“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
Arizona’s future prosperity depends on having an educated workforce. With a comparatively low college completion rate and a growing labor demand for workers with bachelor’s degrees, now is a pivotal time in Arizona’s economic trajectory.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 48 percent of all new jobs created will require post high school attainment. It is estimated that on its current trajectory, only approximately 17% of Arizona ninth graders will have a bachelor’s degree by 2029.
There is hope. The Arizona Legislature approved a new statewide scholarship program earlier this year that offers the opportunity to thousands of Arizona high school students to attend college for free.
The Arizona Promise Program will now provide scholarships for qualifying, eligible low-income students that will fully cover their tuition and fees if enrolled at one of the three state universities — Arizona State University, the University of Arizona or Northern Arizona University.
The Arizona Promise Program provides financial assistance for students whose federal Pell grants or other financial aid don’t cover the cost of college tuition and fees. Qualifying students will be guaranteed that their tuition, mandatory fees and program fees will be fully covered.
The ultimate goal is to make higher education more accessible for students from low-income families, which in turn will provide a stronger future economy in Arizona.
Per the Board of Regents, it was reported that last year only 28% of Arizona public high school graduates enrolled in a four-year college. That rate was even lower for low-income students.
While the total number of eligible Arizona high school graduates is not clear, numbers reported by the Board of Regents last year of the Arizona students who filled out the application for Federal Student Aid, approximately 12,400 would have financially qualified for this new scholarship.
Who is eligible for free college? To qualify, a student must:
- Be an Arizona resident.
- Be an Arizona high school graduate who has completed courses required for admission to the universities with a minimum 2.5 GPA.
- Complete the FAFSA application and qualify for the maximum federal Pell Grant.
- Be accepted and enroll as a first-time, full-time, on-campus degree seeking student in an Arizona public four-year university in the fall semester immediately following high school graduation.
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