The biggest barrier to higher education isn’t ability — it’s affordability. But for Arizona students, there’s a powerful tool that can help bridge that gap: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — FAFSA.
With new enhancements to the form and more support available than ever before, families now have a clear path to unlocking the financial aid that makes college or training possible.
The 2025-2026 FAFSA is now open for students and parents to complete. While the process has been improved, Arizona college access professionals are working diligently to ensure that there are various resources available across the state to support all students to complete the FAFSA in a timely manner.
Why? Because we know that the biggest barrier to completing higher education is cost. This, according to a recent poll by Education Forward Arizona that sought to determine the reasons behind students not pursuing education or training after high school.
The FAFSA can be a solution to this challenge. The application unlocks doors for students to pursue their dream of education or training beyond high school through federal grant dollars that do not need to be repaid, scholarships, options for low interest loans and work-study programs. In 2023 alone, Arizona students left $112 million on the table by not engaging with the FAFSA.
To ensure more students get the assistance they might need, Education Forward Arizona continues to work closely with partners — including the Arizona Board of Regents, the Arizona FAFSA Coalition, Helios Education Foundation, Aliento and the Arizona Governor’s Office — to support statewide efforts so that we exceed the established FAFSA completion goal of 40%.
Want help at home? Try Education Forward Arizona’s Ask Benji, an AI-powered chatbot that provides free FAFSA support via text answers to nearly 1,000 common questions related to FAFSA, financial aid and “college” readiness. Just text “Hi Benji” to 602-786-8171 to get started. Last year alone, the digital assistant helped nearly 40,000 Arizona high school seniors.
Additional resources and tools that can help support families to finish the FAFSA include:
We want every Arizona student to secure funding for the postsecondary paths that will enable them to develop the skills needed to succeed in a career. This isn’t just about helping students and families — it’s about driving Arizona’s future economic growth. Postsecondary education fuels a stronger workforce, healthier communities, and greater financial security for individuals and families.
We also know that students who complete the FAFSA are 84% more likely to enroll in post-high school education immediately. Those who earn a bachelor’s degree, on average, earn more than twice as much over their lifetime compared to those with only a high school diploma. With FAFSA resources and support now more accessible than ever, there’s no reason for students to miss opportunities that could shape their future success.
Billions to Gain, a study conducted in partnership with the Helios Education Foundation, revealed that a 20% increase in postsecondary enrollment would yield more than $5 billion in additional gains for each Arizona high school cohort.
A more educated workforce drives better health outcomes, reduced reliance on social services and increased workforce productivity — all of which strengthen Arizona’s economy and quality of life.
Editor’s note: Jennifer Murphy, Ph.D., NCC, works at Education Forward Arizona, a Phoenix-based statewide education advocacy organization. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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