Federal Financial Aid programs are funds administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Detailed information concerning these funds may be found in The Student Guide or the FAFSA. You may also obtain information by calling the U.S. Department of Education's toll-free number: 1-800-433-3243 (hearing-impaired individuals may call 1-800-730-8913). Federal Aid Programs are the largest, least restrictive, and most commonly received programs.

The programs that the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs directly awards to our students are listed below.

Pell Grant (PELL)

A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are awarded usually only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's or a professional degree. (In some cases, however, a student enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program might receive a Pell Grant.) Pell Grants are considered a foundation of federal financial aid, to which aid from other federal and nonfederal sources might be added.

The maximum Pell Grant award for the 2010-11 award year (July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011) is $5,550. The maximum amount can change each award year and depends on program funding. The amount a student may receive, though, will depend not only on their financial need, but also on their costs to attend school, their status as a full-time or part-time student, and their plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

For information about RCC's "Year-Round Pell Policy," please click here.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) program is for undergraduates with exceptional financial need. Pell Grant recipients with the lowest expected family contributions (EFCs) will be considered first for a FSEOG. Just like Pell Grants, the FSEOG does not have to be repaid.

You can receive between $100 and $4,000 a year, depending on when you apply, your financial need, the funding at the school you're attending, and the policies of the financial aid office at the school you choose to attend.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

An Academic Competitiveness Grant provides $750 for the first year of study and $1,300 for the second year. Note: The amount of the ACG, when combined with a Pell Grant, may not exceed the student's cost of attendance. In addition, if the number of eligible students is large enough that payment of the full grant amounts would exceed the program appropriation in any fiscal year, then the amount of the grant to each eligible student may be ratably reduced.

To be eligible for each academic year, a student must

be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen;
be a Federal Pell Grant recipient;
be enrolled at least half-time in a degree program;
be a first or second-year undergraduate student or a student in a certificate program of at least one year in a degree program at a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution
have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study (after January 1, 2006, if a first-year student, and after January 1, 2005, if a second-year student); and
if a first-year student — not have been previously enrolled in an ACG-eligible program while at or below age of compulsory school attendance; or
if a second-year student — have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale as of the end of the first year of undergraduate study.

Federal Work Study (FWS)

The Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program is federally funded by The United States Department of Education to provide need-based employment for college students. FWS allows students to work part-time while attending an institution of higher learning. Students must have financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you are interested in applying for the Work-Study program at RCC, please visit our Federal Work Study page.

Career Development/Placement

RCC offers career assessments, vocational guidance, occupational resource information, job listings, and career decision-making instruction through the JobLink Career Center, Student Support Services, and the Student Services counseling staff.

JobLink Career Center
The JobLink Career Center, located on Randolph Community College’s Asheboro Campus, is a partnership among the Employment Security Commission (ESC), Department of Social Services (DSS with WorkFirst program), Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), Regional Consolidated Services (RCS with Job Training Partnership Act or JTPA program), public schools (with JobReady/School-to-Work program), and Randolph Community College. Operating hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tuesday from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

JobLink’s convenient location in the Administration/Education Center, Room 123, provides students and residents with easy access to a variety of resources and services offered by the partner agencies. Typical services include academic/vocational assessments, job-seeking and keeping skills, employment referral, job openings in print and on computer, and career counseling. In addition, students may seek assistance through programs such as JTPA, VR, and WorkFirst; and English as a Second Language (ESL) and Human Resources Development (HRD) classes.

Student Support Services
The Student Support Services (SSS) Program is one of six Federal TRIO Programs that provides educational outreach assistance to students from disadvantaged backgrounds (first-generation, low-income and disabled).The goal of the Student Support Services program is to increase the College’s retention and graduation rates and to assist students with the college transfer process. Eligible students can receive a host of services ranging from on-campus tutoring; career, academic, and personal counseling; use of the computer lab; and the ability to check out academic support equipment such as laptop computers, calculators, or tape recorders. Student Support Services works closely with Disability Services as students with disabilities may be eligible for additional services.