The Arizona Promise Program requirements look simple: be an Arizona resident, be Pell Grant-eligible, graduate with at least a 2.5 GPA, and enroll full time at ASU, the University of Arizona or NAU. The part that trips students up is the deadline. It's April 1 at ASU and UA, and you have to be admitted or have a complete application by then, not just have filed the FAFSA.
The details below are from the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) and each university's financial aid office. For the rest of Arizona's state aid, see Arizona financial aid.
Who qualifies
ABOR lists four requirements:
- Arizona resident and high school graduate with a 2.5 GPA or higher
- File the FAFSA
- Receive a federal Pell Grant
- Enroll at ASU, NAU or UA
There's no separate application. Students who meet the criteria are reviewed automatically.
Deadlines by university (fall 2027 entrants)
| University | Admission requirement | FAFSA | Campus rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASU | Admitted by April 1, 2027 | Submitted, with any verification documents, by April 1, 2027 | In-person campus (Downtown Phoenix, Polytechnic, Tempe or West Valley); ASU Online not eligible |
| University of Arizona | Complete application by April 1 | By the April 1 priority filing date | Main campus only; 2.5 core unweighted GPA through sixth semester, from an Arizona high school |
| NAU | Admitted by May 1 | By the April 15 preferred date; awards continue while funds last | Flagstaff or statewide campus |
All three require full-time enrollment (12+ credits). Sources: ASU, University of Arizona and NAU financial aid pages.
"Complete" means complete. UA says a completed application means everything needed for an admission decision is on file. At ASU, the April 1 date covers the application, fee or waiver, official transcripts, the FAFSA and any requested verification documents.
How much Promise pays
Promise pays whatever tuition and mandatory fees remain after your other gift aid. The University of Arizona's own examples use $13,900, its tuition and mandatory fees for first-year residents starting in fall 2026:
| Student | Pell Grant | Other award | Arizona Promise |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | $7,395 | $3,000 Wildcat Tuition Award | $3,505 |
| B (with a $550 college fee, $14,450 total) | $7,395 | none | $7,055 |
| C | $7,395 | $11,000 Wildcat Tuition Award | $0 |
Source: University of Arizona, Arizona Promise Grant, 2026-2027.
So a student with a large merit scholarship may get no Promise money, but tuition is covered either way. Promise doesn't pay for housing, meal plans, parking or books. At ASU it also covers college fees and the Barrett Honors College fee, but not summer sessions.
Keeping it: renewal rules
Promise lasts up to eight consecutive fall and spring semesters. To renew, you must stay Pell-eligible, stay an Arizona resident, enroll full time, and refile the FAFSA each year:
- ASU and NAU: FAFSA by April 1 each year
- University of Arizona: FAFSA by March 1 each year
Semesters you miss still count. If you lose Pell eligibility for a year, ASU and UA both count those semesters against your eight. UA says you must qualify in your first year; you can't become eligible for the first time later.
What this means for you
- Submit your application early in senior year, and send transcripts so it's complete well before April 1.
- File the 2027-28 FAFSA as soon as you can, and answer any verification request quickly.
- Keep your GPA at 2.5 or higher through the end of junior year (sixth semester), which is what UA checks.
- Applying to ASU? Its priority date for the Obama Scholars Program is Jan. 15, earlier than Promise. See free tuition at ASU, UA and NAU.
Sources
- Arizona Promise Program — Arizona Board of Regents
- Arizona Promise Grant (2026-2027) — University of Arizona Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid
- Special Financial Assistance Programs for Arizona Residents — ASU
- First-Year Admission: Important Deadlines for Fall 2027 — ASU
- Arizona Promise Program — NAU