Scholarships

RRCC Foundation Scholarships

Apply now for Fall 2024/Spring 2025 - click here to apply! The deadline is September 15, 2024.

The Fall 2025/Spring 2026 application will be available online via Academic Works in November 2024.    

For further information, visit the RRCC Foundation webpage, call 303.914.6308, or email RRCC.Foundation@rrcc.edu.  


CCCS Foundation Scholarships

The 24/25 CCCS Foundation scholarship application is now closed.  Keep an eye out for the 25/26 application mid-March 2025!   

 


RRCC Institutional Scholarships

  1. To be eligible for RRCC scholarships or awards, you must be a U.S. citizen, eligible non-citizen, or a DACA/ASSET recipient; and a Colorado resident (based on RRCC's Colorado Residency policy).

  2. Apply for admission to Red Rocks Community College.

  3. Applicable scholarship applications are available through the Financial Aid Office and the Red Rocks Community College Foundation. Each of these scholarships has different criteria and deadlines, but all are available to qualified RRCC students. Additionally, eligible new and current Red Rocks students may qualify for various forms of financial aid options.

  4. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available in high school counseling offices or online at https://studentaid.gov.  (ASSET students should complete the CASFA state aid application.  If you're unsure of which application to use, please contact the Financial Aid Office.)

  5. Call our Financial Aid Office 303.914.6256 to clarify any questions about financial aid and to ensure you have the correct documentation to complete your file. Financial Aid is located in Student Affairs at the Lakewood campus and Arvada Campus.

  6. Ensure you meet each applicable deadline for scholarships.  Scholarship deadlines vary, and most applications are due in the spring for the following school year. The annual priority deadline to apply for grants, student loans, and work-study funding is April 15th for the upcoming school year.

  7. Upon receiving an award, ensure you consistently meet the following criteria:

  • A Red Rocks Community College or Red Rocks Community College Foundation scholarship will only be valid for students enrolled at this college. Red Rocks Community College defines "full-time" enrollment as 12 credit hours per semester. Annual scholarships are defined as fall and spring semesters in the same academic year. Scholarship students who receive need-based financial aid or other additional awards may see a reduction to their original scholarship award.

  • Maintain a RRCC minimum grade point average of 2.0, or higher, as determined by your scholarship requirements. A GPA below 2.0 may result in a scholarship being canceled.  The Financial Aid Office is the first point of contact for all scholarship questions.

  • Red Rocks Community College does not unlawfully discriminate in its admissions, education programs, activities, or employment policies on the basis of race, age, sex, religion, color, national origin, or disability, and is subject to Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended. Red Rocks Community College also complies with the Veterans Readjustment Act of 1973, sections 503 and 504.

Incoming high school graduates may apply for additional institutional scholarships that pertain, including the following:

  • High School Early Senior Achievement Scholarship - a paper application available at the link below; for students who will graduate high school one semester early
  • First-Generation Scholarship - via Academic Works (December 15 through March 1); for high school graduates whose parents have not earned a Bachelor's Degree
  • RRCC-Warren Tech Scholarship - via Academic Works (December 15 through March 1); for high school graduates who have earned RRCC credits while attending Warren Tech during the current school year
  • Community Leaders Scholarship - via Academic Works (December 15 through March 1); a highly competitive application, for high school graduates who have demonstrated a commitment to community service and/or volunteerism

Note: High school graduates may apply for all applicable opportunities of the four listed above but can receive only one of the scholarships.  For example, a student awarded the First-Generation Scholarship cannot also receive HSSA, RRCC-Warren Tech and/or Community Leaders.


High School Early Senior Achievement Scholarship

The High School Early Senior Achievement Scholarship is for the high school student who has completed all of their high school graduation requirements by December of their Senior year of high school, who wants a jump-start on their college education. This scholarship requires 6 to 12 credit hours of enrollment during each of the following three semesters: Spring 2025, Fall 2025, and Spring 2026. 

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Early high school graduation completion requirements by December 2024. 
  • Minimum unweighted high school GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale)
  • Colorado resident for tuition purposes (can be ASSET), as determined by the College
  • Current application for admission to Red Rocks Community College 
  • Be a U.S. citizen, or eligible non-citizen (to include DACA)

Deadline: December 6, 2024
SubmitHigh School Early Senior Achievement Scholarship Application
Contact: Terri Cedillo, terri.cedillo@rrcc.edu303.914.6674


RRCC Post-GED/HiSET Scholarship

Eligibility:

  • GED or HiSET recipient
  • Colorado resident, eligible for College Opportunity Fund (COF)

Covers: Tuition only, up to 12 credits, for one semester
Value: Varies
Deadline for fall semester:  The first Friday in June
Deadline for spring semester: The first Friday in December
Submit: RRCC- Post-G.E.D./H.S.E. Scholarship Application
Contact: Terri Cedillo, terri.cedillo@rrcc.edu303.914.6674


Transfer Students

(Also see Reisher and Jack Kent Cooke below.)

Planning to transfer upon graduation, to seek a bachelor's degree at another institution in Colorado?
Compare Colorado 4-year public institutions' costs here.
Compare Colorado 4-year private institutions' costs here.

A few great deals for students who qualify:
Adams State STARS grant & Robert Noyce Scholarship
MSU-Denver Indigenous & Native People's Grant
Western Colorado University Mountaineer Promise

Important Notes: 

  • The above information was gathered during the 21/22 academic year and represents a snapshot of other institutions.  Please check the institutions' sites for up-to-date information.
  • Colorado has a FREE college application day (usually in October), on which students are not charged the application fee.  The 4-year public colleges/universities participate, as well as the private universities in the link above.  For the exact date, please check the Colorado Department of Education's website.
  • Depending on the college, you may be able to determine which of your credits will transfer at the Transferology site.
  • Some colleges offer differential tuition or guaranteed/locked-in tuition rates to community college graduates.  Some require on-campus housing, a pre-paid meal plan, daily parking, and/or health insurance coverage.  Some offer an Eco Pass (public transportation) at a discounted rate.  These are all factors to consider when planning your budget.
  • Undocumented students should ask whether the 4-year schools they're consdiering partner with TheDream.US.
  • Lastly, if you're unsure of what major you will choose, some colleges' tuition rates are based on the major.  Before committing to a major, you may want to determine the job propsects in that field, as well as the average income an employee in that field will earn.  You can find that data and more on the U.S Department of Labor's site.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation (Transfer Scholarship)

Eligibility:

  • Be a current student at an accredited U.S. community college or two-year institution with sophomore status by January 1, 2024, or a recent graduate (since spring 2019).
  • Plan to enroll full time in a baccalaureate program at an accredited college or university in fall 2024.
  • Have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.5 or better on a scale of 4.0 (or the equivalent).
  • Demonstrate significant unmet financial need. JKCF anticipates that a majority of scholarship recipients will be eligible to receive a Pell grant.
  • Have not previously been nominated for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
  • Have not previously enrolled at or attended a four-year institution.

Covers: Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational expenses – including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees – for the final two to three years necessary to achieve a bachelor’s degree. Awards vary by individual, based on the cost of tuition as well as other grants or scholarships he or she may receive.
Value: Up to$55,000 per year to approximately 45 deserving community college students transferring to a 4-year college or university
Deadline: January 11, 2024 (11:59 pm local time zone). 
Submit: All materials must be submitted directly to JKCF online.
RRCC Contact: Soomin Chun-Hess at Soomin.Chun-Hess@rrcc.edu(link sends e-mail)link sends e-mail)


Reisher (Denver Foundation Transfer Scholarship)

Eligibility:

The Reisher Scholars Program supports students who demonstrate academic and leadership potential as undergraduates. Community college transfer students enter the program as juniors.  For details visit Denver Foundation.

Applicant Requirements:

To be selected as a Reisher Scholar, a student must:

  • Be a Colorado resident

  • Plan to enroll in the fall as a full-time college student working toward their first four-year degree at one of the Reisher Partner Universities (CMU, CSU, CSU-Pueblo, MSU-Denver, UCCS, UCD, UNC)

  • Demonstrate one or more of the following personal qualities: highly motivated, goal-oriented, responsible, and/or likely to make a contribution to society as evidenced by community service, leadership activities, work experience, or unusual experiences.

  • Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.

  • Have financial need with a total unmet need of at least $4,000 but not more than $11,000.

Please contact the Colorado Community College Foundation for Reisher Bridge to Bachelor's Program details.  Foundation@cccs.edu or 720.858.2802

CSU Reisher info


External/private Scholarships

Scholarships are free money used to pay for tuition and fees and are awarded to students based on various criteria.  Scholarship criteria may include academic achievement, personal qualities, or financial need, and usually reflect the values of the donor. Most scholarships have application deadline dates. It is imperative to pay attention to the deadline dates of each scholarship to increase your chances of being selected for the award.  

We've created a list of scholarships that students have received in the past and requests that donors have asked us to post.  In order to avoid scams, please read these Important Tips prior to searching for any private scholarships.

Click here for a list of private scholarships.


Denver Scholarship Foundation

The Denver Scholarship Foundation is a Red Rocks Community College scholarship partner, supporting the success of Denver Public Schools graduates enrolled at RRCC through their scholarship awards and collaborative student success initiatives.   

For deadlines and details, visit the DSF Student Portal.


Students who were in foster care in the state of Colorado on or after the age of 13:

Colorado Department of Education's FosterEd program can pay for your entire cost of attendance.  Submit your documentation to the RRCC Financial Aid Office to see if you qualify.

Forward Steps Foundation


Scholarship Search Engines and Sites:

Listed below are some of the most common avenues for you to locate scholarships. When searching and applying for scholarships online, be mindful of sharing your personal information. Students searching for money to attend school may seem like easy targets for scammers.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission's website on common scholarship scams. While there are legitimate fee-based scholarship search engines, you can find the same information for free elsewhere. We recommend avoiding fee-based services.

Sallie Mae College Planner

Fastweb.com

Novoresume.com

US Department of Labor

MyColoradoJourney.com

CollegeBoard.org

We recommend searching for scholarships that are specific to your area of study, and based on your interests and personal qualities.


Other Scholarship Sources

  • Scholarship foundations of K-12 schools attended
  • Public libraries
  • Federal, state, county and local agencies
  • Places of worship
  • Businesses
  • Professional organizations and associations
  • Chambers of Commerce
  • Membership clubs
  • Employer