Apply for Financial Aid Annually

Applying for financial aid is just as important as registering for classes—and it’s something you need to do every year.

Key Dates

  • October 1: The application window opens for both the FAFSA and the California Dream Act Application.
  • December 1, 2024: The 2025-26 FAFSA/CA Dream Act Application is expected to open.

Why Apply Early?

Submitting your application as early as possible increases your chances of receiving aid. Some awards are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, so don’t delay!

Need Help?

Financial aid workshops are available year-round to guide you through the process.


Who Should Apply?

Everyone! Even if you think you might not qualify, it’s worth applying. Financial aid comes in many forms, and you never know what you might be eligible for.

Financial Aid Application


How to Apply

  1. Choose Your Application: Complete either the or the
  2. Check Your Ůapp Email: Ůapp will notify you when your results are processed and provide details about your awards and next steps.
  3. Complete Any Tasks: Visit Student Forms in your Ůapp Portal to see if additional steps are required. (Not all students will have tasks.)
  4. Access Your Award Letter: View your financial aid awards through the Financial Aid link in your Ůapp Portal.

Additional Forms and Documents


Application Coverage

  • 2024-25 FAFSA/CA Dream Act Application: Covers Summer 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025, and Spring 2025.
  • 2025-26 FAFSA/CA Dream Act Application: Covers Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026, and Spring 2026.

Take Action Today

Applying for financial aid is free, and you can submit your application even before registering for classes. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to fund your education—start your application now!

Contact Financial Aid

The Student Financial Services office is dedicated to your college success and will assist you with the financial aid application, eligibility, and disbursement process.    

LocationCharles A. Kane Building 1st Floor
Email: studentfinancialservices@rcc.edu.
Phone: (951) 222-8710
Fax: (951) 222-8006

Understanding the Costs

Tuition and fees are just the beginning. As a student, there are many other expenses to consider—books, housing, food, personal costs, transportation, and more. These everyday costs can add up quickly. To get a clearer picture of your total expenses, use our Net Price Calculator by clicking the button below. It’ll help you estimate the full cost of attending school, beyond just tuition.

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 Ůapp.

LEARN MORE 

Financial Aid Support for Your Educational Goals

There are many types of financial aid available to you at Ůapp. 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) 
  •   

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)

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, technologythere 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! Ůapp’s school code is 001270.
  • Complete Your Application Online
    • Complete the or the each year beginning October 1st
      • The 2025-26 FAFSA/CA Dream Act Application covers summer 2025, fall 2025, winter 2026, and spring 2026 terms. (The 2025-26 FAFSA/CA Dream Act Application is expected to open on December 1st, 2024.)

  • 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 Ůapp to receive your FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application results electronically
  • We will email you at your ŮappD 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  
  • 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 ŮappD student email or
    • Ůapp 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

Disbursement Schedule

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 and .

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

Beginning with the 24-25 Pell Enrollment Intensity is the percentage of full-time enrollment at which a student is enrolled rounded to the nearest whole percent. It has replaced the full-time, three quester time, half time, and less-then half-time student enrollment.  See below for a description of the Pell Enrollment Intensity:

Credit Hours (Units) Enrollment Category (Old) Enrollment Intensity (New)
12+ Full Time 100%
11.5 Three Quarter Time
96%
11 92%
10.5 88%
10 83%
9.5 79%
9 75%
8.5 Half Time
71%
8 67%
7.5 63%
7 58%
6.5 54%
6 50%
5.5 Less than Half Time
46%
5 42%
4.5 38%
4 33%
3.5 29%
3 25%
2.5 21%
2 17%
1.5 13%
1 8%
.5 4%

Pell Disbursement Calculation

  • 2024-2025 Full Year Pell Grant Total: $___ Fall Units: __ Winter + Spring Units: __
  • Fall Term Pell Grant Award: $__ Spring Term Pell Grant Award: $__

Term Calculation
Term Pell Award multiplied by % Pell Enrollment Intensity = New Term Pell Grant

  • __ x __% = $__

Take the New Term Pell Grant amount and divide it by 2 to calculate the amount of each of the two disbursements per term: 

  • 1st Pell Disbursement is $__* and 2nd Pell Disbursement is $__* 

* The disbursement amounts are approximate and may be rounded to the nearest $5

Student Example

Full Year Pell Grant Total: $7395 Fall Units: 11 Winter + Spring Units: __

Fall Term Pell Grant award: $3698 Spring Term Pell Grant Award: $3897

Term Calculation: 11 units is 92% enrollment intensity

Term award: $369892%$3402

1st Pell Disbursement is $1701 and 2nd Pell Disbursement is $1701

Note: Amounts are subject to change due to your enrollment intensity. Winter enrollment is included as part of the Spring disbursement. The Enrollment Intensity Chart calculation ONLY applies to the Federal Pell Grant. 

Cal-Grant and SEOG amounts are determined by your enrollment status

Units Enrolled Per Semester Enrollment Status % of Award Eligible for State-issued Grants
12 or more units Full Time 100%
9.0-11.5 units Three Quarter Time 75%
6.0-8.5 units Half Time 50%
5.5 or fewer units Less than Half Time (Not eligible for loans, or Cal Grant, or Chafee)

* 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 the classes. 

DOWNLOAD DISBURSEMENT SCHEDULE

Our school delivers your refund with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc. Visit this link for more information .

  • New Students: Students new to receiving financial aid at Ůapp will receive instructions from BMTX, Inc. on how to select their refund preference. Visit the link above for more information.
  • Returning Students:  If you would like to make changes to the method of disbursement you previously selected from BankMobile Disbursements, you can log on to 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

To view our third-party servicer contract for refund management, click .

If your financial circumstances have recently changed and your FAFSA/Dream Application information does not reflect your current financial circumstances, you may request an Income Reevaluation (EFC Appeal).

An Income Re-evaluation (EFC Appeal) provides students/families the opportunity to address income changes that have significantly impacted their household financial situation such unemployment, layoffs or other special circumstances including situations related to the COVID-19 pandemic; to have their eligibility reevaluated. Please note: An EFC appeal does not guarantee a change in financial aid eligibility. 

If your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) is "0" you have already been offered the maximum amount of aid you are eligible to receive. Therefore; an appeal request will not be granted. 

Request Income Re-evaluation (EFC Appeal) 

  1. Submit a Free application for Federal Student Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). 
  2. Must have received an offered award for the current 2022-23 academic year.
  3. Contact the Student Financial Services office via email at studentfinancialservices@rcc.edu or via phone at (951) 222-8710 to discuss your circumstances and consideration for an EFC Appeal.
  4. If eligible for an EFC appeal, log on to your Financial Task Portal at and submit all required documentation.
  5. Once all requested documentation is submitted, you will receive a notification via your Ůapp email of the outcome of the review.

Documentation requirement

  • Federal 1040 Tax Returns including all schedule for applicable years. 
  • Detailed statement outlining your and/or family’s situation. 

Additional requirements

  • Must be attending courses for the current academic year.
  • Must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress.
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. 

Ůapp Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard Policy

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: The Maximum Time Frame for completion of a degree or certificate is 150% of the published length of the program. All units attempted at ŮappD as well as any transfer units will be included since the Maximum Time Frame is based upon units attempted. A student can receive financial assistance for a maximum of 150% of the published length of the program. For example, if the published length of a degree program is 60 units, the student may receive financial assistance for up to 90 attempted units (60 units x 150% = 90 units). If the published length of a certificate program is 40 units, the student may receive financial assistance up to 60 attempted units (40 units x 150% = 60 units). If students are unable to finish their program within the Maximum Time Frame, as explained, they may lose eligibility for Title IV aid.
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/circumstance which led you to not meet your SAP. If you have previously appealed and lost that appeal, you can only appeal again if you have “new” circumstances that occurred in the term you lost your appeal. 

Before starting an appeal, review the SAP Policy to understand the SAP evaluation and appeal process. 

Ůapp Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard Policy

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 Ůapp'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

Ůapp’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.

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 Ůapp students. Where will we be next?

Helping Riverside Students Fulfill Their Promise

The Ůapp 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 ŮappD student email account to studentfinancialservices@rcc.edu. Please include your student ID number.