Ouachita Baptist University

Ouachita Baptist University is a private, nonprofit Christian university in Arkadelphia with a residential undergraduate campus and a broad liberal-arts curriculum. Its current program directory includes business, Christian studies, education, communications, nursing, natural sciences, music, and visual and performing arts. The university also offers graduate study in selected fields, including counseling, curriculum and instruction, exercise science, nutrition, and applied behavior analysis. Students deciding among these paths should check which programs are offered at the level and schedule they need; Ouachita’s older online-degree directory explicitly says it is no longer accepting new students into those online bachelor’s programs.

Choose a program before comparing schools

Examples of undergraduate options include accounting and finance, biology and chemistry, teacher preparation, communications and media, Christian studies, and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The nursing degree has its own academic and clinical requirements, so ask Admissions and the nursing department about prerequisites, clinical placements, licensure outcomes, and additional costs. The 2026–27 degree sheets provide a useful entry point to the current catalog and requirements for each major.

Apply and ask for a net-price estimate

First-time applicants start an account in the university’s online application portal. Contact the admissions office about the checklist for your applicant type, the transcript and test-score rules that apply to your year, and any program-specific requirements. Ouachita’s admissions application also serves as the application for its undergraduate merit scholarships. Students seeking federal or need-based assistance must submit the FAFSA and list Ouachita so the financial-aid office can prepare an offer. Use the university’s undergraduate application and Student Financial Services information before deciding whether the published award could make attendance affordable.

For incoming Fall 2027 freshmen, Ouachita currently publishes annual merit awards ranging from $5,000 to $23,000. Its Trustee award requires at least a 29 ACT; the President’s award is listed for ACT scores of 25–28, with some GPA-and-test combinations considered. The Founder’s award is listed for a high-school GPA of 3.85–4.0, the Dean’s for 3.55–3.849, and the Collegiate award for 3.00–3.549. The university says its admission application is the scholarship application and requires a 2.0 cumulative GPA for renewal. Award values are not a personal aid guarantee: ask how your academic record, housing, meal plan, fees, and other aid change the written offer. The current institutional aid page and calculator show the complete criteria and terms.

Visit Arkadelphia with practical questions

The main campus is at 410 Ouachita Street, Arkadelphia, AR 71998; the main line is (870) 245-5000. Maps does not publish visitor hours for the university. Student Financial Services lists weekday office hours of 8 a.m.–5 p.m., with summer hours subject to change, so call ahead and confirm the office you need. The school’s admissions site offers a campus visit request.

Voluntary public student comments describe a close campus community and professors who are willing to help; other students raise concerns about the cost, food and housing, and the limits of a strongly faith-centered campus culture. These are individual experiences, and they vary. During a visit, ask current students in your major how required courses are scheduled, what housing and dining options cost, which campus policies affect daily life, and how the final aid offer compares with the complete bill. Read public student perspectives about Ouachita.