Financial Aid and Scholarships

Undergraduate Financial Aid and Scholarships

Scholarships within the Eller College

Scholarships are awarded to Eller students based on a number of factors, including financial need, academic merit, leadership and involvement. When a donor gives a scholarship to the college they set the criteria for awarding it. The more faculty and advisors know about you, the better we can match your needs with the donor's wishes.

Keep in mind the following:

  • Most Eller undergraduate scholarships are for students admitted to the professional phase of the program.
  • Many scholarships require you be a resident of Arizona.
  • Many are based on Federally defined need (FAFSA).
    • If you are a U.S. citizen, you will want to fill out a FAFSA.
    • A side effect of using FAFSA to define financial need is that international students cannot qualify for need-based scholarships. Additionally, visa requirements for study in the U.S. assure that the student has sufficient money to pay for housing, living expenses and tuition, so technically, there can be no need. International students may qualify for merit-based scholarships but at a not inconsiderable tax rate.
  • Eller uses Scholarship Universe for many Eller scholarships. 

Seeking Scholarships Outside Eller

Step One: If you are a U.S. citizen, you will want to fill out a FAFSA. The University of Arizona relies on the FAFSA to determine if you have financial need.

International students cannot demonstrate need using FAFSA. See International Student Funding for guidance.

Step Two: Half the battle in getting a scholarship is finding it. How do you connect who you are with what is being offered by companies, organizations and foundations? 

To answer this question, the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid has developed a search tool, Scholarship Universe, to connect you with scholarships that match your unique qualities.  Eller is interested in this tool, partly because we helped steer its development, but also because we want all of our students claiming scholarships that should be theirs.

  • Have a tattoo? There’s a scholarship for that.
  • Cancer survivor? There’s a scholarship for that.
  • Was your dad a Lithuanian Cracker Barrel maker?  There might be a scholarship for that!

The point is, you are a cluster of traits--your background, your family background, your interests, your history--all help you locate scholarships that are well suited to you. The better your match with the scholarship, the better chance you have getting it.

Step Three: Apply, apply, apply. Getting scholarships is work. You're a special person, but so are all the other people applying for scholarships, so you have to work at getting your application in front of the right organizations. That means research and effort.

Finally, while there are many scholarships available in the U.S., there is a lot of competition for scholarships. A quick survey of scholarships shows that they are generally for amounts between $1,000 and $5,000. Given the cost of education, one scholarship is not enough.

Additional Resources

Diversity Scholarship Resources

There are many scholarships available to support students from underrepresented backgrounds who are pursuing a degree in business.

This is not a complete list, but we hope it acts as a starting point for your search.

Please note that the Eller College of Management and the University of Arizona are not not affiliated with these scholarships or organizations, do not endorse the organizations and are not responsible for the content on these links.

Outside Associations and Foundations Offering Scholarships

Some groups provide grants to students. There may be additional requirements or obligations involved in applying for the grants. Look at such opportunities with a critical eye.

Please note that the Eller College of Management and the University of Arizona are not not affiliated with these scholarships or organizations, do not endorse the organizations and are not responsible for the content on these links.

Scholarships Available to International Students