Flinn Scholarship 2027

Overview

The Flinn Scholarship is a competitive merit-based award designed for Arizona high school seniors who plan to attend one of Arizona's three public universities. The program combines a full undergraduate scholarship with international study, honors-college membership, mentoring and a long-term scholar community.

Eligibility

• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident by the time of application.
• Be an Arizona resident for two full years immediately preceding entry to the university.
• Be an Arizona high school senior applying for undergraduate study.
• Applicants should generally have at least a 3.5 unweighted GPA.
• Applicants should rank in the top 5% of their graduating class if the school reports class rank.
• Submit an ACT or SAT score meeting the minimum: 26 ACT or 1230 SAT.
• Demonstrate leadership and meaningful extracurricular involvement.

The Flinn Foundation notes that rare exceptions to some academic standards can occur, but most successful candidates meet all published benchmarks.

Funding & Benefits

• Full tuition and mandatory fees.
• Housing and meals.
• Total scholarship value of more than $140,000.
• An international summer seminar after the first year.
• Funding for at least one additional study-abroad experience.
• Membership in the honors college at the selected Arizona public university.
• Faculty and peer mentoring, exclusive events and an alumni network of more than 750 current and former Flinn Scholars.

How to Apply

1. Confirm citizenship/permanent-resident status and Arizona residency.
2. Review the academic benchmarks and standardized-test requirement.
3. Create and complete the online Flinn Scholarship application.
4. Prepare the essays and short-answer response.
5. Request one academic/teacher recommendation and one leadership/service recommendation.
6. Coordinate with your high school counselor for the counselor report, transcript and school profile.
7. Submit your student application by October 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
8. Ensure recommendations and the counselor report are submitted by the separate October 27, 2026 deadline.

Application Checklist

• Biographical and family information.
• Current studies, honors, employment and extracurricular activities.
• Two essays and one short-answer question.
• One academic/teacher recommendation.
• One leadership/service recommendation.
• High school counselor report.
• Transcript and school profile uploaded by the counselor.
• Self-reported ACT/SAT scores and other applicable test results.

Applicants must also apply to at least one Arizona public university and its honors college, with a major based at a residential campus.

Important Dates

• August 25, 2026: application opened.
• October 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM: student application deadline.
• October 27, 2026: recommendations and counselor report deadline.
• January 2027: semifinalist interviews, held virtually.
• March 2027: finalist interviews at the Flinn Foundation.
• April 2027: Class of 2027 announced.
• May 2027: Recognition Luncheon.

FAQs

Is the Flinn Scholarship a full ride?
Yes. The official benefits page describes coverage of tuition, mandatory fees, housing and meals, plus funded study-abroad experiences.

Can students outside Arizona apply?
The award requires two full years of Arizona residency immediately before university entry, so it is not designed for students who do not meet that residency rule.

Are ACT or SAT scores required?
Yes. The minimum published score is 26 ACT or 1230 SAT.

Which universities can Flinn Scholars attend?
Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University or the University of Arizona, subject to the program's residential-campus and honors-college requirements.

How many students receive the scholarship?
The Flinn Foundation says about 20 Arizona high school seniors are selected each year.

Last verified: September 6, 2026. ScholarshipHubNow verified the 2027 deadline, eligibility standards, award value, application components, university restrictions and selection timeline against official Flinn Foundation sources.