Funding for Indigenous Wildcats

Student with blue Native Wildcat t-shirt on, standing in the desert

Funding for Indigenous Wildcats

As an Indigenous Wildcat, you may be eligible to apply for scholarships from your tribe, tribal organization, or other scholarship organizations. In addition, you may also be eligible to receive other kinds of financial aid like grants, Federal Work Study, or student loans

Arizona Native Scholars Grant (ANS)   Financial Needs Analysis (FNA)   COMPLETING YOUR FNA   

OSFA FNA Process   Federally Recognized Arizona Tribes   Tribal Enrollment Verification System 

Contact Us   Timeline  Tribal Education Departments   Tribal Scholarship Organizations

 More Information

Arizona Native Scholars Grant

The University of Arizona is excited to announce the Arizona Native Scholars Grant (ANS). ANS is an institutional grant program that ensures tuition, fees, and college fees are fully covered for Native, Arizona Resident, Undergraduate students. ANS will fill in the difference between a student’s tuition, fees, and college fees and all other gift aid the student receives (Pell Grant, merit scholarships, etc.). 

Learn more about the Arizona Native Scholars Grant!

Financial Needs Analysis (FNA) Process

The FNA, or Financial Needs Analysis form, is a key part of your tribal scholarship application and must be completed each semester or year, depending on your tribe/tribal organization. The form contains information on your Arizona cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room/board etc.) and the resources (financial aid, Estimated Family Contribution from the FAFSA) you are receiving for the corresponding academic year or semester.

Your tribe or nation will use the FNA to determine your eligibility for their scholarship and/or grant funding. An FNA is usually included in your tribe's scholarship application. Generally, you must first complete your personal information and sign the FNA form, allowing our office to submit your information.

Students Completing Their FNA

To complete your FNA, we will need you to review and complete the following items.

  1. Submit Your FAFSA

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

    • The University of Arizona's school code: 001083
  2. Complete Federal Verification

    Sometimes students are selected for a process called federal FAFSA verification. If you are selected, we are required to verify the information you self-reported on your FAFSA. You will be notified through a To Do List item letting you know how to set up an account through Verify My FAFSA to complete this process. This will need to be completed before we can process your FNA. 

    Need some help completing federal FAFSA verification? Visit our federal verification page or Verify My FAFSA Account Set Up page.
  3. Enrollment

    You need to be enrolled in classes at the University of Arizona before your FNA can be completed. 

    New First-Year Admits: You will not be able to enroll until you attend orientation between June and August.
  4. Maintain SAP Standards

    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.
  5. FAFSA Information Release

    You must complete the FAFSA Information Release, found on your To Do List in your UAccess Student Center. This gives our office authorization to give your financial aid related information to an outside entity such as your tribe/tribal organization.

    You only have to do this one time while you are a student at the University of Arizona.

How OSFA Processes Your FNA

 

FNA Received

When your FNA has been received by OSFA, you will see a notification on your Student Center To Do List in UAccess. You can click on the To Do list item for more information.

Federal Verification

If you have been selected to complete federal verification, we will review your account to confirm that you have submitted all requested documentation. Then, our office will complete the federal verification review.

SAP Review

New Transfer/Re-admits/Continuing students (those who have registered at the University of Arizona in a prior term) will be reviewed by our office to ensure they are meeting SAP requirements so the FNA can be completed.

FNA sent to Tribe/Tribal Organization

Once your federal verification is complete and you are meeting all SAP requirements, your FNA will be sent to your tribe/tribal organization.

Processing can take up to 2-3 weeks, sometimes longer during peak times.

Placeholder Added

When applicable, an estimated award (placeholder) will be added to your Financial Aid Summary until a scholarship check is received from your tribe/tribal organization.

Release of Scholarship Funds

Once funds are received from your tribe/tribal organization, we will honor all requirements notated in the award letter(s) and release the funds directly to the student Bursar account. If you are not meeting the requirements notated on the award letter, the tribe/tribal organization will be contacted for further instructions.

It is recommended that funds must be received at least 10 days before your earliest class of the semester.

Open To Do List Items can delay funding from being released to your Bursar student account.

In-State Tuition for Members of Arizona Tribes

The following list of Arizona Tribes are federally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the state of Arizona as eligible for in-state tuition. If you are an enrolled member of any one of the Arizona Tribes listed below, make sure you submit the Native American Exception form to the Office of the Registrar. Proof of tribal enrollment (e.g. Certificate of Indian Blood or tribal ID card) must be submitted to prove tribal affiliation.

 

  • Ak-Chin Indian Community
  • Cocopah Indian Tribe
  • Colorado River Indian Tribes*
  • Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
  • Fort Mojave Indian Tribe*
  • Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe
  • Gila River Indian Community
  • Havasupai Tribe
  • Hopi Tribe
  • Hualapai Tribe
  • Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians
  • Navajo Nation*
  • Pascua Yaqui Tribe
  • Pueblo of Zuni
  • Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
  • San Carlos Apache Tribe
  • San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe
  • Tohono O'odham Nation
  • Tonto Apache Tribe
  • White Mountain Apache Tribe
  • Yavapai-Apache Tribe
  • Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe

*Reservation boundaries extend into neighboring states.

Source: https://statemuseum.arizona.edu/programs/american-indian-relations/tribes-arizona

Tribal Enrollment Verification System

The Tribal Enrollment Verification System is for Native students who are enrolled members of a federally- or state-recognized U.S. tribe. Learn more and upload your documents through the Office of the Registrar's Native American Exception webpage.

 

Have questions regarding your Tribal Aid?

Send us an email

  • Navigate to our Contact Us page.
  • Under the Tribal Aid Related Questions, click the link to send an email.
  • Be sure to select the "Tribal Aid" category to ensure your email goes to our tribal aid processing experts.

 

Timeline for Tribal Aid

 

January

  • Submit your 2024-2025  FAFSA using your/your family's 2022 income.
  • Begin monitoring your University of Arizona CatMail account and UAccess Student Center To Do List items for information on your FNA.

Begin applying for scholarships through:

May 1

The priority deadline for institutional aid is May 1st for current Undergraduate students and incoming First-Year and Transfer students. You must have submitted your FAFSA for the following academic year before this date to meet this deadline.

Spring 2024

Begin reviewing your financial aid offer and determining if additional resources are needed such as:

June

  • Incoming first-year and transfer students will attend orientation.
  • Once orientation is complete first-year and transfer students can enroll full-time.
  • Continuing students should ensure they are enrolled full-time.

July

August

  • Financial aid will begin releasing to your Bursar student account 10 days before the start of fall classes.
  • Remaining charges are due the first day of fall classes.

Additional Information

New Admits

Current/Continuing Students 

Tribal Education Departments 

Tribal Scholarship Organizations