Permanent residents of the United States and other eligible noncitizens may be able to receive federal financial aid.  Our finance advisors can guide you through the eligibility and processing requirements for federal financial aid.

Federal Financial Aid

Federal financial aid is available through the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid. Federal financial aid may cover school expenses such as tuition and fees.

To receive federal financial aid at University of Phoenix, you must meet the following requirements:

• Demonstrate financial need (for need-based programs only).
• Have a high school diploma or general education development (GED) certificate.
• Have a valid Social Security number (unless you are from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia or the Republic of Palau).
• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen. 
• Be enrolled in an eligible associate, bachelor or graduate degree program.
• Certify that you will use federal financial aid only for educational purposes.
• Certify that you are not in default on a federal financial aid loan and that you do not owe money on a federal financial aid grant.
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress while in school.
• Comply with the Selective Service registration, if required.*

*Other requirements established by law or regulator may apply.

What are citizenship requirements for federal financial aid?

To be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be one of the following:

• A U.S. citizen
• A U.S. national (including natives of American Samoa or Swain's Island)
• A U.S. permanent resident who has an I-1551, I-551, or I-551C Alien Registration Card
  OR
  You must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94 Form) from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service showing one of the following designations:
• "Refugee"
• "Asylum Granted"
• "Indefinite Parole" and/or "Humanitarian Parole"
• "Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending"
• "Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)
• Victims of human trafficking, T-visa (T-2, T-3, or T-4, etc.) holder
• "Parolee" (You must be paroled into the United States for at least one year and you must be able to provide evidence from the USCIS that you are in the United States for other than a temporary purpose and that you intend to become a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.)

You are NOT eligible for federal financial aid if you:

• have only a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464)
• have been granted relief from deportation under the Family Unity Program
• are temporary residents allowed to live and work in the U.S. under the Legalization or Special Agricultural Worker program
• are in the U.S. on an F1 or F2 student visa
• are in the U.S. on a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa
• have a G series visa (pertaining to international organizations)
• have another nonimmigrant visa, including those with work visas and foreign government officials and their dependents are undocumented

If you are still unsure regarding the requirements to be considered an eligible noncitizen please go to www.fafsa.ed.gov or call 1-800-433-3243.