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. 
    • 2026-27 FAFSA/CA Dream Act Application: Covers Summer 2026, Fall 2026, Winter 2027, and Spring 2027.
• 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 MyPortal

• 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

Student Financial Services will check enrollment units approximately three weeks prior to each disbursement date. Disbursement dates are contingent upon funding and are subject to change without notice.

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

Download 2026 Fall Disbursement Schedule^PDF

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. 

The amount of your award in My Portal 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:

Pell Disbursement Calculation

• 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

* 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 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 MyPortal

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

For the 2026–2027 academic year, both the FAFSA and CADAA applications require you and your family to report income from the 2024 federal tax year to assess your eligibility for student aid. However, RCC understands that your financial situation may have changed since submitting your application. If your family's circumstances have been negatively impacted or you are requesting an increase to your Cost of Attendance budget, you may be eligible to request a Special Circumstance Appeal to request a reevaluation of your financial aid or adjustment to your annual Cost of Attendance

Special circumstances for SAI reevaluation may include, but are not limited to:

• Unemployment or Involuntary loss or reduction of income
• Death of the student’s spouse or parent
• Excessive medical bills paid not covered by insurance
• One-time lump sum payment in 2024

For Cost of Attendance Adjustment:

• Dependent Care
• Computer Purchases
• Transportation Repairs
• Housing Cost above the school standard allowance

The following are not considered special circumstances:

• Pending reduction in income due to consumer debt
• Refusal of a parent to provide financial support to the student.

Things to consider:

• If you were awarded the maximum award eligible for federal or state aid, you do not need to submit the appeal form, as you have already been offered the maximum amount available.
• An approved appeal may not result in a change to your financial aid awards.
• Cost of Attendance Appeals: will usually be in the form of an increased budget; it does not guarantee a change to your financial aid award.
• You must be meeting the RCC Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards for consideration. (Refer to the SAP section of this guide for additional information)

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.

To remain eligible for financial aid you must:

• Maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA.
• Successfully complete at least 67% of all units attempted.
• Finish your program within 150% of the published program length.

All students are evaluated after each semester.

RCC Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard Policy

You must maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.0.

The quantitative standard includes:

1. Pace of Progression: Complete at least 67% of all attempted units. Example: If you attempt 20 units and successfully complete 13.5 units, your completion rate is 67.5%.
2. Maximum Time Frame: Financial aid is available for up to 150% of the published length of your program. Example: A 60-unit degree allows aid through 90 attempted units.

All students are evaluated at the end of every semester, whether or not they receive Title IV financial aid.

• Attempted units include grades A, B, C, D, F, CR, P, NC, NP, W, EW, FW, I, IB, IC, ID and IF.
• Completed units include A, B, C, D, CR and P.
• Transfer units, AP, CLEP, Credit for Prior Learning and articulated credit are included.
• Grades of F, NC, NP, W, EW, FW, I, IB, IC, ID and IF count as attempted but not completed units.
• EWC grades are not included in SAP calculations.

Repeated courses count as attempted units. Only the highest earned grade counts toward completed units. Adding or dropping classes after your first financial aid disbursement may affect future aid eligibility.

You may regain eligibility by:

• Meeting the 2.0 GPA and 67% Pace requirements before exceeding Maximum Time Frame; or
• Successfully completing the SAP appeal process.

• Satisfactory (SA): Meeting all SAP requirements.
• Warning (WA): One semester to improve while remaining eligible.
• Ineligible (IN): No longer eligible for most financial aid.
• Probation (PE): Appeal approved and eligibility restored under specific conditions.

Students who do not meet SAP standards are generally placed on a one-semester Warning and may continue receiving eligible financial aid during that semester. Students are encouraged to complete a current Student Educational Plan (SEP). Students exceeding Maximum Time Frame do not receive a Warning semester.

You become SAP Ineligible if you fail to meet SAP after your Warning semester or exceed the Maximum Time Frame. Students who become ineligible are no longer eligible for most financial aid programs (except the California College Promise Grant) and may submit an appeal.

You may appeal if documented extenuating circumstances prevented you from meeting SAP.

Examples include:

• Death of a relative or significant person
• Documented illness, injury, pregnancy or birth of a child
• Victim of a crime
• Homelessness
• Loss of employment or transportation
• Natural disaster

Your appeal must include:

• A personal statement explaining what happened and what has changed.
• Third-party documentation.
• A current Student Educational Plan (within one year).
• A signed Probation Contract.

Submit appeals through Student Forms.

Students exceeding Maximum Time Frame may appeal for approved reasons such as a one-time change of major, second educational goal, ESL or Basic Skills completion, high-unit majors, or applicable military/AP credit.

The appeal requires a statement, current Student Educational Plan, signed Probation Contract and supporting documentation.

• Approved appeals result in Financial Aid Probation.
• You may only receive aid for courses on your Approved Class List (ACL).
• You must earn at least a 2.0 term GPA and complete 67% of attempted units each term.
• No retroactive financial aid will be awarded.
• If you fail to meet probation requirements, you become ineligible unless you regain SAP or qualify for another appeal based on new circumstances.

For complete details, review the official policy.

RCC Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard Policy