Lowdown on AZ State-Funded Scholarships and Grants

For Arizona college-bound students corralling state-funded scholarships and grants is no easy task. Use this brief guide as a jumping off point to some of the very good programs available.

Gift Aid from Arizona Colleges and Universities

Some of your best gift aid is available directly through the state colleges and universities. According to Arizona State University officials, 70% of its student body qualifies for some of the institution’s scholarship millions. At any of the schools you’ll find merit- and need-based scholarships and grants, many of them for incoming freshman, for transfer students, for minorities, and then others for graduate students and returning students. Go directly to the department in which you’d like to declare a major and you’ll likely find even greater free cash opportunities.

Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education

These are the state-funded college grants available to AZ students:

  • The Postsecondary Education Grant (PEG) is a widely distributed award aimed at simply putting more students into four-year private colleges. Annual awards are $2,000 and not based in need.
  • The Private Postsecondary Education Student Assistance Program is a need-based grant designed as incentive for community college students considering transfer to a four-year private college or university. Awards are $2,000 annually.
  • The Arizona College Access Aid Program doles out $2,000 awards to interested Pell Grant-eligible undergraduates. Eligible applicants must be enrolled or enrolling in a two- or four-year college or university anywhere. Failure to complete a degree results in this converting to a loan, which the student must then repay.

Arizona College Scholarship Foundation

This not-for-profit organization sprung up in reaction to the continued lack of substantial state-funded scholarships and grants. Thanks to this organization students have a one-stop shop for some excellent endowed scholarships, including the following:

  • The Helios Scholarship provides college financial help to dozens of Arizona undergraduates. Eligible students have a blend of academic motivation and deep financial need. They may attend public or private colleges and universities in the state.
  • The ACSF-Carstens Scholarship – funded by a generous grant from William Carstens—provides scholarship help to a number of undergraduate students in Maricopa County.
  • The ACSF-GEAR UP! Scholarship program is one of the organizations largest efforts, made available in partnership with Northern Arizona University. 500 Arizona students annually will be rewarded with much-needed scholarship money. Eligible candidates must be significantly disadvantaged.

For more information on any of the above programs you can visit the Arizona College Scholarship Foundation or the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education.