Most tribes/tribal organizations require a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to be submitted to the University of Arizona. Completing the FAFSA unlocks access to federal financial aid, such as the Federal Pell Grant, student and parent PLUS loans, Federal Work-Study and even some scholarship programs. You will need to file a FAFSA form every year you are planning to be a student. The University of Arizona's school code is: 001083.

• File your FAFSA form by the Priority Filing Date to be considered for the maximum amount of financial aid!
• Also, be sure to take action on all To Do List items and Holds in your UAccess Student Center. Some tasks, including Federal Verification, must be completed before our office can process your FNA.

Our office does not provide blank FNA forms to students. FNA forms are usually included in the scholarship application provided by the tribal donor and need to be submitted to our office by the student. Alternatively, other FNAs are sent directly to our office from the Tribal Donor. We recommend you first connect with your Tribal Donor and follow the instructions provided by them.

Once you have obtained the FNA form and filled out the top Student Section (including a signed signature, if applicable), you may submit your FNA form through our Forms webpage.

• We recommend submitting your FNA form at least 4 weeks prior to the deadline so there is enough time to complete any open requirements.
• NOTE: FNAs are processed in priority order based on tribal deadlines. You will receive a confirmation via your Arizona CatMail once your FNA has been submitted to the tribal donor.

You will be notified via your Arizona CatMail if additional information is required to complete your FNA form. 

Open tasks that require action will be listed in the To Do List and Holds sections of your UAccess Student Center. Act on all your pending To Do List items and Holds immediately as they may delay the processing of your FNA form. 

Common Notices or To Do List items that require student action include:

• FAFSA form not filed for the intended year. You must have a current FAFSA form on file to qualify.
• Federal Verification confirms the self-reported information on your FAFSA form based on the supporting documents you provide.
• FAFSA Information Release not complete. This allows our office to share your FAFSA information with outside organizations, like your tribal education office.

You need to be enrolled in classes at the University of Arizona before your FNA form can be completed. This ensures your FNA form accurately reflects the amount of financial aid received. 

NOTE: Financial aid is automatically offered based on the assumption that you will be enrolled full-time (in at least 12 units as an undergraduate student or 6 units as a graduate student). If you are not enrolled full-time, your aid will be adjusted.

•  New First-Year Admits: You will enroll in classes when you attend orientation before your first semester. We recommend you sign up for Orientation as soon as possible through your Next Steps Center.

Before you submit your scholarship application, we recommend you review it to ensure all required documentation is submitted to the Tribal Donor by the intended deadline. 

• Your application may require: a copy of your class schedule, unofficial or official transcripts, a copy of your Certificate of Indian Blood (CIB), Degree Checklist, and/or essay entries.

• New First-Year Admits: You will not need to worry about meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards until after your first semester.

• New Transfer/Re-admits/Continuing students: You must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards for the term that you are trying to receive aid. If you are not meeting SAP Standards, then you must have an approved SAP Appeal on file for the term that you want to receive aid.

If you are unsure of how to obtain a certain document for your scholarship application, that’s okay! Contact our office and we’ll be happy to assist.