Arizona Assurance Appeals and Deferring Your Arizona Assurance Grant
The Arizona Assurance Program (AZA) at the University of Arizona is a financial aid program for invited students in the state of Arizona. Students who wish to appeal their non-selection, appeal their non-renewal or defer their AZA funding for future semesters, may submit appeal forms and documentation to our office for review.
If you were not selected to receive AZA funding for the upcoming academic year or your AZA funding was not renewed (due to not meeting renewal requirements), review information on how to submit an AZA Appeal Form.
If you currently receive AZA funding and need to take a break from the university, you may submit an AZA Deferment Form.
Arizona Assurance Appeal Forms
Students who have experienced extenuating circumstances that caused them to either not meet renewal requirements for continued Arizona Assurance funding, or caused them to not be selected for Arizona Assurance have the option to submit an Arizona Assurance Appeal.
Please review the information below to determine which form to submit and additional information and instructions about each. There are two Arizona Assurance Appeal Forms:
| Type of Appeal | Who is Eligible to Submit this Form | Reasons for Appeal |
| Arizona Assurance Selection Appeal | Incoming Summer/Fall 2025 first year students | Student was not invited to be considered for Arizona Assurance OR Student was invited to be considered but was not selected for Arizona Assurance |
| Arizona Assurance Renewal Appeal | Current Arizona students who have received Arizona Assurance funding in prior years | Student was not renewed for continued Arizona Assurance funding for the 2025-2026 academic year |
If you are considering submitting the Arizona Assurance Selection or Renewal Appeal, please reach out to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. A member of our AskAid team will discuss your situation with you and determine if submitting an appeal is the appropriate next step.
Reasons for Submitting an Arizona Assurance Appeal
Common examples of situations to request an appeal include, but are not limited to:
- Student’s own medical or physical illness or injury or disability
- Personal Reasons
- Withdrawal/Non-enrollment
- Family, including death of a family member
- Other extenuating circumstances that are beyond the student’s control
Requirements for the Arizona Assurance Appeal
- Complete the Arizona Assurance Appeal form in its entirety
- Include a personal statement explaining the circumstances of the request, which should be no longer than one page in length
- If applicable, you may provide supporting documentation (e.g., letter of support from academic advisor, letter from religious leader related to religious missions, letter of acceptance into non-Arizona-study abroad program, call to active duty, letter from attorney or other individual confirming circumstances beyond the student’s control, etc.) to support your appeal reason
Non-Medical Reasons
Students seeking an appeal for reasons other than mental or physical illness or injury or disability must submit the following along with the online appeal form:
- A personal statement explaining the circumstances of the request, which should be no longer than one page in length;
- Supporting documentation (e.g., letter of support from academic advisor, third-party statements, police reports, an obituary or death certificate, court documentation, or a letter from an attorney or other professional, detailing the reasons for the student’s inability to meet requirements ).
Medically Related Reasons
Students who are appealing due to their own mental or physical illness/illness/disability are not required to submit medical documentation. Instead, please provide a personal statement without describing the condition itself. The personal statement should address all items listed below:
- How the condition negatively impacted your ability to maintain necessary renewal requirements (renewal appeal) or meet initial consideration or selection criteria (selection appeal).
- How you attempted to maintain your eligibility for renewal during the most recent term, considering these circumstances (renewal appeal only).
- How the circumstance(s) that prevented you from meeting the renewal requirements have now been resolved (renewal appeal only).
- If this condition occurred during prior semesters, you must indicate what steps were taken to improve your condition (renewal appeal only).
Submission Deadline
| Form | Priority Submission Deadline | Final Submission Deadline |
| Arizona Assurance Selection Appeal | July 1, 2025 | September 1, 2025 |
| Arizona Assurance Renewal Appeal | July 1, 2025 | October 1, 2025 |
Appeal Review Timeline
Appeals will begin to be reviewed in the order they are submitted beginning on June 2, 2025 (for the 2025-2026 academic year). In general students are notified within 1-3 weeks from the time of submission, however, processing time may increase significantly prior to the start of each semester.
Phase 1 Renewal Review
In mid-March of each year, our office will review all students who received Arizona Assurance funding in the current academic year to determine if they pass Phase 1 Renewal Criteria:
- Has received Arizona Assurance funding for less than 8 terms
- Filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form for the upcoming academic year by the March 1st Priority Filing Date
- Is eligible for the Federal Pell Grant (as determined by the FAFSA form)
- Is a confirmed Arizona Resident for tuition purposes
- Maintained consecutive full-time enrollment during the regular fall and spring terms
Students who meet all Phase 1 renewal eligibility will be notified via email to their Arizona Catmail and will also be assigned Phase 2 Arizona Assurance renewal criteria To Do items in their UAccess Student Center.
Students who do not meet Phase 1 renewal criteria will be notified via email to their Arizona Catmail of the non-renewal. If extenuating circumstances caused these students to not meet renewal criteria, they may appeal using the Arizona Assurance Renewal Appeal.
Phase 2 Renewal Review
At the close of the spring semester (or the summer, for students enrolled in summer courses), OSFA will review all students who met Phase 1 renewal requirements to determine if they are meeting all Phase 2 renewal criteria:
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards*
- Completed all program requirements
Students who meet all Phase 2 renewal eligibility will be notified via email to their Arizona Catmail.
Students who do not meet Phase 2 renewal criteria will be notified via email to their Arizona Catmail of the non-renewal. If extenuating circumstances caused these students to not meet renewal criteria, they may appeal using the Arizona Assurance Renewal Appeal.
*Students who are placed in a SAP Suspend status after the Spring or Summer semester will be renewed, as long as they meet all other renewal criteria, for Arizona Assurance during Phase 2. These students do not need to submit an Arizona Assurance Renewal Appeal but they will need to submit the SAP appeal to regain eligibility to receive all federal and institutional aid, including Arizona Assurance.
This policy relates to the following scholarships:
- Arizona Assurance Grant
- Arizona Assurance Scholarship
For any grants or scholarship not listed here, contact OSFA or the awarding department/donor to learn about their appeal policies.
If the Arizona Assurance Selection or Renewal appeal is not approved, the student is not eligible to receive Arizona Assurance funding. The Appeals Committee's decision is final and cannot be overturned or re-appealed.
Although Arizona Assurance funding will not be awarded, we still want students to excel at the University of Arizona and we are here to support students in exploring their options and other funding opportunities. Please review the bulleted information below for some potential next steps.
- Other scholarship opportunities: Log in to Scholarship Universe using your NetID and password. You can also check out the short videos we created to help you navigate and secure additional scholarship funding.
- Complete your FAFSA: If you have not already done so, apply for federal financial aid at studentaid.gov.
- Research student loans: Many students utilize student loans to help cover the costs of their education.
- Federal Work Study: The Federal Work-Study program provides opportunities for students to find employment.
If you are considering submitting the Arizona Assurance Selection or Renewal Appeal, please reach out to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. A member of our AskAid team will discuss your situation with you and determine if submitting an appeal is the appropriate next step.
Yes. Please see below.
| Form | Priority Submission Deadline | Final Submission Deadline |
| Arizona Assurance Selection Appeal | July 1, 2025 | September 1, 2025 |
| Arizona Assurance Renewal Appeal | July 1, 2025 | October 1, 2025 |
The University reserves the right to modify the appeal policy at any time. Submission of an appeal request does not guarantee approval. Incomplete or missing documentation will delay the appeal process. Any changes to financial aid awards will be contingent on the types of funds available, eligibility policies, and regulations. After initial review, additional documentation may be required. Appeal review may result in required application corrections. Students waiting for an appeal decision should be fully prepared to assume responsibility for all course enrollment and account balance payment, regardless of the appeal decision. Appeal decisions are final and cannot be overturned or re-appealed.
Arizona Assurance Deferment Form
Current Arizona Assurance students who need to step away from their studies for things like participation in a faith-based mission, health/medical needs, or military service, should submit the Arizona Assurance Deferment form to ensure they can regain Arizona Assurance funding when they return to the University of Arizona.
You have the option to submit an Arizona Assurance Deferment form if you are:
- a recipient of Arizona Assurance funding and
- have completed at least one semester at the University of Arizona and
- meeting current renewal requirements and
- wish to defer your award while you are away and not enrolled at the University of Arizona (or any other institution).
| Form | Who is Eligible to Submit this Form | Reasons for Deferment |
| Arizona Assurance Deferment Form | Current Arizona Assurance students only | Non-UA Study Abroad Program Religious Missions U.S. Military service Internships and volunteer programs related to major, future career goals and circumstances unique to college students only Student's own medical or physical illness or injury or disability Other extenuating circumstances that are beyond the student's control |
Most other forms of aid, including the Federal Pell Grant, Arizona Promise Grant and the Arizona Native Scholars Grant, do not require you to submit a deferment request as eligibility is determined each year based on information from your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Review the terms and conditions for the aid you have received to determine if a deferment is needed.
Students are only eligible to defer their Arizona Assurance Grant if they are not planning to enroll in college coursework at another post-secondary institution during their absence. A deferment does not extend the Arizona Assurance funding beyond the original semesters of eligibility (8 semesters for first-year students).
Newly Admitted Students: The student must have enrolled and successfully completed at least one semester at the University of Arizona in order to apply for an Arizona Assurance deferment. If you are a newly admitted student and have not completed at least one semester, please review the information about the process to defer your admission to the university to determine if you qualify for an admissions deferment.
Important: Arizona Assurance Deferments are only available for students who are currently eligible for and receiving Arizona Assurance funding. This means that students must be meeting the renewal requirements of Arizona Assurance funding in order to qualify for a deferment.
Non-Medical Reasons
Students seeking an appeal for reasons other than mental or physical illness or injury or disability must submit the following along with the online appeal form:
- A personal statement explaining the circumstances of the request, which should be no longer than one page in length;
- Supporting documentation (e.g., letter of support from academic advisor, third-party statements, police reports, an obituary or death certificate, court documentation, or a letter from an attorney or other professional, detailing the reasons for the student’s inability to meet requirements ).
Medically Related Reasons
Students who are appealing due to their own mental or physical illness/illness/disability are not required to submit medical documentation. Instead, please provide a personal statement without describing the condition itself. The personal statement should address all items listed below:
- How the condition negatively impacted your ability to maintain necessary renewal requirements (renewal appeal) or meet initial consideration or selection criteria (selection appeal).
- How you attempted to maintain your eligibility for renewal during the most recent term, considering these circumstances (renewal appeal only).
- How the circumstance(s) that prevented you from meeting the renewal requirements have now been resolved (renewal appeal only).
- If this condition occurred during prior semesters, you must indicate what steps were taken to improve your condition (renewal appeal only).
Submission Deadline
| Form | Priority Submission Deadline | Final Submission Deadline |
| Arizona Assurance Deferment Form | July 1, 2025 | August 25, 2025 |
Deferment Review Timeline
Deferment requests will begin to be reviewed in the order they are submitted beginning on June 2, 2025 (for the 2025-2026 academic year). In general students are notified within 1-3 weeks from the time of submission, however processing time may increase significantly prior to the start of each semester.
This policy relates to the following scholarships:
- Arizona Assurance Grant
- Arizona Assurance Scholarship
For any grants or scholarship not listed here, contact OSFA or the awarding department/donor to learn about their appeal policies.
An approved deferment form will preserve a student’s eligibility for the semesters they are away. It does not increase the amount of the award in any semester or extend the total semesters of eligibility. To be eligible for a deferment, students must be eligible for renewal (meeting both GPA and units requirements) at the time of their request.
The terms of your approval, including what your renewal requirements will be after you return, will be outlined in your approval email.
Students do not have to notify OSFA of their return, but students must return to the University of Arizona after their approved semester(s) away to have their award reinstated as approved. In addition, the student must still be meeting renewal criteria, including being Pell Grant eligible as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and be considered an Arizona Resident for tuition purposes. If the student will be away longer than the original approved deferment terms, they must submit a new complete deferment request for consideration with an updated personal statement and supporting documentation.
A deferment request cannot be approved after the AZA Deferment Submission Deadline. If the student does not enroll or withdraws from the semester and does not have an approved deferment form on file, the semester(s) away will count toward the student's total used semesters of eligibility. If the student is not eligible to submit a deferment after non-enrollment or due to a withdrawal, they may have an option to file the Renewal Appeal for the next academic year.
Students who qualify for Back2UA but do not have an approved Arizona Assurance Deferment from OSFA will not qualify for reinstatement of their Arizona Assurance funding upon returning to Arizona. They may have an option to file the Renewal Appeal but all semesters away from the University will count toward the student's total used semesters of eligibility.
Students who request any changes or extensions to a previously granted deferment must complete another deferment request prior to the semester in which they were required to return. If students extend their time away from the University of Arizona without an approved extension, they will not be eligible for reinstatement.
If you are considering submitting an Arizona Assurance Deferment Form, please reach out to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. A member of our AskAid team will discuss your situation with you and determine if submitting a Defement Form is the appropriate next step.
Yes. Please see below.
| Form | Priority Submission Deadline | Final Submission Deadline |
| Arizona Assurance Deferment Form | July 1, 2025 | August 25, 2025 |
The University reserves the right to modify the deferment policy at any time. Submission of an deferment request does not guarantee approval. Incomplete or missing documentation will delay the review process. Any changes to financial aid awards will be contingent on the types of funds available, eligibility policies, and regulations. After initial review, additional documentation may be required. Review may result in required application corrections. Students waiting for an deferment decision should be fully prepared to assume responsibility for all course enrollment and account balance payment, regardless of the decision. Deferment decisions are final and cannot be overturned or re-appealed.