Find opportunities for scholarships in the state of Arizona granted for pursuing Early Childhood Professional Development. Need help with the scholarship process? View our Step-by-Step Scholarship Guide! Or view our informational flyers below.
Featured Scholarship
First Things First College Scholarship for Early Childhood Professionals
The FTF College Scholarship provides the early childhood workforce working directly with or on behalf of young children birth through age five access to education and training to achieve degrees, credentials and specialized skills to promote children’s development. The FTF College Scholarship may only be accessed by members of the Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry. Please contact the Arizona Registry at info@thearizonaregistry.org or 1.855.818.6613 to apply for a scholarship.
Featured Incentive
Scholars continuing their education through the First Things First College Scholarship Program may be eligible for the First Things First Bonus Program. To apply, log in to the Arizona Registry, click on Request FTF Scholarship Bonus under My Scholarships, upload your documentation, and complete the application in its entirety.
If the application is approved, a check for the correct tier will be sent to the scholar’s home address in the Registry. Please ensure the address in the Registry is correct. If you have any questions about the Bonus Program, please email ftfbonus@asu.edu.
Four Tiers of the FTF Bonus Program
The further a First Things First scholar advances their education, the larger the bonus a scholar can attain.
$150 Bonus
- Successfully complete six credit hours in ECE/ECSE/CFS/ECA/ITD/CD
- Complete 12 credits towards degree in ECE/ECSE/CFS/ECA/ITD/CD
$300 Bonus
- Complete 24 credit hours towards a degree in ECE/ECSE/CFS/ECA/ITD/CD
$900 Bonus
- An Associate degree in ECE or a related field
$1,500 Bonus
- A Bachelor’s degree in ECE or related field
Additional Arizona Scholarships and Incentives
The Professional Career Pathway Project (PCPP) is a college scholarship funded by the DES Child Care Administration through federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funds. If you are currently working in the field of early childhood you may be eligible for the PCPP scholarship.
The Arizona Teachers Academy at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College provides significant financial aid and distinctive educational and professional development experiences to students who are Arizona residents and commit to teaching in Arizona’s Title I schools after graduation.
Students can access over $2 million in scholarship money through Arizona Community Foundation for all types of degrees. Applicants can be high school seniors, current college students, or adult re-entry students. For more information, please visit: azfoundation.academicworks.com.
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) is soliciting applications for Child Care Research Scholars grants to support dissertation research on child care policy issues. These grants are meant to build capacity in the research field to focus research on questions that have direct implications for child care policy decision-making and program administration, and to foster mentoring relationships between faculty members and high-quality doctoral students.
The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is soliciting applications for the Head Start Graduate Student Research Grants to support dissertation research by advanced graduate students who are working in partnership with Head Start programs and with faculty mentors. Competitive applicants will 1) demonstrate a collaborative partnership with their program partners, and 2) pursue research questions that directly inform local, state, or federal policy relevant to multiple early care and education practices.
The AZ Earn to Learn (AZEL) program is a collaboration of the Arizona Board of Regents, the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University. Its purpose is to help limited-income Arizonans to save for college.
The Tuition Support Program is administered by Smart Support and is a program of Southwest Human Development. Its goal is to increase the number of mental health professionals in Arizona who have expertise in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health disturbances and disorders that affect children in the birth to 5 age range and who have the knowledge and skills to help families and early childhood professionals in the community support the mental health and social-emotional development of young children.
Scholarship FAQ
What is considered a “related field” to early childhood education?
A “related field” is a degree path with an emphasis on birth – 8 years.
Do I have to be employed full-time to qualify for a scholarship?
No, there is no specific minimum or maximum hours worked per week to be eligible for the scholarship.
Do I have to attend school full-time?
No, you can take a minimum of 3 credit hours per semester.
I am interested in obtaining a Bachelor’s degree. How do I qualify for a Bachelor’s scholarship?
To qualify for a Bachelor’s scholarship, you must work in a funded region. You can contact the admin home at info@thearizonaregistry.org to check if your place of employment is in a funded region. You must also meet all of the six eligibility requirements. For more information, go to www.azearlychildhood.org and go to, “Advance Your Career.”
Is there a limit to how many times you can apply and receive the scholarship?
No, there is no limit. However, students are required to to meet with an Academic Advisor each semester to receive an Education Plan. This will help ensure that a direct path is outlined for degree completion.
What is the scholarship deadline?
You can apply for a scholarship for the current semester up to one week after the course begins. After this date, we will no longer accept a scholarship application.
Can I apply for a scholarship to cover my fees and books only?
Yes, the scholarship can fund the items you select within your application.
How do I add a course to my scholarship application?
Enter one or two keywords from the course name or the course code. If you enter course code, add a space between the prefix and the number. Ex: ECE 101
What do I do if I do not see the course I need from the search menu?
Contact the admin home at info@thearizonaregistry.org to add the course.
I applied for FAFSA but I haven’t been approved or denied yet. Do I have to wait for approval or denial before I apply for a scholarship?
No, you only need to submit confirmation of your FAFSA application (i.e., screenshot of confirmation page or copy of email).
If I am under the age of 18 years old, do I have to apply for FAFSA?
No, students under the age of 18 years old do not have to apply for FAFSA.
How do I upload my documents required for my application?
Within your Registry account, click on “My Profile” under Tools & Settings. Scroll down the page to Participant Files. Click on “Upload New File.” Select the file you wish to upload next to File Description.
Do I have to resubmit all of the required documents each semester?
No. Each application requires a new Education Plan and a copy of unofficial transcripts. You only need to upload a copy of your identification if it has expired. FAFSA is only required each time it is renewed.
Is there a live person to speak with when filling out the scholarship forms if a participant needs assistance?
Yes, you can contact the HelpDesk at info@thearizonaregistry.org or contact your local Regional Outreach Coordinator.
How do I find my CDA customer ID number?
For questions regarding your CDA credentials, please visit: cdacouncil.org/credentials/faqs.
My school does not have a bookstore. How can I order a book?
Contact your instructor, ask for the name of the book and the ISBN number. Contact the help desk by phone or email, provide the information with the name of the class.
My school did not receive a text book voucher. Can you tell me why?
Contact the help desk by phone or email , provide the name of the class that the book is for and the admin home will resend the voucher to your school.
Can I pay for my books and then be reimbursed for the cost?
No, unfortunately we are unable to reimburse students for costs. Please reach out to the HelpDesk concerning missing book vouchers.
Does the scholarship cover digital books (ebooks)?
Yes, the scholarship will pay for the digital book if there is a cost.
What do I do with the book that I purchased after I have completed the course?
It is not required that you return the book back to the Admin Home. Once you are in possession of the book, it belongs to you.
The cashier/bookstore does not have my scholarship vouchers. What do I do?
The tuition and book vouchers are emailed directly to your institution when your scholarship is approved. Contact your school cashier/bookstore with your approval date to confirm their receipt of the scholarship voucher.
Does the scholarship pay for all of my required classes or just my ECE classes?
The scholarship will fund all courses listed on the Education Plan.
How long will it take to get my scholarship approved?
Please allow up to two weeks for scholarship approval after request and all documents are received.
How do I know if I have been approved for a scholarship?
You can check the status of your scholarship application within your Registry account, under “My Scholarship Requests.”
What do I do if I am approved for a scholarship for a course that has been canceled?
Contact the HelpDesk by phone or email to have the approved course voided.
What do I do if I am approved for a scholarship for a course and I withdraw from the course?
Check your institution’s calendar of deadlines to determine if it is a drop or withdraw. If it is still within the Institutions drop date so that no charges are accrued, contact the HelpDesk by phone or email to have the approved course voided. If it is a withdrawal, the scholarship will still be billed for the tuition. The scholarship can only pay for each course one time, so you will be responsible for paying for that course if you need to repeat it.
What if I was approved for a scholarship but did not take one or more of the courses that I was approved for?
Contact the HelpDesk by phone or email to have the approved course voided.
If I do not pass one of my approved courses with a C or better, do I lose my scholarship?
No. The scholarship can pay for each course once. When you enroll to take that course again, you will need to pay out of pocket for it, but the scholarship can still be approved for other courses being taken. Scholars must agree to follow institution specific policies for timely withdrawal from courses. Scholars will retake a course with their own funds for:
- Any course funded by the FTF Scholarship that is below a grade level of C;
- Any course funded by the FTF Scholarship when a scholar withdraws from a course after
the final drop date to receive a refund as determined by the institution.
What is the minimum requirement for credits per semester?
You must show enrollment with a minimum of 3 credits per semester (Fall and Spring) during the receipt of the FTF Scholarship.
What are Scholar Engagement Commitments?
Please refer to the Terms of Agreement to learn more about First Time/Continuing Scholar engagement commitments.
What are Service Commitments?
Please refer to the Terms of Agreement to learn more about Service Commitments.
What if I do not complete the Scholar Engagement and Service Commitments?
Scholars will be required to repay the funds used to support educational attainment if the service requirement is not completed.
I am unsure if I qualify for a bonus, where I can find more information?
For eligibility information, go to /advance-your-career/scholarships-and-incentives/first-things-first-bonus-program/
When does the bonus application open and close?
The bonus application opens in October and closes the last Friday in May.
How often can I apply for a Bonus incentive?
Current scholars can apply for a bonus incentive for each milestone completed. The milestone must have been completed within the same fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
If I failed one of my courses, can I still apply for a Bonus incentive?
No, if the course applies to the Bonus milestone, a grade of C or higher is required.
How do I know which milestone I qualify for?
You can access the Bonus milestone infographic for more information.
Do I have to submit my official transcript as documentation?
No, you can submit your unofficial transcript.
How do I request my unofficial transcript?
You can access this information here.
My application was denied because I made a mistake on one of my selections. Can I reapply or do I have to wait until the next milestone is completed?
If the bonus application was denied because of a mistake, you may reapply for the Bonus incentive right away.
Who do I contact if I have questions about my Bonus application?
Send all Bonus related questions to ftfbonus@asu.edu.