The University requires that, for the award programs listed below, students must maintain continuous fall and spring semester enrollment at The University of Arizona (UA). Students who will not be continuously enrolled at the UA must submit a Deferment Request Form to The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) at least one month prior to a scheduled leave, or as soon as reasonably possible when an unanticipated leave is required due to mental or physical illness or injury or disability. Pre-enrollment deferments will not be considered. The student must be enrolled at least one semester at the UA in order to apply for a deferment.

ELIGIBLE AWARDS:
This process relates to the following programs.  For any scholarship awards not listed here, contact the granting organization, department, or donor to learn about deferment policies. See Exception Programs below. 

• Arizona Assurance
• All Arizona Academic Team Tuition Award
• Arizona Excellence Tuition Award
• Baird Scholarship
• National Merit Semifinalist Tuition Award
• National Achievement Tuition Award
• National Hispanic Tuition Award
• *National Merit Finalist Tuition Award
• Phi Theta Kappa Tuition Award
• Presidents Award for Excellence Tuition Award
• Regents High Honors Endorsement Award (AIMS) Tuition Award
• Transfer Academic Achievement Tuition Award
• Wildcat Excellence Tuition Award
• Sonoran Tuition Award
• Raytheon Tuition Award

*National Merit Finalist Scholars must request a leave of absence from The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (www.nationalmerit.org) in addition to completing the UA’s deferment process.

INELIGIBLE AWARDS:

• MacBook Award
• iPad Award

APPROVALS:
Approvals extend semesters of eligibility only. They do not increase the amount of the award in any semester. Students must be maintaining the renewal requirements (GPA and units) for continuation of their award to be eligible for a deferment. One semester deferment approvals require a student to complete half of the total units required for the renewal of the scholarship within the academic year of the approved deferment.  Students do not have to notify OSFA of their return, but students must return to UA in the semester immediately following the completion of the approved deferment.  

WITHDRAWALS:

A deferment request cannot be approved if the student withdraws after the Bursar's 100% refund deadline. If a scholarship disburses fully or partially to a student's Bursar's Account and the student do not receive a 100% (or complete) tuition refund, it counts toward the student's total used semesters of eligibility. A 100% refund does not guarantee a deferment approval.

EXTENSIONS:
Students who request any changes or extensions to a previously granted deferment must complete another deferment request prior to the semester in which they were required to return.

PROGRAMS EXCEPTED FROM PROCESS:  
The following programs do not require a Deferment Request submission to OSFA.

• UA- Sponsored Study Abroad Programs – Automatic deferment will be given if student is on track for renewal.
• UA National Student Exchange (NSE) – UA tuition awards may be used while on this program.

REASONS FOR DEFERMENT:
OSFA considers each deferment request independently according to the circumstances of that request.  Common examples of situations giving rise to a request for deferment include, but are not limited to:  

• Religious missions
• Involuntary U.S. military service (in the event of a military crisis or when draft is in effect)
• Non-UA- Sponsored Study-Abroad (International Student Exchange) programs
• Internships and volunteer programs related to major, future career goals and circumstances unique to college students only
• **Student’s own medical or physical illness or injury or disability –see process below
• Other extenuating circumstances that are beyond the student’s control

REQUIREMENTS FOR SEEKING DEFERMENTS:

If the reasons for requesting the deferment are other than the student’s own mental or physical illness or injury or disability:
Students seeking a deferment based on circumstances other than their own mental or physical illness or injury or disability must:

• Attach a personal statement explaining the circumstances of the request, which should be no longer than one page in length;
• Attach supporting documentation (e.g., letter from religious leader related to religious missions, letter of acceptance into non-UA-study abroad program, call to active duty, letter from attorney or other individual confirming circumstances beyond the student’s control, etc.).
• Complete the Scholarship Deferment Request form in its entirety  

If the reasons for requesting a deferment relate to the student’s own mental or physical illness or injury or disability:
**Students seeking a deferment based on their own mental or physical illness or injury or disability must complete the Scholarship Deferment Request Form in its entirety and:

  Obtain medical documentation from a licensed health care provider, or a letter on that health care provider’s letterhead, which contains the following information:

•   The approximate date of onset of the mental or physical illness or injury or disability giving rise to the circumstances surrounding the request for deferment, and the dates through which such condition is reasonably expected to continue;
•    The general nature of the mental or physical illness or injury or disability that gave rise to the request for deferment;
•   The date on which the student anticipates being able to resume his/her scholarship.

Provide the letter or medical documentation to Campus Health Service to the attention of:

Harry McDermott, M.D.
Executive Director, Campus Health Service
P.O. Box 210095
Tucson, AZ 85721-0095
FAX: 520-621-6490

Campus Health Service will review the documentation and, if it determines that a deferment is required based upon the student’s own mental or physical illness or injury or disability, it will issue a “Verification of Health-related Reasons for Deferment of Scholarship” form.  The Verification form will include the dates of onset of the condition and the dates through which such condition continued, but will not include information related to the nature of the condition.

The student must attach the “Verification of Health-related Reasons for Deferment of Scholarship form” to the student’s Scholarship Deferment Request form and return it to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

The University reserves the right to modify this process at any time.  Submission of a deferment request does not guarantee approval.