Pell Pledge Grant

Pell Pledge 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 Pell Pledge Grant (PPG) is a financial aid award for Arizona resident, Pell-eligible, first-year University of Arizona students that will fill in the difference between a student’s base tuition and all other gift aid the student receives (Pell Grant, merit scholarships, etc.).  This can be awarded up to four years (eight consecutive semesters).

The Pell Pledge Grant was replaced by the Arizona Promise Grant for students admitted for Fall 2021 and later. Students admitted for the Fall 2020/Spring 2021 academic year will retain their Pell Pledge Grant for their 8 semester of eligibility, which will conclude after the close of Spring 2024, if they continue to meet the renewal criteria listed below:

  • Be Pell Grant eligible as determined by your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) 
  • Remain an Arizona Resident for tuition purposes
  • Remain enrolled in Main Campus
  • Stay enrolled for eight consecutive semesters (four years) or be approved for Back2UA.
    • The student will lose the number of semesters for which they were not enrolled
  • Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards

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

The PPG amount can vary for each student who receives it. It covers the cost of base tuition by filling in the difference between a student’s base tuition and all other gift aid (Pell Grant, merit scholarships etc.) a student receives.

Example Student A
Base Tuition $11,300
Federal Pell Grant -$5,000
Merit Scholarship -$2,000
Pell Pledge Grant $4,300
Example Student B
Base Tuition $11,300
Federal Pell Grant -$6,345
Merit Scholarship -$3,000
Pell Pledge Grant $1,955

No, these awards cannot be combined. Students will be given the award that offers the most coverage if meeting eligibility and/or selection criteria for more than one of these programs. 

Example 1 - 

A student meeting all eligibility criteria for both the Pell Pledge Grant and the Arizona Native Scholars Program will receive the Arizona Native Scholars Grant only since this award covers tuition, mandatory fees, tuition differentials and program fees, whereas Pell Pledge Grant covers just base tuition. 

There are several key differences between these awards:

  • The Pell Pledge Grant (PPG) is specifically for students who meet all eligibility criteria listed above but have a Pell eligible Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and were admitted for the Fall 2020/Spring 2021 academic year.  
  • AZP, effective Spring 2023, is reserved for students admitted for the Fall 2021 semester and later, are Pell eligible, and meet all other eligibility criteria listed above.
  • Another key difference is the amount of coverage provided. Please see FAQ’s below for a detailed look at what charges AZP pays as compared to the fees paid by PPG.

There are several key differences between these awards. The biggest is that Arizona Assurance is an invitation-only cohort with academic and programmatic requirements attached, and additional aid that goes beyond the cost of base tuition. Please visit our page on Arizona Assurance to learn more.

Your PPG will not release to you unless you are enrolled in at least 12 Arizona units (full-time). Students not enrolled full-time by the first Pell Recalculation Date of the fall semester will have their Pell Pledge Grant canceled automatically. The spring semester portion of the PPG 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 PPG and receive a tuition refund as a result of the enrollment change, PPG may be reduced or canceled as it can only credit toward your base tuition costs and cash refunds for this award are not allowed. 

If you withdraw from the University, the PPG will 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.

PPG, combined with Federal Pell Grant and all other gift aid a student is offered (including merit tuition scholarships) is designed to cover base undergraduate tuition charges only. 

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

No, you do not need to submit a deferment request for PPG. When you return to the University you will automatically be reviewed for continued PPG funding. However, please note that any terms you are away from the University will count against the eight total semesters of eligibility. (Spring 2024)

Note, if you have a merit tuition scholarship, you must submit a Financial Aid Deferment Request for any terms you are away from the University.

No, PPG funding will only be available for the fall and spring semesters. For information about summer funding, please visit our Summer Financial Aid webpage.