Did you go out with friends on Mill Avenue, have a few drinks, and decide to drive home instead of calling an Uber? It’s a mistake that happens more often than you might think, especially among college students trying to save money.

However, a DUI conviction doesn’t just mean fines and court dates. A DUI can put your academic future at risk. You might face suspension from school, lose financial aid, or even get kicked out of your program.

Read on to learn how a DUI can seriously impact your future and what a DUI lawyer in Tempe can do to protect your education, career, and you from legal consequences.

Several Ways a DUI Conviction Can Disrupt the Lives of ASU Students in Tempe

A DUI conviction creates problems that affect every part of your life. But here are the six major ways a DUI can derail your life as an ASU student.

You Could Face ASU Disciplinary Action

ASU doesn’t ignore it when students get arrested off-campus. The university follows the Student Code of Conduct for both on-campus and off-campus behavior.

So, if you’re arrested for DUI, you must answer to both the city and the university. The criminal court handles your legal case. ASU runs its own discipline review at the same time.

Typically, the disciplinary process starts when police notify ASU about your arrest. Based on how bad your DUI is, you could face punishments ranging from warnings, all the way to getting kicked out completely.

  • Warning: You get an official mark on your record that goes in your student conduct file. This might seem small, but it creates a discipline record that could hurt you if you get in trouble again or plan to apply for professional licensing in the future.
  • Suspension: You’re temporarily removed from ASU. During suspension, you can’t join any university activities, and you can’t come on campus. Your school progress stops completely. Suspension records may show up on your transcript.
  • Expulsion: This means you’re permanently kicked out of ASU and all other state universities in Arizona. An expulsion may show up on your transcript. This makes it almost impossible to transfer or continue school somewhere else.

You Might Lose Your Scholarship or Financial Aid

Many ASU scholarships require good behavior. A DUI conviction can trigger a review or loss of your scholarship right away.

Take the Thunderbird School, for example. Their scholarship policy clearly states:

  • Any violation of the Student Code of Conduct will result in reconsideration or loss of your scholarship.

Think about having to pay back $20,000 in scholarship money while dealing with DUI penalties.

However, federal financial aid works differently. A DUI conviction alone won’t hurt your federal student aid. The FAFSA doesn’t ask about alcohol convictions. It only asks about drug-related crimes.

You Could Lose On-Campus Housing and Privileges

ASU has the right to terminate housing contracts when students commit serious misconduct. Since a DUI demonstrates poor judgment, the university might see it as grounds to kick you out of housing.

More importantly, disciplinary punishments like suspension or expulsion come with campus-wide restrictions.

  • A suspended student gets banned from the university campus during the entire suspension. An expelled student will permanently lose access to ASU property.

This means losing access to everything:

  • Libraries
  • Dining halls
  • Gyms
  • Student groups
  • Campus events

Your Future Academic Plans Could Be at Risk

Graduate and professional programs often ask applicants about criminal history. A DUI usually must be disclosed on applications for:

  • Law school
  • Medical school
  • Other advanced degree programs

Admissions committees review criminal problems case by case. A single DUI isn’t always fatal to admission. However, you likely need to explain what happened and show you’ve learned from it.

A DUI Might Jeopardize Your Job or Internship Prospects

A DUI conviction doesn’t just affect your education—it can also derail your career plans.

Internships and research positions, especially those tied to federal or state agencies, often require a clean background. Federal or state internships routinely screen for criminal records. A DUI conviction will show up and may disqualify you from competitive positions.

Even private employers run background checks for most professional jobs. Security clearances, government jobs, and positions of trust in financial services or education often require DUI disclosure.

DUI Penalties in Tempe

Is this your first time facing DUI charges? Even first-time DUI offenders can face harsh penalties that add to the academic problems you’re already dealing with.

For a first-time regular (not extreme) DUI conviction in Tempe, you face the following consequences:

  • License suspension ranging from 90 days to 1 year
  • A base fine of $250
  • Additional fees: $500 to the Prison Construction and Operations Fund and $500 to the Public Safety Equipment Fund
  • Possible jail time from a minimum of 24 hours to 10 days
  • Mandatory ignition interlock device installed on your vehicle for 1 year

The penalties discussed here apply to basic DUI charges. If you’re facing aggravated DUI violations—like driving under the influence with an ignition interlock device—the consequences become much worse. This includes longer jail time and higher fines.

How a Tempe DUI Lawyer Can Help You Avoid Harsh Penalties or Even Beat the Charges

A DUI charge doesn’t mean you’re automatically guilty. In fact, every case is unique, and the right legal strategy can make a huge difference in how things turn out.

For example, your traffic stop might have been illegal from the start if the officer had no valid reason to pull you over.

Police officers can’t pull you over without probable cause. They must believe you’re breaking the law in some way, such as speeding, swerving, running a red light, or showing other traffic violations.

They can’t pull you over just because they have a gut feeling or assume that everyone leaving Mill Avenue bars after midnight is drunk. If the initial stop was illegal, everything that followed could get thrown out of court. This includes the field sobriety tests and breathalyzer results.

Every DUI case presents different challenges. But our DUI lawyer in Tempe examines every detail to find weaknesses in the case against you. We always fight for the best possible outcome for you. This could mean complete dismissal of charges, reduced charges to a lesser offense, or a not-guilty verdict at trial.

Don’t let a DUI conviction destroy your academic future and career prospects. Contact us today to discuss your situation and learn how we can fight for your rights.