Arizona College Scholarships & Grants (2025 Update)

What Arizona Families Need to Know About State College Aid

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If your son or daughter is heading to college in Arizona, you may be surprised to learn there’s no one-size-fits-all state scholarship system. But that doesn’t mean there’s no help. Arizona offers one powerful last-dollar grant for lower-income families, plus additional aid that flows directly through the universities. Here’s how to find it—and what steps to take first.

💡 Start with the FAFSA. Arizona doesn’t have a universal aid portal, so filing the FAFSA early is your best shot at both state and university-based aid.

🎓 Step 1: Understand What the State Covers

  • ✔️ Arizona Promise Program – Covers full tuition and fees at Arizona’s public universities (ASU, UA, NAU) for students whose family income is $65,000 or less. Must be a Pell Grant recipient, enroll full-time, and meet residency requirements.
  • ✔️ Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) – A small, need-based grant awarded by individual schools to students with high financial need. Not guaranteed—funds are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • ✔️ Foster Youth Tuition Waiver – Covers tuition at Arizona public colleges for eligible foster youth. Available through institutional aid offices with required documentation.
  • ✔️ Arizona Veterans & Military Tuition Benefits – Tuition and fee waivers are available at the institutional level for qualifying veterans and dependents. Contact your college’s veteran services office.

📝 Step 2: File the FAFSA & Contact Your Campus

Arizona does not use a centralized application like some states. Instead, financial aid is handled in two ways:

  • ✔️ FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) – Opens in October. Required for the Arizona Promise Program and most institutional grants.
  • ✔️ University Financial Aid Offices – Each public college in Arizona handles its own scholarships, need-based aid, and tuition waivers. Contact them directly and check your student portal.

If your child is attending ASU, UA, or NAU, applying for merit-based aid through the school’s own application system is critical—many awards are automatic but tied to test scores and GPA submitted early.

🧭 Tip: Even if you don’t qualify for Pell Grants, your child may still be eligible for academic scholarships or campus-based aid. Don’t skip the FAFSA.

📊 Step 3: What Can These Programs Cover?

Amounts vary by program and by campus. Here’s a general guide to what’s available through Arizona’s main programs:

Program Who It Helps Award Amount
Arizona Promise Pell-eligible students with income below $65,000 Full tuition and fees
LEAP Grant Students with high financial need Campus-specific, limited funding
Foster Youth Waiver Youth formerly in foster care system Full tuition at public colleges
Veterans/Military Waivers Dependents or veterans with state eligibility Tuition, fees, and institutional grants

📎 Helpful Links & Contacts

Going Out-of-State?
Families in Arizona may qualify for reduced tuition through the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE). This program lets students attend public colleges in other Western states at a discounted rate.

🏫 Arizona Public Colleges

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