Stuck on FAFSA?

For students stuck in the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) process, scholarships, low-cost education and career programs, employer tuition support, and other opportunities provide college aid for everyone, including students who aren't eligible for federal financial aid.

Colleges Offering Full Funding

Several colleges are dedicated to making high-achieving students’ college dreams come true. These colleges meet 100% of students’ demonstrated financial need with grants, student employment, scholarships, and, in some cases, student loans.

Check out this list of the most generous colleges and universities—many admit students on a "need blind" basis, meaning they don't take family income or financial assets into account when choosing who to admit.

In addition, QuestBridge Match Scholarships help students who aren't U.S. citizens or permanent residents study at dozens of colleges and universities nationwide.

MesaCAN Matching Accounts

MesaCAN Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are matched savings accounts supporting students at any Maricopa County Community College campus. The program matches your savings eight to one—if you save $500, you receive $4,000.

Matched funds can be used for tuition and fees, textbooks, school supplies and any approved course materials for credit, credential, certificate and clock hour programs. 

Eligibility: Applicant’s income is below 200% of the federal poverty limit; net worth is below $10,000 in assets; must have earned income, be 16 years or older, complete a financial-wellness workshop, and save at least $25 per month for at least 6 months, up to $500. Maximum yearly renewable matched funds are $4,000.

MesaCAN IDAs are open to all who meet eligibility. For more information, contact Olivia Wauneka at 480-833-9200 x3416 or Veronica Escorcia at 480-833-9200 x3415. Or email IDA@turnanewleaf.org.

MCCCD Clock Hour Programs

Maricopa Community College Clock Hour Programs offer affordable options for quick career training. Clock-hour costs range from $5-$6 per clock hour for all students.

See this list of Clock Hour Programs and costs, then review Clock Hour Program start dates at various MCCCD sites.

For more information, contact Arnold Torres at arnold.paul.torres@gatewaycc.edu or 602-286-8212. 

Apprenticeship Programs

Registered apprenticeship programs open to everyone provide training in fields like child care, construction, manufacturing, and much more.

Year Up 

Year Up is an intensive, one-year program for college students ages 18-24 that combines professional coaching, hands-on skill development, and internships at some of America’s top companies.

About 85% of Year Up graduates are employed or attending college full-time within four months of completing the program. Those employed earn an average starting wage of $18 per hour—$36,000 per year for salaried employees. 

For more information, contact Gaspar Mata at GMata@YearUp.org or 480-498-7396 x2154. Or visit the Year Up website.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Funding is available to disconnected youth ages 16-24. A student is considered disconnected if they are not enrolled in a post-secondary institution or working. Most of our students would be considered disconnected the day after they graduate high school.

DACA, permanent residents and citizens can qualify for $3,000 per year. Refer to the three City of Phoenix providers:

Jewish Family and Children Services Real World Job Development
9014 N. 23rd Ave., Building 2, Suite 3 Phoenix, AZ 85021
602-279-0084 
www.jfcsaz.org 

Chicanos Por La Causa
1112 E. Buckeye Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85034
602-257-0700 
www.cplc.org

YMCA
3825 N. 67th Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85033
602-688-5332
www.valleyymca.org 

Phoenix Union Foundation Scholarships

The Phoenix Union Foundation Scholarship Fund provides college scholarships to Phoenix Union High School District students pursuing a post-secondary education. It's open to all PXU students, but only a small percent apply.

Start your PXU scholarship application.

University Scholarship Portals 

Arizona universities let you review and apply for scholarships from central portals. Click the links below to start applications for the schools you're interested in.

Arizona State University

Northern Arizona University 

University of Arizona

Grand Canyon University

 Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation Scholarship Application (Publicly Funded)

Hundreds of scholarships, one application. The Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation offers two primary scholarship cycles in February and September of each year. Only a small percent of eligible students apply. 

Completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an essential part of applying for scholarships through the program. You also may use your FAFSA to apply for other types of financial aid funds and other scholarships. You will not be disqualified for a scholarship because you completed a FAFSA. In many cases, scholarship funds, reduces the borrowing of federal education loans and never cancels federal grants.

Begin your Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation scholarship application.

MCC Foundation Scholarships (Privately Funded)

The Maricopa Community College Foundation offers two primary scholarship cycles in March and September of each year. Scholarships are open to all MCCCD students, but only a small portion apply.

Begin your MCC Foundation scholarship application.

MCC Faculty Scholarships (Privately Funded)

The Maricopa Colleges Faculty Foundation also offers scholarships to all MCC students. Start your MCC faculty scholarship application.

Students Inspiring Students Scholarship at GCU

This Grand Canyon University scholarship program is open to PXU students. Admissibility requirements: 3.5 unweighted GPA; 19 ACT, or 1000 SAT (math and reading only) on a 1600 point scale; attending one of GCU’s neighborhood, participant schools.

Student must complete a minimum of 100 hours of study time at the GCU Learning Lounge prior to the application deadline. Hours can begin as early as freshman year. Open to all PXU students. DACA/Dreamer students are encouraged to apply for The Dream Scholarships. Open to various partners’ districts and schools. Competitive scholarship.

Start your application for a GCU scholarship.

Alcanzando Un Sueño Scholarship Fund

Funded by Cruz and Associates, the program helps the next generation of Hispanic students achieve their post-secondary education goals. The scholarship is open to exemplary high school seniors of Hispanic descent residing in metro Phoenix who’ve overcome extraordinary challenges in order to achieve academic success.

Start your application for an Alcanzando Un Sueño Scholarship:

Arizona Community Foundation

The Arizona Community Foundation is the state’s largest provider of private scholarships—more than 90 total. Some scholarships are DACA- and Dreamer-friendly. All are competitive and open to students statewide.

Begin your application for an Arizona Community Foundation scholarship:

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

Hispanic Scholarship Fund awards are open to Hispanic students (including DACA) who have 3.0 GPAs or better and plan to attend public universities. Highly competitive and available to students nationwide.

Apply for a Hispanic Scholarship Fund award. 

College Depot Scholarship Repository

College Depot provides a database of scholarships (with tags for those available to undocumented and DACA students) plus free, full-service college planning located inside Burton Barr Library.

Bilingual college planning advisors and assistants offer one-on-one appointments and workshops on college admissions, financial aid, and scholarships. To schedule an appointment, call 602-261-8847.

Review scholarships listed under International Eligibility.

You also can view a PDF list of scholarships that don't require U.S. citizenship or residency and are open to undocumented and DACA students. 

Tuition Reimbursement

Many companies offer tuition reimbursement to all of their employees. See below for examples.

For eligibility requirements, follow up with the employer.

Amazon

Once employees have been with Amazon for a year, they only need to cover 5% of tuition and fees—Amazon covers the rest up front and also reimburses 95% of textbook costs. Full-time employees are eligible for $3,000 in tuition assistance a year up to a maximum of $12,000; part-time employees, half that.

The tuition assistance can only be spent on certificates and two-year programs in areas that Amazon—looking at data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics—has deemed to be “​high-demand fields." Examples include accounting, engineering, health care, and information technology, among others.

Anthem

Anthem can provide up to $5,000 in tax-free reimbursement each year to cover the cost of tuition, required fees, and textbooks at an accredited institution. 

Arizona Federal Credit

Up to $5,000 annual tuition/certification assistance.

AT&T

AT&T's tuition-aid plan offers $8,000 annually to U.S.-based managers. The amount available for union-represented employees varies. Both full-time and part-time employees are eligible.

After being employed for at least one year, AT&T employees may be ​eligible to receive ​up to $3,500 per year for approved courses and educational experience, with a ​lifetime maximum​ of $20,000 for undergraduate expenses and $25,000 for graduate expenses.

Bank of America

Bank of America offers up to $5,250 annually for job-related courses or degree programs. Full-time and part-time employees who’ve been with the company for six months are eligible.

Best Buy

Best Buy offers the following benefit for approved expenses up to a calendar-year maximum of $3,500 for undergraduate and $5,250 for graduate-level coursework: reimbursement for tuition and required textbooks; reimbursement for all fees up to $325 for undergraduate course work and $525 for graduate course work; less any amount you receive from scholarships, government-sponsored grants, or other sources.

Chipotle

Chipotle offers a tuition reimbursement program, allowing eligible employees to be paid back up to $5,250 a year in tuition at the school of their choice.  

City of Phoenix

Office and clerical tuition reimbursements up to $7,794 per year plus $175 for textbooks/lab fees are available. Supervisory and professional tuition reimbursements also can reach $7,794 per year plus $175 for textbooks/lab fees. 

Comcast

Employees of Comcast can be ​reimbursed​ up to $5,750 per year for undergraduate and graduate educational expenses. The company also offers a ​Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program​, which awards students more than $1,000 per year.

Dignity Health

Eligible employees, along with their immediate family members, can get a 20% discount on tuition fees (with other expenses waived). The program covers online associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees offered at ​Ashford University​.

Edward Jones Phoenix

Edward Jones offers $5,000 in annual tuition reimbursement.

Fidelity

Employees who have worked at Fidelity for at least six months can earn up to $10,000 per year for work-related courses at an accredited college or university.

Home Depot

After 90 days of employment, Home Depot offers up to $5,000 a year in tuition reimbursement for salaried employees, $3,000 for full-time hourly employees, and $1,500 for part-time hourly employees.

Liberty Mutual

With a manager's approval, Liberty Mutual's plan reimburses 100% of costs for undergraduate and graduate courses. Employees become eligible for the plan after at least a year of service.

McDonalds

Eligible crew have access to $2,500 per year. Eligible managers have access to $3,000 per year. Participants have a choice for how they apply this funding to a community college, four-year university, or trade school. There is no lifetime cap on tuition assistance, and eligibility begins after 90 days of employment. 

Oracle

In order to qualify, the degree/program should be related to an employee's job at Oracle. Reimbursement up to $5,250 per year is available.

PayPal

Receive up to $5,250 each calendar year for tuition, books, and lab expenses. Requires course approval by a manager before enrollment, passing the course with a grade of C or better for undergraduate courses, or grade of B or better for graduate courses.

Publix

The ​tuition reimbursement program​ at Publix covers individual courses, occupational/technical programs, and some undergraduate programs. Any associate who has worked for at least six months and works an average of 10 hours per week is eligible to receive up to $3,200 per year with a maximum of $12,800 of tuition reimbursement, with approval from a manager. Tuition reimbursement for a graduate degree requires higher approval.

Silicon Valley Bank

Eligible employees may receive reimbursement of up to $5,250 per calendar year based on the approved program of study. To be eligible for education assistance, employees must meet all performance expectations. 

UPS

UPS offers a maximum $25,000 lifetime total for full-time and part-time employees through its Earn & Learn program.

Verizon

Full-time employees of Verizon are eligible to receive up to $8,000 per year of ​tuition reimbursement, while part-time employees can earn up to $4,000 per year. All benefits-eligible employees are eligible for tuition assistance upon hire.

Walmart

Part-time and full-time Wal-Mart associates (and eligible family members of associates) may receive ​15% tuition grants​ at American Public University, an online institution.

Wells Fargo & Co.

Employees can receive up to $5,000 per year of ​tuition reimbursement. ​The company also offers $1,000 to $3,000 educational scholarships to dependent children of employees.