Arizona Assurance Deferment Policy and Form

Related Downloads

Arizona Assurance Program Renewal Requirements state that students must maintain continuous fall and spring semester full-time enrollment at the University of Arizona (UA). Students who will not be continuously enrolled at the UA must submit the Arizona Assurance 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.

The student must be enrolled at least one semester at the UA in order to apply for a deferment.

Approvals

Approvals extend semesters of eligibility only. They do not increase the amount of the award in any semester. Students must be maintaining all Arizona Assurance Renewal Requirements (see list of all requirements) for continuation of the 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 the UA in the semester immediately following the completion of the approved deferment and enroll full-time.

Withdrawals

A deferment request cannot be approved if the student withdraws after the Bursar's 100% refund deadline. If Arizona Assurance Scholars Program funding credits (fully or partially) to a student's Bursar's Account and the student does 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.

Extension Requests

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.

Reasons for Deferment 

Study Abroad

Reasons for Deferment Other than Study Abroad

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 Arizona Assurance 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 Arizona Assurance Deferment Request form in its entirety, include a basic personal statement and:

Obtain a letter from a licensed health care provider, on the 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 your licensed health care professional's letter to Campus Health Service to the attention of:

Dr. Harry McDermott
P.O. Box 210095
Tucson, AZ 85721-0095
FAX: 520-621-8412

Campus Health Service will review the letter 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 Arizona Assurance Deferment Request form and return it to OSFA.

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