Arizona Promise Program

Free tuition at ASU, UA, or NAU.

The Arizona Promise Program covers full tuition for Pell Grant-eligible Arizona residents at ASU, UA, and NAU. Combined with the Pell Grant, most qualifying students pay zero in tuition — yet fewer than half of eligible students apply.

The most underused program in Arizona higher ed. The Promise program is funded by the Arizona Board of Regents and Arizona community colleges. Thousands of eligible students every year do not apply — usually because they don't know it exists. If you filed FAFSA and have a Pell Grant, you may already qualify. Check with your school's financial aid office now.

Eligibility requirements

Arizona resident

You must qualify for in-state tuition. Residency is typically established by living in AZ for 12+ months before enrollment for purposes other than attending school. If you graduated from an AZ high school, you almost certainly qualify.

First-time college freshman or transfer (first time at an Arizona public university)

The Promise is for entering students at ASU, UA, or NAU. Some schools extend it for transfer students — check with your specific school.

Pell Grant eligible

You must be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. This is determined by your FAFSA (filed October 1 or later). Generally, if your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or Student Aid Index (SAI) is at or near 0, you qualify. Roughly: annual family income below ~$65,000 for a family of 4.

Enrolled full-time (12+ credits)

Must be enrolled at least full-time. Part-time students typically do not qualify. Summer enrollment varies by school.

Complete FAFSA by school deadline

Filing by October 1 maximizes your aid. Arizona schools may have their own priority deadlines (often January–February). Filing late can reduce your award amount.

How to apply (step by step)

File FAFSA

Go to studentaid.gov and file your FAFSA. You'll need your FSA ID, your Social Security number, and your family's prior-prior year tax information (e.g., 2023 taxes for 2025–26 aid). Add your target Arizona schools as recipients.

Opens October 1 — file ASAP

Apply to (and get accepted at) ASU, UA, or NAU

Apply to one or more of the eligible schools. Arizona Promise is only available at these three public universities. Apply to multiple if you're undecided — you can compare financial aid packages before deciding.

Fall of senior year

Verify your financial aid package

After your FAFSA is processed and you're accepted, you'll receive a financial aid package from each school. Look for the Arizona Promise award — it should appear automatically if you're eligible. Contact financial aid if it's missing.

February–April of senior year

Confirm enrollment and meet renewal requirements

To keep the Promise award each year, maintain satisfactory academic progress (usually 2.0+ GPA, completing a certain percentage of attempted credits) and re-file FAFSA each October. Enrollment requirements vary slightly by school.

Each year

Eligible schools

ASU — Arizona State University

Tempe, Phoenix, Polytechnic (Mesa), West Valley (Glendale)

Official page

ASU's Promise award covers the difference between tuition and your other federal/state aid. Applied automatically after FAFSA processing — no separate essay required.

More ASU scholarships

UA — University of Arizona

Tucson, Phoenix

Official page

UA administers the Promise through its financial aid office. Award appears in your financial aid package after FAFSA is verified. Renewable with satisfactory academic progress.

More UA scholarships

NAU — Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Yuma, Tucson, and statewide extended campuses

Official page

NAU makes the Promise available at all campuses including the Yuma and Tucson branches. Contact NAU Financial Aid to confirm processing for your specific campus.

More NAU scholarships

How it stacks with other aid

The Promise is designed to stack on top of federal and outside aid, not replace it.

Aid source	Amount	Stacks?	Notes
Federal Pell Grant	Up to $7,395/yr	Yes	Required for Promise eligibility — stacks automatically.
Arizona Promise Program	Remaining tuition gap	Yes	Covers what Pell does not. Together, Pell + Promise = full tuition at many income levels.
ASU/UA/NAU automatic merit awards	$2,000–$11,000/yr	Yes	NAUS (ASU), Achievement Award (UA), Presidential (NAU) stack with Promise. These further reduce net cost.
Outside scholarships (this catalog)	Varies	Yes	Most outside scholarships stack — verify with your school that they do not reduce Promise eligibility.
Federal SEOG Grant	Up to $1,000/yr	Yes	Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant for highest-need Pell recipients. Awarded by your school — ask your financial aid office.
State Work-Study	Varies	Yes	Earned income, not a grant — doesn't reduce your Promise award.

Common questions

What if I have a 0 Pell Grant (my Pell is $0)?

You must receive a positive Pell Grant award to qualify for the Promise. If your SAI is 0 but your Pell is calculated as $0, contact your school's financial aid office — there may be a data issue or alternative pathway.

Does Promise cover community college students?

The Arizona Promise Program specifically covers ASU, UA, and NAU. Community college students may be eligible for separate programs like the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education grants or tribal college programs. FAFSA is still required.

I already started college without the Promise — can I get it retroactively?

No. Arizona Promise is for entering freshmen (and sometimes transfers as first-time ABOR students). If you did not receive it as a freshman, you typically cannot apply retroactively. Contact financial aid to explore other options.

What if my family income exceeds the Pell threshold?

Students without Pell Grant eligibility do not qualify for the base Promise program. However, all three universities offer significant automatic merit scholarships for students with strong GPAs — these are your best alternative.

Is the Promise renewable for all four years?

Yes, subject to maintaining satisfactory academic progress (typically 2.0+ GPA and completing 67%+ of attempted credits). Re-file FAFSA each October. Renewal is not automatic — you must re-qualify through FAFSA each year.

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Application checklist

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Eligibility requirements

Arizona resident

First-time college freshman or transfer (first time at an Arizona public university)

The Promise is for entering students at ASU, UA, or NAU. Some schools extend it for transfer students — check with your specific school.

Pell Grant eligible

Enrolled full-time (12+ credits)

Must be enrolled at least full-time. Part-time students typically do not qualify. Summer enrollment varies by school.

Complete FAFSA by school deadline

Filing by October 1 maximizes your aid. Arizona schools may have their own priority deadlines (often January–February). Filing late can reduce your award amount.

How to apply (step by step)

File FAFSA

Opens October 1 — file ASAP

Apply to (and get accepted at) ASU, UA, or NAU

Fall of senior year

Verify your financial aid package

February–April of senior year

Confirm enrollment and meet renewal requirements

Each year

Eligible schools

ASU — Arizona State University

Tempe, Phoenix, Polytechnic (Mesa), West Valley (Glendale)

Official page

ASU's Promise award covers the difference between tuition and your other federal/state aid. Applied automatically after FAFSA processing — no separate essay required.

More ASU scholarships

UA — University of Arizona

Tucson, Phoenix

Official page

UA administers the Promise through its financial aid office. Award appears in your financial aid package after FAFSA is verified. Renewable with satisfactory academic progress.

More UA scholarships

NAU — Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Yuma, Tucson, and statewide extended campuses

Official page

NAU makes the Promise available at all campuses including the Yuma and Tucson branches. Contact NAU Financial Aid to confirm processing for your specific campus.

More NAU scholarships

How it stacks with other aid

The Promise is designed to stack on top of federal and outside aid, not replace it.

Aid source	Amount	Stacks?	Notes
Federal Pell Grant	Up to $7,395/yr	Yes	Required for Promise eligibility — stacks automatically.
Arizona Promise Program	Remaining tuition gap	Yes	Covers what Pell does not. Together, Pell + Promise = full tuition at many income levels.
ASU/UA/NAU automatic merit awards	$2,000–$11,000/yr	Yes	NAUS (ASU), Achievement Award (UA), Presidential (NAU) stack with Promise. These further reduce net cost.
Outside scholarships (this catalog)	Varies	Yes	Most outside scholarships stack — verify with your school that they do not reduce Promise eligibility.
Federal SEOG Grant	Up to $1,000/yr	Yes	Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant for highest-need Pell recipients. Awarded by your school — ask your financial aid office.
State Work-Study	Varies	Yes	Earned income, not a grant — doesn't reduce your Promise award.

Common questions

What if I have a 0 Pell Grant (my Pell is $0)?

Does Promise cover community college students?

I already started college without the Promise — can I get it retroactively?

What if my family income exceeds the Pell threshold?

Is the Promise renewable for all four years?