Riverside City College Student Financial Aid

• Complete Your Application Online
  • Complete the FAFSA or the CA Dream Act Application each year beginning October 1^st. 

    • 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

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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

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•  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 Student Forms 
• 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

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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

• 2024-25 Schedule

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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.

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: $3698 x 92% = $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

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Our school delivers your refund with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc. Visit this link for more information https://bankmobiledisbursements.com/refundchoices/.

• New Students: Students new to receiving financial aid at RCC 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 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

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

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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 Student Forms and submit all required documentation.
5. Once all requested documentation is submitted, you will receive a notification via your RCC 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.

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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.Back to top

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. 

RCC Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard Policy

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

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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 RCCD 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.

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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.   Back to top

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. 

RCC Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard Policy

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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 

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