Riverside City College Student Financial Aid

financial aid

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Financial Aid

Just like classes, you need to apply for financial aid each year — October 1st is the first day FAFSA and California Dream Act applications are accepted. Applying is free, and you can even apply before you have registered for classes. Submit your application as soon as possible to increase your chance of receiving awards; some aid is first come first served. Need help? Application workshops are held year-round. Everyone should apply for financial aid, even if you do not think you are eligible.
 
There are different types of financial aid available. Apply using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application or the CA Dream Act Application. RCC will email you at your student email once your results have been received, with initial awards and next steps. You can view any tasks you need to complete by visiting Verify My FAFSA. Not all students will have required tasks. You can view your award letter on your RCC Portal, under the financial aid link.   

Financial Aid Application Additional Forms and Documents

Contact Financial Aid

The office of Student Financial Services is here to help you succeed in college and to guide you throughout the financial aid application, eligibility and disbursement process. To get in contact with us, call us at (951) 222-8710 or send us a message with our online form.

Understanding the Costs

Tuition and fees are only part of the story…books, housing costs, food, personal expenses, transportation…there are other costs in your daily life as a student that you may not have thought about. To get an idea of what the net price/costs to attend school could be, click the button below to visit the Net Price Calculator.

CALCULATE COSTS 

How to Pay for College

There are many types of financial aid to assist you with your educational expenses. Click below to learn more about the financial aid opportunities available to you at RCC.

LEARN MORE 

 

Financial Aid Support for Your Educational Goals

There are many types of financial aid available to you at RCC. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application are required for most forms of financial aid. Types of financial aid include grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, and student loans.

Federal Grants

  • Federal Pell Grant (Part of FAFSA application) 
  •  Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG - Part of FAFSA application) 
  •  Complete the FAFSA 

State of California Grants

  •  California College Promise
  • Cal Grant Program 
  • Student Success Completion Grant 
  • Chafee Grant Program for eligible foster youth and former foster youth 
  • California National Guard Education Assistance Award Program (CNG EAAP)
  • CA DreamAct

Scholarships

(separate applications required)

Scholarships are a great way to help you pay for your college education — offered from diverse organizations for a wide array of interests. Sports, music, faith, business, hobbies, technology…there are many options for how you can connect with additional funding. 

Learn about Scholarships

Your Steps to Financial Aid

There are resources available to help you pursue your educational goals. We’ve put together an easy to follow guide for assistance to help you maximize the aid available to you while avoiding the frustration of missed deadlines. Submit your FAFSA or CA Dream Act application starting on October 1 of each academic year. Don’t delay! RCC’s school code is 001270.
  • Complete Your Application Online

    Complete the FAFSA or the CA Dream Act Application each year beginning October 1st. 
  • Enter our school code under the school section of your application
    • FAFSA:  001270
    • CA Dream Act Application:  00127000

Financial Aid Application Status

  • It takes on average 1 week for RCC to receive your FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application results electronically
  • We will email you at your RCCD student email with initial award information and possible additional tasks
  • You can view preliminary awards on your award letter under the financial aid section of Web Advisor
  •  Not all students will have additional tasks to submit in addition to their FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application. 
  • If  you are notified via email that you have additional tasks, you can access your task list through the FA portal at https://rcc.verifymyfafsa.com 
  • Use your information as listed on your application to log into the FA portal
  • If you are having problems accessing your tasks through the FA portal, it may be:
    • You have not activated your RCCD student email or
    • RCC has not received your FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application
  • Your personal deadline, which determines when your funds will be disbursed is determined by:
    • Submitting all your required tasks on the FA Portal or
    • When we received your completed application without required tasks
  • You can view our deadline/disbursement schedule here

Revised award notifications are emailed to students based on the file processing deadline date you have been placed on. 

Financial aid eligibility can be reviewed on the Financial Aid Award Letter on My Portal and WebAdvisor.

The amount of your award in My Portal and WebAdvisor is based on full-time enrollment (12 units); students who attend less than full-time will receive less financial aid.

Units Enrolled Enrollment Status Award Disbursement Eligibility
12+ Full Time 100%
9-11.5 Three Quarter Time 75%
6-8.5 Half Time 50%
5.5 or less Less than Half Time Pell to be determined if eligible 
(not eligible for loans or Cal Grant)

Disbursement eligibility is based on enrollment status prior to the start of the semester. Unit adjustments due to late registration and late start classes will be disbursed on the next fall/spring disbursement date after the start of classes.  

 RCCD disburses financial aid funds to students through BankMobile disbursement services.

  • New Students: 
    • Students new to receiving financial aid at RCC will receive a green welcome packet from BankMobile in the mail AND a welcome email to your RCCD student email with directions on how to log in and create your BankMobile account once your application and required tasks have been received. 
    • Once your account is created, you can choose how you would like to receive your financial aid funds:
      • Direct Deposit to your personal bank account
      • Open a BankMobile VIBE debit account or
      • Mailed paper check
  • Returning Students:  If you would like to make changes to the method of disbursement you previously selected from BankMobile, you can log on to www.refundselection.com to update your choice.

Avoid delays in receiving your financial aid funds.

  • Avoid changing your Home College selection (Riverside, Moreno Valley or Norco)
  • Make sure your mailing address and contact information is up to date and accurate on Web Advisor
All applications for financial assistance programs (i.e., student loans, work compensation, grants, scholarship, special funds, subsidies, prizes, etc.) will be considered by the Riverside Community College District without regard to ethnic group identification, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, color, ancestry, genetic information, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or any characteristic listed or defined in Section 11135 of the Government Code or any characteristic that is contained in the prohibition of hate crimes outlined in subdivision (1) of Section 422.6 of the California Penal Code, or any other status protected by law. Alternate formats for this material are available to individuals requiring disability accommodation. Please contact Student Financial Services at (951) 222-8710 or the Office of Diversity, Equity and Compliance at (951) 222-8039.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

You are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), in order to continue receiving your funds. Each type of aid may have its own specific requirements. All students are evaluated at the end of each semester.

You are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), in order to continue receiving your funds — this will be true for all forms of aid. These measures may include: 

  • Cumulative grade point average - 2.0 GPA 
  • Complete 67% of units attempted 
  • Complete program of study within a specific time frame 

Each type of aid may have its own specific requirements — know what you must attain in order to avoid losing future funding or being required to pay back what you’ve already received. 

All students are evaluated for SAP at the end of each semester. 

You are required to maintain a cumulative 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA).

There are two aspects of the quantitative standard: 

  1. Pace of Progression, you must complete 67% of the units you attempt. For example, a student who attempts 20 units, and successfully completes 12 of those units, would have a 60% Pace of Progression (12 / 20 = .60).
  2. Maximum Time Frame, is the time in which you must complete your program of study. For example if a student is registered in a program with 60 required units for completion and the maximum time frame is 150%, then the student would be eligible for funding up to 90 units. You must complete your program of study within 150% of the required units.
If you fail to meet your SAP, you will be put on a one semester warning period, which will allow you to receive financial aid for one additional semester. If after the warning period you still do not meet the SAP you will become ineligible.  
 
If you fail to meet the Maximum Time Frame SAP funding will end without a warning period.   
If you are determined to be SAP ineligible, you can appeal for additional aid if there is a documented reason/circumstances which led you to not meet your SAP. Please note that you can only be Appeal Approved once while attending an RCCD college (Riverside City, Moreno Valley and Norco Colleges). 
 
Before starting an appeal, review the SAP Policy to understand the SAP evaluation and appeal process. 

If you’ve received a warning or ineligible status for financial aid, you should attend the next workshop. We’ll review the requirements that need to be met to receive aid, how the appeal process works and what you need to know to submit your appeal.

  • View Workshop Information
  • Read RCC's SAP Policy
  • Appeal Your Status Online 

Financial Understanding

Workshops and Events

Whether you need answers to questions you already have or you don’t know what questions to ask — there are workshops that can help prepare you for financing your college career while also increasing your financial literacy.

SEE SCHEDULED EVENTS

Financial Aid TV

RCC’s Financial Aid TV has short videos of relevant topics that can help shape your college experience — like walking you through completing applications or logging into a web portal. Search for specific content or general topics.

WATCH VIDEOS

Community Outreach

Throughout the year Financial Aid Services hosts information sessions on campus, but we also reach out to K-12 schools and other organizations to promote the financial aid available to current and future RCC students. Where will we be next?

Helping Riverside Students Fulfill Their Promise

Free Tuition and Fees + Textbook and Other Support

The RCC Promise program is part of a state and nationwide effort to provide affordable education. Full-time eligible students who hold to their “promise” receive free no-fee tuition, support for textbooks, priority registration, access to educational and faculty advisors, activities and a dedicated community. Certain restrictions apply.

LEARN MORE

Additional Forms and Documents

For student loan information and forms, email us from your RCCD student email account to studentfinancialservices@rcc.edu. Please include your student ID number.