Los Rios Promise Program

We want to remove financial barriers so that all students can pursue higher education. There is no income requirement for the Los Rios Promise Program.

What is the Los Rios Promise Program?

The Los Rios Promise Program covers the cost of tuition for eligible students. You may also hear it referred to as California Promise or AB-19 (Assembly Bill 19) and AB-2 (Assembly Bill 2).

Costs Covered

The Promise Program covers:

Resident tuition and enrollment fees (the cost of your classes), at $46 per unit

Costs Not Covered

The Promise Program does not cover:

Eligibility Requirements

Student eligibility is based on funding availability. To be eligible, you must:

Eligibility for Mid-Year and First-Time New Recipients

You are only eligible for the Los Rios Promise Program for two consecutive award years beginning with your initial enrollment in the summer/fall term. If your first enrollment is the spring term, then you are only eligible for 1.5 years (not the full two years), provided that you meet the enrollment and FAFSA completion deadline.

Eligibility for a Second Year of the Los Rios Promise Program

A second year of eligibility will be reviewed for you if you received the waiver in your first year under the Los Rios Promise Program or were eligible for the California College Promise Grant in your first year. Second-year eligibility is contingent upon funding. You will automatically be awarded second-year funding if you:

You must contact the Financial Aid office if you are transferring in from another California community college. If you are transferring from a college or university outside of California, then you are not eligible for the Los Rios Promise Program.

Deadlines

Applications must be completed and processed by the deadlines. "Processed" means that you must have received communication from the Department of Education indicating you have successfully submitted your FAFSA and you received an email from Los Rios indicating your FAFSA has been received. Alternatively, if you completed a CADAA, then you must have received communication from the California Student Aid Commission indicating you have successfully submitted your CADAA as well as an email from Los Rios indicating your CADAA has been received. Please plan accordingly and complete the applications at least three weeks before the deadlines.

Eligibility is based on funding availability. If you are determined eligible but do not enroll for subsequent terms (excluding summer) by the enrollment dates, then you will be ineligible for the program without an opportunity to regain eligibility.

Promise Program Frequently Asked Questions

How is a "first-time student" defined?

If you are entering college directly from high school, attended adult school to complete your high school graduation requirements, or have never attempted college units, then you are considered a "first-time" student.

Am I still a first-time student if I earned college credit while attending high school or adult school to complete my high school education?

Yes! College credit earned while in high school (Dual Enrollment or Advanced Education) or adult school does not affect your eligibility for the Los Rios Promise Program as long as you haven't yet earned a degree or certificate. However, you are not eligible for this tuition waiver if you earned a college certificate or degree while in high school.

I am a first-time college student who started in the summer but is enrolled in less than 12 units. Does this disqualify me for the remainder of my first two years free?

No, if you enroll in less than 12 units in the summer, then you are not disqualified for the Promise Program in the primary terms (fall and spring).

If I enroll in summer classes with less than 12 units and do not complete 66.67% of my classes, does this disqualify me as I will not be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?

No, you will not be disqualified.

If I lose eligibility for a term, can I regain it in the following term or the next academic year?

If you lose eligibility due to your academic progress for a fall or spring term – or due to not enrolling by the enrollment deadlines for any given term – then you are no longer eligible. There is no appeal process once eligibility is lost.

Is there an age limit for the start of a student’s first year?

You can be considered a first-time college student at any age. However, you must meet the first-time college student definition.

How are mid-year high school graduates who begin college enrollment in the spring handled when it comes to free tuition?

You may receive the Los Rios Promise Program only during two award years. Therefore, you could attend for the spring of the first award year, and then only for the summer, fall, and spring of the second award year.

If I completely withdraw or drop to less than full-time attendance (12 units), do I need to repay the grant/fee waiver? Can I regain eligibility in the program?

You do not need to repay the grant/fee waiver if you drop below full-time. However, you will not be able to regain eligibility. There is no appeal process once eligibility is lost.

Does attending adult education classes affect the first-time definition?

Adult education enrollment does not affect your classification as a first-time college student.

Must Los Rios Promise Program fee waiver recipients have attended high school within the college’s service area?

No, fees are covered for students who attended high school both inside and outside of the college service area.

Is the second year of the Los Rios Promise Program fee waiver for any full-time student?

No. Second-year fees can only be paid if you were a first-time student the year before and were full-time for all primary terms of the prior year. You must also have received the Los Rios Promise Program waiver during your first year.

I received the California College Promise Grant the first year but did not qualify the second year. Will I qualify for the Los Rios Promise Program during the second year?

Yes, you qualify. You will need to contact your campus’ Financial Aid Office.

The news media continues to describe the Los Rios Promise Program as “free college” for first-time, full-time community college students. Is this label accurate?

The actual provisions of the program have not been fully described in media coverage. The law allows districts to decide what is best for their students. Los Rios has opted to award on a first-come, first-served basis based on available funding.

Must I enroll in 12 units or more for every term I attend to receive a waiver of fees?

Generally, 12 units are required. Section 76396.3(c)(1) of the California Education Code states:

“For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: 'Full time' means 12 or more semester units or the equivalent."

To be eligible for a fee waiver, you must enroll in 12 units during the summer term.

However, to maintain continuing eligibility in the program, you must only enroll as a full-time student in primary terms (fall and spring). If you enroll in less than 12 units in the summer, or if you do not enroll in any summer units, then you do not lose eligibility to continue participation in the following fall term.

What is the full-time equivalent for DSPS students?

The Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Government Code section 11135, prohibit discrimination in programs that receive state funding. If you are a DSPS student whose Academic Accommodation Plan (AAP) permits you to take less than 12 units, then you should be considered full-time for eligibility under the College Promise.

Financial Aid and Fees