ASU's New American University Scholarship: turn an estimate into a usable budget
ASU automatically considers eligible admitted first-year students for the New American University Scholarship, but its published dollar amounts are estimates, not guaranteed awards. Use the chart to decide whether ASU belongs on your shortlist; use your actual offer to decide what you can afford.
Two applicants with the same transcript can be looking at different price and scholarship schedules because residency and campus matter. This guide explains how to compare the right numbers. Official sources were checked October 29, 2026; the public merit chart is not explicitly labeled with an entering academic year.
Match the chart to the student and campus
The first-year merit page uses an unweighted GPA from required high-school core courses. The following are selected planning figures for metropolitan Phoenix campuses, not the California Center.
On a smaller screen, scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Core GPA | Arizona resident estimate | Nonresident estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 4.00+ | $9,000 | $17,500 |
| 3.81-3.99 | $8,000 | $15,500 |
| 3.41-3.80 | $5,000 | $13,500 |
ASU limits this program to eligible first-time students entering after high school and studying full-time on campus. Its chart warns that program, residency, campus or tuition changes can adjust the award. The official estimator is another planning tool; it is not an award letter.
Before calculating savings, label your worksheet with the campus and tuition classification. A larger nonresident award does not establish that the nonresident net price is lower. You must subtract it from the corresponding price, not from the Arizona resident price.
RaiseMe is not an extra line on top
ASU says eligible RaiseMe micro-scholarships are included within a New American University Scholarship rather than added to it. This is a common source of an inflated family budget: two names appear during the college search, but they do not represent two independent payments.
Consider a fictional student whose final university offer is $8,000 and whose earlier micro-scholarship display showed $2,000. Do not assume the combined amount is $10,000. Record the university's confirmed total once and ask the financial aid office about any component you cannot reconcile.
The same discipline helps when discussing aid with family. Say which figure is confirmed, which is estimated and which is included in another award. A single total without those labels can make an unaffordable option appear affordable.
Budget the later years separately
The scholarship renewal guide describes up to eight consecutive fall/spring semesters for first-year awards, with a six-semester limit for 90-credit programs. ASU Online majors are ineligible for these scholarships. An unapproved break in enrollment can forfeit the award.
Those conditions make your intended course of study part of the cost comparison. If you are considering an online switch, a gap semester or another institution, ask about the scholarship consequence before making the academic change. Do not simply carry the first-year amount forward in a spreadsheet.
Public ASU renewal materials viewed during this review were not fully consistent on detailed undergraduate GPA and credit rules. This guide therefore does not assign a universal numeric renewal threshold. Follow your award terms and ask ASU to confirm the requirements for your entry cohort.
Use three figures when deciding whether to apply
- The estimated annual scholarship, clearly marked as provisional.
- The annual cost after confirmed gift aid, with loans kept separate.
- The later-year cost if a one-time award disappears or a renewal condition is not met.
This gives the family a useful range while waiting for the full offer. If ASU only fits the budget with a larger unconfirmed award, retain another option that works without it. When the offer arrives, use compare scholarship offers to record the updated numbers and the remaining funding gap.