Conway calls itself the City of Colleges for good reason. The University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College and Central Baptist College are all within a few miles of each other. For a Faulkner County teenager, that means real college courses close to home. And for families with an Education Freedom Account, it means those courses may be paid from the account rather than out of pocket.
What the law allows
Arkansas's EFA program lists college-credit courses, college admission exams, and career training and industry credentials among its allowed expenses. In the state's 2024-25 report, families statewide spent about $69,000 from accounts on college tuition, fees and supplies. That's a small share of total spending, but it's growing as more homeschool and online-school families discover the option.
The report's provider list shows Faulkner County families making payments to the University of Central Arkansas from their accounts. So this isn't hypothetical. Local families are already doing it.
Who it works for
Homeschool and online-school students get the most flexibility. With a homeschool account, a family can combine a curriculum or online program with one or two college courses each semester, paid through ClassWallet. A junior or senior can finish high school with a semester or more of college credit.
Private-school students can also take concurrent courses, but most of the account usually goes to tuition. Ask your school whether it offers concurrent-credit courses through a college partner and whether those fees are invoiced through ClassWallet. At Conway Christian and St. Joseph, both PK-12 campuses, that conversation is worth having by grade 10.
How to set it up
- Check eligibility with the college. Each college sets its own rules for high-school students: minimum age or grade, placement scores, and which courses are open. Start with the admissions or concurrent-enrollment office.
- Confirm the course is approved in ClassWallet. Approval is specific. Don't assume a course qualifies because another family's did. If you aren't sure, ask the EFA office before you register.
- Plan the timing. The account is funded quarterly. A $7,208 account (2026-27) arrives in four deposits of about $1,802, so line up tuition due dates with deposits.
- Keep records. Save registration confirmations, invoices and transcripts. You'll want them for ClassWallet and later for college applications.
Watch the caps
A 2025 state law (SB 625) caps spending on extracurricular activities, PE, field trips and transportation, each at roughly a quarter of the account. Academic college courses aren't in those categories, but driving to campus is. If you're counting on the account for gas or rides, check the rules first.
Career and technical paths
Not every student wants a bachelor's degree. The account can also pay for approved career training and industry credentials. For a student interested in a trade, healthcare, IT or a technical field, that can mean finishing high school with a credential employers recognize. Ask local colleges and training providers which programs are approved in ClassWallet.
A sample junior year
Here's how one homeschool junior might use a $7,208 account:
- An accredited online school as the core program. Our featured partner AmFaith publishes tuition of about $3,000 for grades 3 to 12.
- One college course each semester at a local college.
- Test prep and an admission exam.
- Curriculum and supplies for remaining subjects.
Prices vary, so build your own version with real quotes, and confirm every provider's approval in ClassWallet before paying from the account.
Starting the account
New students apply through the state's FACTS portal at arkansasefa.com during the spring window. For 2026-27 it ran March 9 to June 1, and 2027-28 dates aren't announced yet. Homeschool families also file Arkansas's usual notice of intent with their district, separately from the EFA application.
Will the credits transfer?
Credits from Arkansas public colleges and universities generally move between them through the Arkansas Course Transfer System, which lists how general-education courses transfer among state institutions. Private colleges and out-of-state schools set their own rules. If your teen is aiming at a specific college, ask its admissions office how it treats concurrent credit before you choose courses. Freshman composition, college algebra, introductory psychology and U.S. history are common choices because they transfer widely.
Is your teen ready?
College courses move faster and expect more independence than most high school classes, and the grades become part of a permanent college transcript. A good test is whether your teen can manage deadlines, read a syllabus and ask a professor for help without a parent stepping in. Many families start with one course in the fall of junior year, see how it goes, and add more from there.
Paying when tuition is due
College bills don't always line up with EFA deposits. If a college wants payment at registration and the next quarterly deposit hasn't arrived, ask whether it can invoice ClassWallet directly on its normal schedule, or whether you'll pay and request reimbursement. Keep the receipt, the course registration and the syllabus together so the reimbursement claim is clean.
Our EFA guide covers the full rules. If you'd like an advisor to sketch a plan for your teenager, start a funding check.