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Home Admissions Financial Aid and Fees Financial Aid Policies Rights and Responsibilities

Financial Aid Rights

As a American River College student and recipient of financial aid, you have the following rights:

  • Information on federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs.
  • Notice of deadlines to apply for each financial aid program and submit supporting documentation.
  • Explanation of each element in your financial aid package.
  • Explanation of how your financial aid offer was determined.
  • Explanation of how and when you will receive your financial aid.
  • Explanation of the costs to attend American River College.
  • Explanation of the financial aid policies if you withdraw.
  • Explanation of the portion of your financial aid that is a grant (grants typically do not have to be repaid).
  • If you are offered a loan, then explanation of the interest rate, the total amount that must be repaid, your repayment options, when repayment begins, how long you have to repay, and conditions of deferments and cancellations.
  • Explanation of how to be considered for unusual circumstances regarding dependency and/or changes to financial situation:
    • Dependency appeal: Most undergraduate students are dependent and must provide parent information on the FAFSA or CADAA. To appeal your dependency status, you must clearly demonstrate an adverse family situation. For more information on the process, contact your campus financial aid office.
    • EFC and Cost of Attendance appeals: If you or your family have changes in financial circumstances that may affect the availability of family financial resources for your educational expenses, you may be eligible for an appeal. Examples of unusual circumstances include unusual medical or dental expenses or a large decrease in income from the reporting year to this year. You must have documentation to illustrate the changes. For more information on the process, contact your campus financial aid office.
  • Explanation of how American River College determines whether or not you meet satisfactory academic progress.
  • Explanation of how to reapply for financial aid each year you are in school.

Financial Aid Responsibilities

As a American River College student and recipient of financial aid, you have the following responsibilities:

  1. You must provide a photo ID to obtain information about your financial aid status at American River College. Student-specific financial aid information will not be provided over the phone due to confidentiality rights. This is a security measure to protect student data and information in compliance with FERPA regulations. You can only receive general policy and procedural information over the phone.
  2. You must keep copies of all documents you submit to the financial aid office. The financial aid office will not make copies of required documents for you. Documents the financial aid office receives in the mail will be logged within three business days of receipt. You can view the status of the document in eServices. The financial aid office is not responsible for any documents that are lost, stolen, or destroyed if sent by mail.
  3. To establish financial aid eligibility at American River College, you must have a current admissions application, register for classes, be enrolled in an eligible program of study (also called a major), complete the FAFSA application, and maintain satisfactory academic progress.
  4. You must declare an eligible program of study (also called a major) each semester to be eligible for financial aid. You can do this when you submit your supplemental form online or with the admissions and records office. Financial aid will not be disbursed to a student for any courses they are enrolled in that are not required to complete their program of study.
  5. You must keep their mailing address current with both the admissions and records office and BankMobile Disbursements. All disbursements are made through BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution powered by BMTX, Inc. If you choose to receive a check as your refund preference, then it will be mailed to the mailing address on file with BankMobile Disbursements. The financial aid office will correspond with you via messages in eServices.
  6. Your name, date of birth, and social security number must match all of the following documents in order for aid to be disbursed:
    • Drivers license or state ID
    • Social security card
    • Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documents (if applicable)
    • Information submitted on the FAFSA
    • Admissions and records office.
    You must provide your updated information to all applicable agencies and systems.
  7. You must have a high school diploma or equivalent (such as a General Educational Development certificate [GED], State Equivalent test, or have been home schooled) to be eligible for financial aid. If you were enrolled in an eligible Title IV program prior to July 1, 2012, then you may be eligible to meet the high school requirement if you successfully completed six degree or certificate applicable/transferable units offered by the institution.
  8. If you do not maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP), then you will be dismissed from financial aid. If you are eligible to appeal the denial of aid, then you have to submit an appeal form to request an evaluation to determine further eligibility for receiving financial aid. Appeal reviews can take up to eight weeks. Please review the appeal deadlines.
  9. We encourage you to have official academic transcripts on file with the admissions and records office for all colleges you have attended outside of Los Rios. This will allow you to receive credit toward your program of study for coursework you completed at another institution. You will be dismissed from financial aid or may have to repay financial aid if you already completed a bachelor's degree or higher (including a foreign degree) or have attempted 150% of units required for degree or certificate program for any transcripts evaluated after aid has been disbursed.
  10. You are ineligible for financial aid if you have a baccalaureate or professional degree (including a foreign degree).
  11. You must notify the financial aid office by submitting a “Decline of Financial Aid” form if you enroll or attend another college or post-secondary school within the same award year (July through June). You cannot receive financial aid from two or more institutions at the same time or periods of overlapping terms. If your financial aid has already been disbursed at American River College, then you must repay that financial aid prior to receiving aid at another college.
  12. Financial aid will disburse funds based on your actual enrollment status at the time of disbursement. Late-start or waitlist classes will not be considered for payment until the classes begin. If you enroll in courses after their your disbursement, then the financial aid office will make adjustments by the recalculation date.
  13. If you plan to enroll in courses at more than one Los Rios college, a consortium must be submitted and approved to include those courses in your financial aid award. You must be enrolled in one course applicable class at your home college in order to receive aid. Enrolled courses from another Los Rios college must be part of your declared program of study at American River College. You must be enrolled in these courses prior to the recalculation date. Funded consortium courses are included in the Satisfactory Academic Progress calculation.
  14. If you withdraw from school, then you may be required to repay any unearned portion of federal funds you received. In addition, you will be billed for any institutional portion American River College is required to refund the Department of Education. Until this institutional portion is paid in full, a hold will be placed on the your record, which prevents you from registering for classes or obtaining academic transcripts. Further, you may be ineligible to receive Title IV funding.
  15. The Department of Education or the financial aid office may select your file for a process called “verification”. This selection may take place any time during the school year, even after you begin to receive financial assistance. The verification process is federal requirement and takes four to six weeks from the time the financial aid office receives all requested documents. Students are required to repay any over-awarded amount that they have received as determined by the verification process due to subsequent corrections received after any disbursement(s).
  16. You can only request a federal student loan request after you have completed the FAFSA, all grant eligibility has been determined, and you have received an award notice in eServices. You must be enrolled in classes, maintain at least half-time enrollment status for the entire semester, and meet satisfactory academic progress to be eligible for a loan during the entire award year. If you are a first-time borrower, then you must complete the online entrance counseling workshop at StudentAid.gov. You are required to sign the Master Promissory Note (MPN) each year. Late-start or waitlist classes will not be considered until the classes begin. In addition, if you are enrolled in all late-start classes, then your loan application will be processed after you are attending enough classes to be considered at least half-time status.