For the fourth year in a row, the Arizona Board of Regents and the Cactus League are partnering to make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) more engaging, offering Arizona high school seniors up to four complimentary tickets to a Cactus League spring training game of their choice.
To be eligible, students must be part of Arizona’s high school graduating class of 2026 and complete the 2026–27 FAFSA. Once submitted, students can request tickets through the board’s college readiness portal on the CollegeReadyAZ website.
The promotion is part of a broader, ongoing statewide effort to increase FAFSA completion rates. Cactus League Executive Director Bridget Binsbacher said initiatives that focus on incentives beyond money or scholarships can help capture the attention of students who may not yet be considering college, increasing the likelihood that they complete the FAFSA and ultimately enroll in postsecondary education.
Julie Sainz, director of FAFSA and college access initiatives for Arizona Board of Regents, said the partnership also helps move FAFSA conversations beyond the classroom, reaching families and communities by giving students the opportunity to attend games with parents and friends.
FAFSA completion is a key predictor of college enrollment. Seniors who complete the application are 84% more likely to immediately enroll in postsecondary education, according to survey data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Arizona has set a FAFSA completion goal of 48% for the high school graduating class of 2026. Just four months after the application opened, Arizona seniors are already more than halfway toward that goal, with a completion rate of 30%, according to Sainz. She said she is confident the state will exceed its target, as it has in previous years.
Last cycle, the class of 2025 surpassed the state’s 40% completion goal by 5.6%. “If we continue on this path, we will definitely hit our goal by June 30. We have no doubt that we’ll hit that 48%,” Sainz said.
Arizona also ranked among the top 10 states nationally for year-over-year FAFSA completion growth during the last cycle.
Some of that growth may be attributed to the range of FAFSA-focused initiatives underway statewide, including scholarship incentives, workshops, artificial intelligence assistance tools and school-based challenges such as the AZ FAFSA Challenge and the 50 by Fall Campaign.
Together, these efforts provide students and families with guidance and support while adding a motivational element to the process. AI assistance tools like AskBenji, for example, offer quick, easy-to-understand answers to common FAFSA questions.
Completing the FAFSA gives students access to a wide range of federal financial aid opportunities — including Pell Grants, work-study programs and federal student loans — which can be especially critical for low-income students.
Pell Grants, which are based on financial need, are available to students pursuing their first undergraduate degree or credential and do not need to be repaid. FAFSA data is also used to determine eligibility for federal work-study programs, which provide part-time employment opportunities for students with financial need.
In addition, many states and colleges rely on FAFSA information to award state- and institution-based aid, and some private financial aid providers use the form to assess eligibility.
Completing the FAFSA is also required to borrow federal student loans, which are often preferred for their lower fixed interest rates, income-driven repayment options, loan forgiveness programs and lack of credit checks for most undergraduate borrowers.
Because completing the FAFSA is such a critical first step, state leaders have leaned on creative incentives — such as the Cactus League partnership — to encourage more students to take part.
Last year, more than 4,500 tickets were requested through the promotion, and Binsbacher said she is eager to offer the program again this spring, citing positive feedback collected by the Board of Regents.
The Cactus League season begins Feb. 20 and runs through March 24. The CollegeReadyAZ team will be present at various games throughout the season.
“There’s nothing like Cactus League baseball in the Arizona sunshine, and we are excited to team up with ABOR to provide that experience for students who complete their FAFSA,” Binsbacher said. “Through our partnership with the board, we are proud to help strengthen our state’s workforce and ensure more students have the tools they need to succeed.”