University of Arizona offers free tuition to Native American students

Adam Barnes
·2 min read

Story at a glance

  • The Arizona Native Scholars Grant will be made available to new and returning full-time degree seeking students.

  • First year students must complete their federal application for student aid by August 15, or Nov. 1 for the spring semester and provide tribal identification.

  • The university said more than 400 students enrolled last year met the criteria necessary to qualify for the first of its kind program.

Undergraduate students at the University of Arizona’s main campus who are members of one of the state’s 22 recognized Native American tribes will be eligible for free tuition beginning this fall.

The Arizona Native Scholars Grant will be made available to new and returning full-time degree seeking students, the university announced Monday. First year students must complete their federal application for student aid by August 15, or Nov. 1 for the spring semester, and provide tribal identification.

“Serving Arizona’s Native American tribes and tribal students is a crucial part of the University of Arizona’s land-grant mission, and the Arizona Native Scholars Grant program is another important step among many to do that,” university president Robert C. Robbins said in a statement.

“I am so proud that that this university has found a way to help hundreds of students more easily access and complete a college education, and I look forward to finding ways to take these efforts even further.”

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The university said more than 400 students enrolled last year met the criteria necessary to qualify for the first of its kind program.

“The University of Arizona is committed to recognizing and acknowledging the history endured by Native American communities,” said Kasey Urquídez, university vice president of enrollment management and dean of undergraduate admissions.

“We are committed to promoting access and success for Indigenous students. This program is part of our continual commitment to serve our Indigenous Wildcats.”

Arizona joins several university systems including the University of California system, which announced in April that California residents who are members of federally recognized Native American, American Indian and Alaska Native tribes will be eligible for free tuition and fees.

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