Get the Financial Help You Need

Money shouldn't get in the way of getting a college education. The Financial Aid Office is here to help you get the financial support you need to pay your tuition and fees and afford college.

Apply for Financial Aid

Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA), and we will help you identify the aid for which you are eligible. The FAFSA is for US citizens and permanent residents, while the CADAA is for students who are not US citizens, permanent residents, or eligible non-citizens.

Make sure you are aware of the financial aid deadlines for each semester.

Folsom Lake College's federal school code is 038713.

Unusual Circumstances Appeal

If you feel like you are missing information that is preventing you from completing the FAFSA or CADAA and/or that your financial situation is different than previous years, then you may be eligible for an Unusual Circumstances Appeal.

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, then 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.

Explaining the Financial Aid Process

Receiving financial aid can be confusing. The following are the basic steps of the financial aid process.

Steps to Receiving Financial Aid

Complete Online Financial Aid Application

• Academic year 2022-2023: Fall 2022, Spring 2023, and Summer 2023
• Academic year 2023-2024: Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Summer 2024

College Receives Financial Aid Application

About one week after your application is processed, your home college will send a "Welcome Notice" to your eServices Message Center.

Document Submission

If the Financial Aid Office need documents or any actions on your part, then we will place items on your eServices To Do List. Be sure to check your eServices and Los Rios Gmail.

File/Document Review

After all documentation is submitted, your file will be reviewed to determine your financial aid eligibility.

Awards Determined

After file review is completed, the types of financial aid and amounts of financial aid will be awarded. The number of Financial Aid Applicable units you are enrolled in impacts your financial aid award amounts.

At this time you may apply for federal student loans. You can view your awards in eServices by clicking Financial Aid and then selecting the correct aid year.

Awards Disbursed

Award disbursement happens once per week throughout the semester as students become ready to receive aid. You can view if your aid is disbursed in eServices by clicking on Financial Account, then Account Activity.

Refunds are sent using BankMobile; be sure to set up your refund preference.

Maintain Financial Aid Eligibility

Students who drop classes or withdraw completely from all classes may owe a repayment of funds. Dropping classes also affects satisfactory academic progress (SAP) status.

Be sure to speak with and academic counselor and financial aid before you drop classes, and be sure to know the financial aid dates and deadlines and the academic calendar.

Tuition and Fees

• Tuition and Fees
• Cost of Attendance
• Net Price Calculator
• Fee Payment Deadlines
• Student Payment Plan
• Refunds
• Refund Application
• 1098-T Tuition Statement

Types of Financial Aid

Learn how you can save money with grants, loans, scholarships, and more.

• Types of Financial Aid
• Los Rios Promise Program
• Rancho Cordova Promise Program
• Grants
• Federal Direct Loans
• Federal Work-Study
• Scholarships
• Veterans' Benefits and Programs

Financial Aid Policies

• Financial Aid Policies
• Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Course Applicability
• Financial Aid Rights and Responsibilities
• BankMobile Refunds
• Financial Aid Withdrawal Policy

More Financial Aid Info

• Financial Aid Forms
• Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Grants
• Bookstore Vouchers

Eligibility

Please review the following requirements for financial aid:

Basic Eligibility Criteria

Our general eligibility requirements are that you must:

• Demonstrate financial need (for most programs)
• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen
• Have a valid Social Security number (with the exception of students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau)
• Be registered with Selective Service (see below), if you’re a male (you must register between the ages of 18 and 25)
• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program
• Be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for Direct Loan Program funds
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress in college or career school
• Sign the certification statement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) stating that:
  • You are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant and
  • You will use federal student aid only for educational purposes
  • Having a high school diploma or a recognized equivalent such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate
  • Completing a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law (or—if state law does not require a homeschooled student to obtain a completion credential—completing a high school education in a homeschool setting that qualifies as an exemption from compulsory attendance requirements under state law); or
  • Enrolling in an eligible career pathway program and meeting one of the "ability-to-benefit" alternatives (see below).

  Ability-to-benefit Alternatives

  If you were enrolled in college or career school prior to July 1, 2012, or if you are currently enrolled in an eligible career pathway program*, you may show you're qualified to obtain a higher education by:

  • Passing an approved ability-to-benefit test* (if you don’t have a diploma or GED, a college can administer a test to determine whether you can benefit from the education offered at that school) or
  • Completing six credit hours or equivalent course work toward a degree or certificate (you may not receive aid while earning the six credit hours).

  *For information about these criteria, talk to the financial aid office at your school. Your financial aid counselor can tell you whether your school offers an eligible career pathway program and can advise you about any ability-to-benefit tests the school uses.