Yavapai Community College initiated a tuition free scholarship program beginning in the fall 2019 for full-time students who complete their degree in two years | Yavapai to expand program to some CTE next year | Most of tuition is paid via Federal Pell program
Starting in fall 2023, Northern Arizona University (NAU) will implement a new financial aid initiative to cover tuition expenses for every Arizona student who is admitted to the university and has a household income of $65,000 or less. To qualify, students must be Arizona residents. They also need to meet NAU admission requirements and have a household income of $65,000 or below.
NAU students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to determine their family income. If they qualify for FAFSA, the Federal Government grant program will most likely be used to pay most if not all the tuition. However, it is unclear how much tuition might not be covered by FAFSA.
Online students won’t qualify for the NAU tuition free program regardless of where they live.
According to Anika Olsen, NAU’s vice president for enrollment management, this is the first financial aid program that’s applied to both Flagstaff and statewide locations. She told the Arizona Republic newspaper that she expects it will appeal to community college students who had wanted to transfer to NAU but didn’t due to costs.
The current requirements for the Yavapai Community College Promise Program appear below as described by the College on its web. The College is expanding this program to cover some Career and Technical Education programs next year.
The Yavapai Community College Promise is a financial aid program offering Yavapai County residents who complete their high school diploma or Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED) an opportunity to earn a tuition-free degree at Yavapai College, if they complete the degree within seven semesters after graduation. It provides eligible students a last dollar scholarship, meaning the scholarship will cover tuition not otherwise covered by Federal, State, Yavapai College, or other 3rd party (egs. high school, Yavapai College Foundation, Tribe, employer) grants, discounts, or scholarships.
Provides tuition reimbursement when eligible students complete their degree within seven semesters of their high school or GED graduation
Does not reimburse other related expenses including, but not limited to, books, course and program fees, or other cost of living expenses such as transportation, food, and housing
Reimburses eligible students for the tuition they paid to Yavapai College after all other gift aid has been credited toward tuition. “Gift aid” is defined as Federal, State, Yavapai College, or 3rd party grants, discounts or scholarships. In other words, Yavapai Community College will reimburse qualified students for any out of pocket expenses they incurred to pay for Yavapai Community College tuition.
When the student completes an Associate Degree, the Yavapai Community College Promise Scholarship will reimburse up to 61 credits of the tuition paid by the student.
Courses must have been paid for by the student or the student’s family, not any other source including Federal Government, State Government, Yavapai Community College, or other 3rd party (e.g., Yavapai College Foundation, high school, Tribe, employer)
Courses must have been taken from YCC (reimbursement does not apply for transfer credits) after high school graduation or GED completion
No reimbursements for repeated courses
No reimbursements for Developmental Education credits
Credits are reimbursed at the rate paid, not the current rate
Aerospace Science majors and courses are not eligible (including Fixed Wing, Rotor, Unmanned, and Air Traffic)
Students are responsible to pay all their expenses up front (tuition and fees, books, cost of living). Payment plan options are available.