Free Tuition With the 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 College 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:
- Health Services fee
- Student Representation fee
- Books
- Transportation
- Living expenses
Eligibility Requirements
Student eligibility is based on funding availability. To be eligible, you must:
- Submit (and receive confirmation of processing) a complete CCCApply application for enrollment for the term for which you are applying.
- Be a California resident (learn about residency requirements).
- Complete a Financial Aid application – either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) – by the deadline.
- Enroll in at least 12 units by the deadline.
- Complete each semester with a minimum 2.0 GPA and a 66.67% completion rate (learn more about satisfactory academic progress, or SAP).
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/CADAA 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. You will automatically be awarded second-year funding if you:
- Submit the FAFSA/CADAA by the deadline.
- Enroll in a minimum of 12 units by the enrollment date requirement.
- Maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA, with a 66.67% cumulative completion rate (learn more about SAP).
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.
| Semester | Deadline for Completed/Processed FAFSA/CADAA | Deadline to be Enrolled in 12 or More Units |
|---|---|---|
| Summer 2025 | N/A | June 18, 2025 |
| Fall 2025 | September 8, 2025 | September 8, 2025 |
| Spring 2026 | February 2, 2026 | February 2, 2026 |
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 and/or if you fail to complete FAFSA/CADAA for the second year, then you will be ineligible for those terms.
Promise Program Frequently Asked Questions
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 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.
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).
No, you will not be disqualified for the first year in the program, but you must complete 66.67% of your units in the second year of the program.
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 will lose eligibility for that term only. There is no appeal process once eligibility is lost.
You can be considered a first-time college student at any age. However, you must meet the first-time college student definition.
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.
You do not need to repay the grant/fee waiver if you drop below full-time. However, you may not be able to regain eligibility. There is no appeal process once eligibility is lost.
Adult education enrollment does not affect your classification as a first-time college student.
No, fees are covered for students who attended high school both inside and outside of the college service area.
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.
Yes, you qualify. You will need to contact your campus’ Financial Aid Office.
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.
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.
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.
Want to Help Support Students?
Learn how you can help students reach their goals by giving to the Los Rios Colleges Foundation.