first floor of the Student Center. Weekdays only.

201 Donaghey Ave.
Starbucks (Torreyson Library)
Starbucks (Torreyson Library)
Cafe

Starbucks inside Torreyson Library, on the north side of the first floor next to the computer lab, so you can grab coffee without leaving your study…

201 Donaghey Ave.

Where to live

Residence halls, apartments and help finding a place.

13 places
Arkansas Hall (WISH@Arkansas)
Arkansas Hall (WISH@Arkansas)
Residence hall

First-year hall with double rooms, and UCA's only women-only residence hall.

201 Donaghey Ave.
Baridon Hall (EDGE@Baridon)
Baridon Hall (EDGE@Baridon)
Residence hall

Co-ed first-year hall with suite-style rooms: two bedrooms sharing a living area and bathroom. Accessible rooms are available.

201 Donaghey Ave.
Bernard Hall (MUSE@Bernard)
Bernard Hall (MUSE@Bernard)
Residence hall

Co-ed first-year hall with double rooms. Home to MUSE@Bernard, a Living Learning Community for creative and arts-and-humanities students, supported…

201 Donaghey Ave.
Carmichael Hall (BUILD@Carmichael)
Carmichael Hall (BUILD@Carmichael)
Residence hall

Co-ed first-year hall with double rooms. Home to BUILD@Carmichael, a Living Learning Community for future business, technology and community leaders…

201 Donaghey Ave.
Residence hall
Conway Hall (HPAW@Conway)
Residence hall

Co-ed first-year hall with double rooms. Home to HPAW@Conway, a Living Learning Community for future healthcare professionals built around health and…

201 Donaghey Ave.
Hughes Hall (RISE@Hughes)
Hughes Hall (RISE@Hughes)
Residence hall

Co-ed first-year hall with double rooms. Home to RISE@Hughes, a Living Learning Community for future teachers and people interested in public…

201 Donaghey Ave.

Get around

Shuttles, parking and accessible rides.

3 ways

Majors that pay most at UCA

Typical pay 4 years after graduating. Top 6 of 37 bachelor's majors with published pay.

Nursing $76,783
Computer Science $75,893
Management Information Systems and Services $74,094
Accounting $72,684
Health Professions $66,499
Mathematics $63,239

Source: College Scorecard, field-of-study data.

Your UCA checklist

5 things worth doing early

When you need help

5 things UCA freshmen figure out too late

  1. 1 Stay in the class? You took the syllabus

    "The syllabus is an agreement between the student and instructor. By staying enrolled in the class, the student accepts the policies and terms outlined in the syllabus." And the instructor's "stated classroom policies such as attendance and behavior policies" are not appealable.

  2. 2 Started the class? Too late to CLEP it

    "CLEP credit may be awarded to those students who have met the minimum score requirement set by the university, have not already satisfied the UCA Core requirement, and have not begun the course for which credit is sought." And "All examinations must be taken before the end of the semester in which a student is enrolled for the 75th hour."

  3. 3 Got AP credit? No stepping back down

    "Students may not enroll in a course that is prerequisite for a course for which they have earned credit."

  4. 4 Pass 12 of your first 30 hours

    "First-time undergraduate students are placed on academic probation if (1) they have not attained at least 12 credit hours within the first 30 credit hours attempted as a degree-seeking student at the university, excluding developmental course hours, or (2) their cumulative grade point average is less than 2.0."

  5. 5 Record the lecture — Gus makes the notes, flashcards and quiz

    Gus is an AI college companion built around your actual classes. Record a lecture and it writes the notes, pulls out the key topics, builds a flashcard deck, and makes a practice quiz from what was actually said. The flashcards come back on a spaced-review schedule, so the thing you missed shows up again right before you would have forgotten it. It is free to try.

One more thing

Your major picks your first math

"All first -time, first-year students must enroll in at least one 1000-level MATH course in their first year, unless they have been awarded credit (e.g., AP, CLEP, IB, Concurrent) that completes their 1000-level math requirements." The pathway is set by your declared major.

UCA Undergraduate Bulletin — degree requirements

A 3.30 high school GPA gets you into Core math

To enroll in a UCA Core math course you need at least one of the listed conditions, including a "high school cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.30 or higher" or an "ACT Math score of 22 or higher".

UCA Undergraduate Bulletin — registration and credit

Gus is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the University of Central Arkansas. Tips checked against UCA's own pages in October 2026. Campus info last updated October 2026. Stats from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Something out of date? hello@meetgus.app · All campus guides