State college board urges students to complete FAFSA forms

The Arizona Board of Regents is highlighting the importance of students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

That’s after Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs proclaimed January “FAFSA Month,” part of a joint effort to boost the number of students filling out the application while making sure it is accessible to all families.

The FAFSA is a form administered by the U.S. Department of Education and is required to be completed by current and upcoming college students to determine how much federal financial aid they can get.

It is generally a requirement for other scholarships and types of financial aid as well.

ABOR Director of FAFSA and College Access Initiatives Julie Sainz says Arizona high school seniors miss out on more than $100 million in federal Pell Grants every year.

She explains, “We’re anywhere from 48th to 49th in FAFSA completion, compared to other states in the nation.”

What resources are available to help students complete the FAFSA?

For the 2025-26 FAFSA season, ABOR has several resources available to help students access and complete the form.

That includes several FAFSA workshops, personal assistance and a local incentive with the Arizona Cactus League for students to get free spring training tickets. 

Personal assistance is offered online in English and Spanish, and can be especially helpful for first-generation college students who may not have family members able to help them with the form.

For educators, ABOR has also launched a dashboard to track FAFSA completion rates in the state.

Sainz says that will help ABOR track how effective its efforts are to get more students to complete the form.

FAFSA completion is also required to be part of the “Arizona Promise Program,” which covers all tuition and fees for eligible students if they go to Arizona State University, the University of Arizona or Northern Arizona University.

FAFSA applications are also used in trade schools and certificate programs.

Sainz adds, “So it’s definitely an application that’s not only for federal aid but for scholarships, and it really provides that student and family with what kind of options are available to them to help pay for college.”

You can learn more about all these programs at collegereadyaz.com.

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