Arizona Promise Grant

Arizona Promise Grant

The University of Arizona is committed to providing you a quality education and delivering the financial resources you need to earn your degree. 

The Arizona Promise Grant (AZP) is a state grant program for Arizona resident, Pell-eligible, first-year University of Arizona students that will fill in the difference between a student’s tuition, mandatory fees, and college fee and all other gift aid the student receives (Pell Grant, merit scholarships, etc.). This can be awarded up to four years (eight consecutive semesters). 

To be offered the Arizona Promise Grant (AZP), incoming students must:

Frequently Asked Questions are listed below. If you find your question is not included, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The AZP amount can vary for each student who receives it. After all other gift aid (Pell Grant, merit scholarships, etc.) has been applied, AZP will cover remaining tuition, mandatory fees, and college fee.

Please see examples below: 

 *Tuition and mandatory fees for first-year Resident students starting in the Fall 2022 semester is $12,700.  

Example Student A

Student A is offered a $6,495 Pell Grant and a $3,000 Wildcat Tuition Award. 

This student’s AZP grant would be $3,205.

EXAMPLE STUDENT A
Base Tuition + Mandatory Fees $12,700
Federal Pell Grant -$6,495
Wildcat Tuition Scholarship -$3,000
Arizona Promise Grant $3,205

 

Example Student B

Student B is offered a $6,495 Pell Grant. Student B also has a $550 College Fee based on his academic program.

This student’s AZP grant would be $6,755.

EXAMPLE STUDENT A
Base Tuition + Mandatory Fees + College Fee $13,250
Federal Pell Grant -$6,495
Arizona Promise Grant $6,755

 

Example Student C

Student C is offered a $6,495 Pell Grant and a $10,000 Wildcat Tuition Award.

This student’s AZP grant would be $0.

EXAMPLE STUDENT A
Base Tuition + Mandatory Fees $12,700
Federal Pell Grant -$6,495
Wildcat Tuition Scholarship -$10,000
Arizona Promise Grant $0

 

New, first-year students who meet the following criteria will be automatically reviewed for AZP:

It is important to note there is no option to specifically appeal to become AZP eligible if you do not fit the above listed criteria.

However, a first-year student could become eligible or lose eligibility for AZP in certain situations. In these cases, a student would be automatically reviewed by OSFA.

The following items might affect your AZP eligibility:

A student must be eligible for AZP in their first year enrolled at the University of Arizona. A student cannot gain eligibility for the first time in subsequent years.

A student may gain eligibility for AZP if the completed review results in a change to their SAI or Pell eligibility during their first year at the University of Arizona. A student may lose eligibility for AZP if the completed review results in a loss of Pell Grant eligibility.

Examples

Student A:
In her first year enrolled at Arizona, student A has a SAI of 7,100 and is not eligible for Federal Pell Grant, as calculated by the FAFSA. The student is not awarded AZP but is considered for other institutional need-based grants including the University Grant.

Student A is flagged for federal verification that year. After OSFA completes the verification review, the student’s SAI changes to 100 and is determined to be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant.

Student A is now eligible for AZP.

 

Student B:
In her first year enrolled at Arizona, student B has a SAI of 9,500 and is not eligible for the Federal Pell Grant, as calculated by the FAFSA. Student B is not eligible for AZP, but is considered for other institutional need-based grants including the University Grant

In her sophomore year, Student B has a SAI of 0 and is eligible for the Federal Pell Grant, as calculated by the FAFSA. 

Student B is not awarded AZP for her sophomore year because she was not eligible AZP in her first year. She is awarded the Federal Pell Grant since she is now Pell Grant eligible and is considered for other institutional need-based grants including the University Grant

Yes, AZP will be reinstated for the year you regain eligibility. In this example, your sophomore year, the year you were not eligible, will also be counted in your total semesters of eligibility if the grant is reinstated.

  • The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be submitted each year no later than March 1st (*This date has been extended to May 1st for the 2024-2025 aid year.)
  • Be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant (as determined by the FAFSA)
  • Remain an Arizona resident for tuition purposes 
  • Remain enrolled full-time (12 + units each fall and spring semester) at the University of Arizona Main Campus
  • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards

No, these awards cannot be combined.  Students eligible for both Arizona Native Scholars Grant and Arizona Promise Grant will be offered the Arizona Promise Grant. 

Effective Fall 2023, AZP can be combined with Arizona Assurance Grant. AZP and ANS cannot be combined with the University Grant.

AZP is combined with a students’ Federal Pell Grant and all other gift aid (including merit tuition scholarships) to cover the following charges: 

  • Regular base undergraduate tuition
  • Mandatory Fees
  • College Fee

Yes, a student who is classified as an Arizona resident for tuition purposes anytime during their first year at the University of Arizona (and meets all other eligibility criteria for AZP) will be automatically reviewed for AZP. 

No, the AZP award is only for use with Main Campus enrollment. Students who initiate a campus change out of main campus will lose their AZP starting with the effective term of the campus change. AZP cannot be reinstated later even if the student initiates a campus change back to Main Campus.

Students will need to be enrolled as a full-time student (at least 12 units) by the first Pell Recalculation Date of the semester.

  • Students who have not already received a disbursement and not enrolled full-time by the first Fall  Pell Recalculation Date  will have their fall Arizona Promise Grant award canceled automatically. The Fall portion of this grant cannot be reinstated thereafter.
  • Spring enrollment will be evaluated on the first Spring Pell Recalculation Date. If the spring portion of the Arizona Promise Grant has not already disbursed to the student and the student is not enrolled in at least 12 Arizona units at that time, the spring portion of the Arizona Promise Grant will be canceled automatically and cannot be reinstated. 

AZP funding can be awarded for up to a total of 4 academic years (8 consecutive fall and spring semesters) as long as you meet all renewal requirements each academic year. 

Any semesters you are not eligible to receive AZP (i.e., are not eligible based on your FAFSA for the Federal Pell Grant, miss the FAFSA filing deadline, etc.) will count towards the total semesters of eligibility. We encourage you to meet with your academic advisor to ensure you graduate within the 4 academic years of the award eligibility.

No, AZP funding is only available for the fall and spring semesters.

For information about funding during summer or winter, please visit our Summer Financial Aid or Winter Financial Aid webpage.

Your AZP award will not be released to your Bursar student account unless you are enrolled in at least 12 Arizona units (full-time) each fall and spring semester. Students not enrolled full-time by the first Fall Pell Recalculation Date will have their AZP award canceled automatically. The spring semester portion of the AZP award may be reinstated as long as the student is enrolled full-time by the first Pell Recalculation Date of the spring semester.   

If you make enrollment changes after receiving AZP and receive a tuition refund as a result of the enrollment change, AZP may be reduced or canceled as it can only credit toward specified charges and cash refunds for this award are not allowed. 

If you withdraw from the University, your AZP award may be reduced during the Return to Title IV calculation just like other institutional aid.  Please also see the Bursars webpage for more information on refunds and withdrawals.

AZP was offered for the first time in the Spring 2022 semester only to students who met eligibility criteria listed above and were admitted for the fall 2021 semester. AZP has been offered each fall semester thereafter.

Yes, students who defer their fall admission to the following spring (i.e., admitted Fall 2023 and defer to Spring 2025), can still get their Arizona Promise Grant for the spring semester. The spring semester will count as semester #1. 

Students who admit for the fall semester and defer to the following fall or later (i.e., admitted Fall 2024 and defer to Fall 2025 or later), cannot retain their Arizona Promise Grant selection. These students will need to meet all eligibility criteria stated above to be reviewed for Arizona Promise Grant. 

Students who admit for the spring semester are not eligible for the Arizona Promise Grant at all. 

Students who admit for the spring semester are not eligible for the Arizona Promise Grant. They can be considered for other institutional grants, including University Grant.

AZP can be combined with tuition scholarships, Qualified Tuition Reduction or other tuition specific programs (waivers), but only up to the cost of tuition. Students offered multiple awards designated for tuition, cannot receive tuition awards that total more than 100% of tuition.

AZP cannot be used for other charges like books, parking, housing or meal plan charges.