Homeschool benefits and savings in La Paz or Yuma County
The Yuma Promise and La Paz Promise repay the tuition and program-related fees your student paid out of pocket at Arizona Western College (AWC), once they finish a transfer degree within five semesters of high school graduation. Accredited home school graduates in Yuma or La Paz County qualify; at the 2026-27 rate of $105 a credit, a full-time year of 24 credits is $2,520 in tuition.
Who qualifies
Graduates from a county home school
The Promise covers graduates of any recognized high school in Yuma or La Paz County, including accredited home school students. Complete the Student Commitment form and mark your homeschool status.
Starts the semester after graduating
Your student enrolls at AWC the semester right after high school graduation. Students already attending AWC before that are not eligible.
Attends full time and files FAFSA
Full time means 12 credits a semester or 24 a year, passed with a C or better. File the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) every year at AWC.
Yuma only: transfers locally
Yuma Promise students must be accepted and enrolled full time at UA-Yuma, NAU-Yuma, or ASU@Yuma, in person or fully online, within one semester of AWC graduation.
What it is worth
Arizona Western College charges Arizona residents $105 a credit hour in tuition for 2026-27, with no cap on credits.
- One class (3 credits)
- $315
- Full-time semester (12 credits)
- $1,260
- One year (24 credits)
- $2,520
- Four semesters (48 credits)
- $5,040
- Five semesters (60 credits)
- $6,300
AWC also charges a $5 technology fee per credit, so ask the Business Office whether it counts as a program-related fee the Promise repays.
From signing up to reimbursement
- Before enrolling
Sign up for the Promise
Complete the Student Commitment form and indicate homeschool status. Yuma County students also complete the Yuma Promise Interest Form.
- Semester after graduation
Enroll full time
Start at AWC with at least 12 credits and file the FAFSA. Repeat the FAFSA each year.
- Within five semesters
Finish a transfer degree
Pass each course with a C or better. A lighter final semester is fine if your student needs only a class or two.
- Yuma: Jan. 15, June 15, or Aug. 15
Apply for the refund
Submit the refund application by January 15 for fall graduates, June 15 for spring, or August 15 for summer, with proof of full-time enrollment at a Yuma university partner.
What it pays for
Covered
- Out-of-pocket tuition
- Program-related fees
- One associate degree at AWC
Not covered
- Textbooks
- Equipment
- Living and food costs, including dorms
- Transportation
Who pays first
- Federal aid such as the Pell Grant
- Merit or need-based scholarships
- Promise reimbursement
The Promise is last-dollar funding: it repays only what you still owed after federal aid and scholarships, and only after your student meets every requirement.
Good to know
Accreditation may be required
The eligibility list names accredited home school students, but AWC also says a homeschool student who completed in Yuma or La Paz County qualifies, so ask the Promise office if your home school is not accredited.
Who to contact
The Promise program office answers questions about eligibility, homeschool status, and refund applications.
promise@azwestern.edu Promise program page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Arizona
Within 30 days of starting, file an affidavit of intent and a certified birth certificate or other authorized ID with the county superintendent. The ID rule exempts homeless pupils. Within 30 days, notify the superintendent if you stop or file a new affidavit if you resume.
Arizona sets these rules:
- Subjects: Reading, grammar, math, social studies, and science required.
- Testing: Arizona does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Arizona does not prescribe routine academic portfolios or attendance reports; required identity documentation is filed with the county superintendent.
- Teachers: Arizona does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.
Arizona also has an education savings account that home-educated students can use.
- The Empowerment Scholarship Account pays about 90% of the state funding your child's district or charter school would have received, for curriculum, tutoring, and other approved expenses. Using it is a separate path from homeschooling under state law.
- TheHomeschoolingCompany is an approved vendor for it.
Read the Arizona homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Arizona
Questions parents ask
- Does the Yuma or La Paz Promise pay tuition up front?
- No. You pay each semester, and the Promise reimburses you after your student completes every required step.
- Can my student attend part time?
- No. The program is built around full-time attendance, defined as 24 successfully completed credits a year. Only the final semester may be lighter.
- Does La Paz County have the university transfer rule?
- No. The requirement to enroll at UA-Yuma, NAU-Yuma, or ASU@Yuma applies only to the Yuma Promise.
- What if my student switches majors?
- That is usually fine. The Promise reimburses one associate degree at AWC, and a few extra classes from a change of major are acceptable.
- What if a hardship interrupts school?
- AWC's Business Office reviews hardship situations case by case, so contact the Promise office as soon as it happens.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject. We are an approved Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) vendor, so your ClassWallet balance can pay for it.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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