Financial Aid

The School of Career Education now offers Federal Financial Aid for the following programs:

• Dental Assistant/RDA Eligible – Grindstaff II & Indio Campus
• IT Help Desk Professional – Alessandro & Indio Campus
• Medical Assistant – Alessandro & Indio Campus
• Patient Care Technician – Alessandro & Indio Campus
• Pharmacy Technician – Alessandro & Indio Campus

The School of Career Education administers Title IV funds which is the Federal Pell Grant and Direct Stafford Loans. The Federal Pell Grant is gift aid and does not require repayment.

Determine if you are eligible for Title IV funds by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and add the School of Career Education’s code 042084. The application can be found online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Pell Grant

The Pell Grant is available to undergraduate students. Graduate students in a teaching credential program may also qualify. This is gift aid and does not require repayment.

Types of Federal Loans

William D. Ford Federal Direct Stafford Loan

The Department of education is the guarantor for the low-interest federal loan program available to both undergraduate and graduate students. The program includes both subsidized and unsubsidized. Your eligibility for the Direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans is based on the information reported on the FAFSA.

Subsidized Loan

Interest is not charged on subsidized loans while the student is in school at least half-time, during your grace period, and during deferment periods. An interest rate of 3.73% is charged once the student has graduated.

Unsubsidized Loan

Interest at a rate of 3.73% is charged on unsubsidized loans during all periods.

If you have been awarded a Direct Loan you will need to activate it by completing the Entrance and Financial Awareness Counseling and electronically sign the Master Promissory Note (MPN).

Note: All interest rates shown above are for loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2023 and before June 30, 2024. Interest rates shown are fixed rates for the life of the loan.

Indio Campus ONLY

California Adult Education Program grant is available at our Indio Campus Only. Students can receive up to $2,000.00 in grant funds in addition to applying for Pell Grant. What does this mean? Please complete the FAFSA and attend Orientation, programs will fill fast.

California Adult Education Program Qualifications:

• Must be a Coachella Valley Resident (must show proof).
• Confirmation of 2024-2025 FAFSA completed.

Borrow Smarter. Sallie Mae® offers multiple repayment options, an interest rate reduction when you enroll in and make monthly payments via auto debit, the option to apply for cosigner release after certain requirements are met, and no origination fee. Apply at any time, up to 300 days before classes start. 

Apply Online at SallieMae.com

RCOE/SCE is not involved or responsible for any contract or loan agreement that the student has made with a private lender. If the student has any questions or concerns regarding their private loan, they should contact the lender immediately.

Some students receive tuition assistance from a public agency. If a student receives assistance from a public agency, the student must check with the agency representative to obtain an approved authorization form.

Payment Plan or In Full

The option of a payment plan is available to assist students who wish to enroll in School of Career Education (SCE) courses, but cannot pay the full fee at the time of registration. A $100.00, non-refundable processing fee will be charged to students choosing a payment plan.

All students on payment plans are required to set up a payment plan through the FACTS Management System and payments are made monthly on the 15th of each month. Once you have enrolled in an SCE program, you will receive an email with instructions on how to set up your FACTS account. Students have three days to set up their automatic payment plan.

All Job Upgrade and Continuing Education Classes less than $3,000 must be paid in full at the time of registration. Students may also pay the full payment at the time of registration with a cashier’s check, money order, Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express. This option allows students to pay for the program in full with no further payments due.

• Horatio Alger Association Career & Technical Scholarship
• FastWeb Scholarships

(It may take up to five business days for the school to receive your FAFSA.)

Go to www.studentaid.gov.

Complete the FAFSA Application.

Choose the 2025-2026 FAFSA year.

Enter Riverside County Office of Education/School of Career Education’s Federal School ID Number: 042084

OR

If you are a U.S. non-resident and meet the AB540 Residency requirement you may be eligible for financial aid through the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) online.

• Apply at Dream Act Application
• Be sure to include Riverside County Office of Education school code: 04208400

** Please note: If you worked in 2023, your FAFSA cannot be processed without tax information—no exceptions. You must create an FSA ID to submit your FAFSA. If you are a dependent, your parents will need an FSA ID as well. **

The application was sent to you after the orientation via email. The application must be completed to send your financial aid funding estimate. 

RCOE has partnered with an online company to automate the processing of federal financial aid applications using the Campus Ivy Financial Aid portal. After you have completed a FAFSA and SCE online application, Campus Ivy will send you an email to register your financial aid account. This is how you will access your funding estimate. 

(This step is mandatory if receiving loans.)  

Go to www.studentaid.gov under the “Loans and Grants” menu to complete both the Loan Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note.

Please be advised that financial aid will not be processed until both are completed.  

The Financial Aid Office will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please email your campus to schedule an appointment.

Email: scefinancialaid@rcoe.us

Riverside & Grindstaff Campus: (951) 826-4723 

Indio Campus: (760) 863-3333

If you have not previously received a Direct Loan or Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL), the Federal Government requires you to complete entrance counseling to ensure that you understand the responsibilities and obligations you are assuming.

If you are completing entrance counseling to borrow a loan as an undergraduate student, then the entrance counseling will fulfill counseling requirements for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans.

Complete Student Loan Entrance Counseling