The President Barack Obama Scholars Program extends ASU's commitment to providing education opportunities to Arizona’s motivated, high achieving students. Using a variety of aid sources, ASU will cover students’ actual tuition and fees (minus their Student Aid Index as defined by the FAFSA). First year students will also have a standard amount to cover a portion of the cost of housing and meals if living on campus. This will be available for up to eight full-time, consecutive fall and spring semesters. Summer sessions are not covered.
- be an Arizona resident for tuition purposes
- be a new, full-time freshman entering immediately after your Arizona high school graduation
- be a degree seeking student (excluding online degree programs)
- have a complete ASU admissions application on file (application, test scores, transcripts and application fee) by January 15th
- meet Freshman Admission Requirements
- submit your FAFSA by February 1 for the 2025-2026 academic year
- submit all requested documents for financial aid verification by July 1st
- be Federal Pell Grant eligible
- demonstrate a total family income of $42,400 or less on the FAFSA
Costs covered by the Obama Scholars Program include:
- actual tuition and mandatory fees (including Barrett fees)
- a standard allowance for housing and meals for first years, as well as second years for Barrett students
Costs not covered by the Obama Scholars Program:
- special class fees
- study abroad program fees
- summer tuition and fees
- personal and travel expenses
- computer purchases
ASU will award recipients a combination of the following sources of aid. These awards do not require repayment.
- Federal Pell Grants
- Institutional Grants
- FSEOG and LEAP Grants
- Federal Work-Study
- scholarships
- outside resources
For additional information, please visit the Obama Scholars Program website.
Related Article: Why Doesn't My Obama Scholarship Cover Everything?
