Known as the Copper State, Arizona students may have the chance to see some green for college. Scholarships for Arizona residents can help students pay for tuition, books, fees, room and board, and other educational expenses. With great sites like the Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon, and the Barringer Crater, Arizona is home to 57 colleges and universities. A wealth of scholarship opportunities exist for Arizona students. Take a look below!
$1,500
Award Amount
3
Awards
May 15
Deadline
The Melva Joan Owens Scholarship is available for nursing majors at community colleges and public universities in Arizona. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$5,250
Award Amount
8
Awards
May 15
Deadline
The Phoenix Suns Charities SunStudent Scholarship is provided annually to up to eight students graduating from high schools in Arizona and planning to attend an accredited college or university in Arizona. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$10,000
Award Amount
1
Award
May 15
Deadline
The The Pogal Family Teacher Trust is available for juniors and seniors who are majoring in education at a college or university in Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
May 15
Deadline
The Francis Marion Wildman III Memorial Scholarship is available for graduating high school seniors and previous graduates of a high school in Yavapai County, Arizona. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$1,000
Award Amount
3
Awards
May 15
Deadline
The Rick Oehme Memorial Scholarship is available for Arizona students who are pursuing a vocational or technical degree. Preference will be given to students enrolled in an aviation certificate or 2-year degree program related to aviation. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$20,000
Award Amount
3
Awards
May 15
Deadline
The Jeffrey D. McClelland Scholarship is available for sophomore, junior, and senior level students who are studying aviation management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University or an accredited Arizona public university. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$1,500
Award Amount
3
Awards
May 15
Deadline
The Sierra Vista Regional Health Center Auxiliary Scholarship is available for students in Cochise County, AZ who are majoring in a field related to healthcare. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$5,000
Award Amount
3
Awards
May 15
Deadline
The Camp Verde Healing Arts Scholarship is available for graduating seniors and undergraduate students who attended a high school in Camp Verde, AZ. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.35 or higher and must be pursuing a healthcare related major at a public college or university in AZ. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$1,000
Award Amount
3
Awards
May 15
Deadline
The Catherine M. Newman Memorial Scholarship Fund is available for high school seniors and undergraduate students who have completed less than 48 credit hours. Applicants must attend ASU, NAU, or AU, and preference is given to students majoring in math, science, or writing. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$1,000
Award Amount
3
Awards
May 15
Deadline
The Dougherty Foundation Scholarship is available for Arizona residents who are enrolled at one of the eligible public colleges or universities within the state. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$3,500
Award Amount
1
Award
May 15
Deadline
The Mahler - Ring Scholarship is available for graduating seniors at Williams High School in Williams, Arizona. Applicants must plan to pursue a major in science or engineering. Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$3,500
Award Amount
1
Award
May 15
Deadline
The Albert R. & Nellie D. Spikes Scholarship Fund is available for students in Bowie, AZ. Applicants must pursue a post-secondary education in any field or at any school (vocational, 2-year, 4-year, etc.) Click here to learn more and apply today!
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$5,000
Award Amount
1
Award
May 15
Deadline
The Ernst & Irmgard Moller Scholarship Fund is available for drama majors at Arizona State University or University of Arizona.
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$2,000
Award Amount
3
Awards
May 15
Deadline
The Leslie & Betty Sains Scholarship Fund is provided annually to high school seniors in Arizona. Preference is given to students of Native American descent.
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$1,000
Award Amount
12
Awards
Aug 31
Deadline
This scholarship is open to Arizona students who are currently attending a college or trade school or who plan to attend for fall 2020. Students must pledge to not text and drive.
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Aug 31
Deadline
The Freethought Arizona Scholarship is available for secular, humanist, and atheist/non-theist students in Arizona who demonstrate leadership and activism in their communities.
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$1,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Mar 15
Deadline
The National Panhellenic Conference Foundation pledged $7,000 in scholarships to sorority women in 2019. Funded in honor of the Phoenix Panhellenic Association’s centennial, this $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually. The preferred recipient shall be in good standing of a Panhellenic organization living or attending school in Arizona.
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$20,000
Award Amount
5
Awards
May 1
Deadline
Dean’s Tuition Scholarships from Northern Arizona University provide $4,000 per year in financial aid for NAU freshmen who have a 3.0-3.49 unweighted core high school GPA and SAT scores of at least 990 combined Math and Reading score. Awards are renewable if you maintain a 2.75 cumulative GPA. Apply today!
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$10,000
Award Amount
10
Awards
May 1
Deadline
Covers 100 percent of NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus tuition (fall and spring); does not cover fees or other expenses. Additional tuition costs greater than the amount originally awarded that result from excess hours are the student’s responsibility. For example: students who come to NAU with dual enrollment credits may reach the 145 credit limit sooner and must pay the difference in tuition costs.
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$10,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Jan 26
Deadline
The mission of the Clarkston Scholars program is to create equitable access and opportunities for low-income, first-generation college students with the intention of developing a future Clarkston steward. To be eligible, applicant must be a sophomore at one of Clarkston's Core Schools (University of Michigan, Babson College, UNC Chapel Hill, NC State, Georgia Tech, Agnes Scott College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, University of Arizona or Arizona State University).
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$2,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Jan 15
Deadline
For over 20 years the Tempe Diablos have been involved in promoting excellence among Tempe's top high school students.
This thrust began when three very prominent Diablos had a vision to establish a scholarship program for Tempe students with the belief that, given the right students, many of them would stay in Tempe and become its future leaders.
The Tempe Diablos provide scholarships to qualified, well-rounded students who demonstrate excellence in the classroom, and who show extracurricular involvement in their school and/or community.
Tempe Diablos scholars will be asked to attend the Excellence in Education award reception in the Spring of 2022. The reception will be held in person and further event details will be provided to selected students.
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$140,000
Award Amount
1
Award
Oct 18
Deadline
Does your dream of college include the opportunity to travel abroad, conduct research, and pursue creative expression? The flexibility to explore different fields and majors? The support to pursue internships and volunteer experiences? A talented, welcoming, and driven community of friends to share the journey? Becoming a Flinn Scholar means having all this—and the ability to graduate debt-free from one of Arizona’s public universities.
In scope and value, the Flinn Scholarship is unlike almost any other undergraduate merit-based scholarship in the United States. The scholarship—valued at more than $130,000—covers tuition, fees, housing, and meals at one of Arizona’s three public universities, plus study abroad.
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$90,000
Award Amount
30
Awards
Mar 20
Deadline
Desert Financial Foundation’s Community Service Scholarship program honors exceptional students who have volunteered 50 or more hours of community service. In 2024, 30 applicants will be selected to receive $3,000 each in scholarship funds, to be distributed directly to the Arizona-based college or university of their choice.
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$1,000
Award Amount
10
Awards
Apr 8
Deadline
This scholarship is open to U.S. high school seniors, undergraduate students, and graduate students who are attending or plan to attend a postsecondary institution in Arizona. The student or his/her parent/legal guardian must be a member of Vantage West Credit Union.
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$3,900
Award Amount
3
Awards
Apr 8
Deadline
The Arizona Food & Marketing Alliance Education Foundation offers Retail Management Certificate Scholarship to help those who are actively employed by an AFMA member company and committed to a career in the Arizona retail food industry attend an accredited community college, college or university in the state of Arizona.
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Over 250,000 students attended one of Arizona’s three public universities in 2024 including Arizona State University (ASU), University of Arizona (UofA), and Northern Arizona University (NAU). Thousands more attended one of Arizona’s private universities including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott and Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.
Understanding Scholarships in Arizona
Before we take a look at scholarships in Arizona, it’s important to know how much you can expect to pay in tuition so you have a better idea why scholarships are key to making college more affordable for Arizona students.
Average tuition for Arizona residents attending ASU or UofA as an undergraduate can expect to pay just under $ 14,000 in tuition and fees per year. Students who attend Arizona’s other public 4 year university can expect to pay just under $ 12,000 in 2024-25. If you are living on-campus at any of Arizona’s public universities, you will likely pay an extra $ 16,000 for room and board. If you are attending a private school in Arizona like Grand Canyon University, you can expect a total cost of attendance of nearly $ 34,000 in 2024-25 including room and board.
While many Arizona college students will qualify for state, federal, and school grants as well as other types of financial aid like work study, the majority of students will still experience a gap between the financial aid they receive and the cost of attendance. This is why so many students in Arizona rely on scholarships to make up the difference.
Scholarship Programs for Arizona Students
How to pay for college can be daunting, especially with the rising cost of tuition. Fortunately, there are numerous scholarship programs available for students in Arizona that can help make college dreams a reality. Whether you’re a high school senior preparing for your next academic journey or a current college student seeking additional funding, there are a variety of grants and scholarship programs tailored to meet diverse student needs and backgrounds.
List of Scholarships for Arizona Residents and Future Students
Here are some of the top scholarship programs Arizona students apply for:
Arizona Community Foundation Scholarships
The Arizona Community Foundation (ACF) is a great resource for students looking for scholarship funding. With over 150 different scholarships available, ACF caters to students pursuing different fields of study and their scholarship awards can be used at accredited schools throughout the United States versus only in Arizona. ACF’s application process is streamlined, allowing students to apply for multiple scholarships with just one application.
Flinn Foundation Scholarship
The Flinn Foundation Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship that awards 20 scholarships each year to Arizona’s top performing high school seniors who plan to attend one of Arizona’s public universities. The Flinn Scholarship covers the full cost of recipients, tuition, fees, room and board, and even study abroad programs! In addition to scholarship funding, Flinn Scholars have access to mentors and leadership development training.
Dorrance Scholarship
First-generation college students in Arizona have a unique opportunity through the Dorrance Scholarship Program. To be eligible, recipients must have at least a 3.0 GPA and minimum test scores of 1110 in the SAT or 22 on the ACT. The scholarship is awarded to 60 high school seniors each year who have demonstrated financial need. The typical scholarship award is $ 12,000 per year and it is a renewable scholarship. As is the case with the Flinn Foundation Scholarship, recipients must attend one of Arizona’s public universities.
AzLEAP Grants
The Arizona Board of Regents offers AzLEAP grants to students who have a demonstrated need. The maximum annual award is $ 2,500 and AxLEAP grants can only be used at one of Arizona’s public universities.
Other Private Scholarships in Arizona
Thousands of private scholarships are available to Arizona students who are pursuing higher education at any level. Many private scholarship programs allow recipients to use scholarship awards at any accredited college or university in the United States. You can access and apply to many of these scholarships right here on unigo.com!
Federal Grants
Arizona students who meet certain income criteria are U.S. citizens pursuing an undergraduate degree may also be eligible to receive federal grants to pursue their education. The most popular grant program being the Pell Grant.
School Grants and Scholarships for Arizonians
Virtually all of Arizona’s colleges and universities offer institutional grants and scholarships in order to make college more affordable. These grants and scholarships may be awarded based on merit, need, or both. Schools often use these grants and scholarships to help recruit new students and retain existing students – even if your family income is higher or you don’t have the highest grades.
Tips for Landing Scholarships and Grants in Arizona
Applying for scholarships and grants can be competitive, but with the right strategy, you can increase your chances of success:
- Start Early: Begin your scholarship search and begin applying for scholarships as soon as possible.Many scholarships have deadlines well before the academic year starts.
- Get Organized: Keep track of deadlines, required documents, and application requirements. Using a spreadsheet or calendar can help you manage your scholarship applications effectively.
- Tailor Your Responses: Customize your essays and personal statements to align with the specific criteria and mission of each scholarship you apply for.
- Ask for Recommendations: Strong letters of recommendation from your teachers, counselors, or community leaders can really help distinguish your scholarship application.
- Highlight Your Achievements: Make sure to showcase your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, community service, and future goals.
- Complete the FAFSA: Many scholarship programs in Arizona require recipients to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to be considered. You will also need to complete the FAFSA in order to be considered for any federal student aid programs including Pell and other grants. Most schools also use the FAFSA, in whole or in part, to determine the amount of institutional aid or grants they will award you.
How about student loans?
Your first priority should be to apply for private scholarships as well as school and state-based grants as grants and scholarships typically do not need to be repaid. You may find, however, that grants and scholarships may not cover all your educational expenses. This is where federal and private student loans can make up the gap.
Federal student loans are typically less expensive and have more favorable terms compared to private loans, however, all student loans do need to be repaid so that is an important consideration when thinking about student loans. All federal student loans and many private ones do require you and your family to complete the FAFSA.
Our Scholarships
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$1,500 – I Have a Dream
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$10,000 – Unigo $10K Award
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$1,500 – Sweet and Simple
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$2,500 – Superpower
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$3,000 – All About Education
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$1,500 – Fifth Month Scholarship
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$1,500 – Do-Over
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$1,500 – Flavor of the Month
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$1,500 – Make Me Laugh
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$1,500 – Shout It Out
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$2,000 – Zombie Apocalypse
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$5,000 – Education Matters
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$1,500 – Top Ten List
Written by Dave Moniz
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Edited by Unigo Staff