Scholarships
Apply here!
New applicants, click "Sign Up" once you have an RRCC student email account
Care Forward Colorado
Complete the general scholarship application here to meet this eligibility requirement. Note: First time applicants, click "Sign Up." Returning applicants, click "Sign In" in the upper right-hand corner of Academic Works. Other Care Forward requirements can be found on the RRCC Financial Aid webpage.
RRCC Foundation Scholarships
The annual RRCC Foundation scholarship application is typically available online via Academic Works the first Friday of November through the first Friday of March. The 23/24* application is now closed. However, students can Click Here to apply for 24/25 RRCC Foundation scholarships as of November 3, 2023!
*For 23/24, the RRCC Foundation had additional funds and reopened the application from August 1st through September 9th. There will be a 2nd round of awarding for all RRCC students who had applied within the Nov - Mar time frame as well as the Aug - Sep time frame. Students will be notified via their cccs email (likely towards the end of October). For further information, visit the RRCC Foundation webpage, call 303.914.6308, or e-mail RRCC.Foundation@rrcc.edu.
CCCS Foundation Scholarships
The annual CCCS Foundation FormStack scholarship application is available online mid-March through mid-April each year. The 2023-2024 application closed 4/16/2023.
RRCC Institutional Scholarships
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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).
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Apply for admission to Red Rocks Community College.
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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.
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Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available in high school counseling offices or online at www.studentaid.gov. (ASSET students should complete the CASFA state aid application. If you're unsure of which application to use, please call the Financial Aid Office.
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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 our Lakewood campus and Arvada Campus.
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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.
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Upon receiving an award, ensure you consistently meet the following criteria:
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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.
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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.
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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 (Nov-Mar); for students whose parents have not earned a Bachelor's Degree
- RRCC-Warren Tech Scholarship - via Academic Works (Nov-Mar); for students who have earned RRCC credits while attending Warren Tech during the current school year
- Community Leaders Scholarship - via Academic Works (Nov-Mar); a highly competitive application, for students who have demonstrated a commitment to community service
High School 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 and 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 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Early graduation completion requirements by December 2023
- Minimum unweighted high school GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Colorado resident for tuition purposes, as determined by the College
- Current application for admission to Red Rocks Community College
- Be a U.S. citizen, or eligible non-citizen
Available: October 2, 2023
Deadline: December 1, 2023
Submit: High School Senior Achievement Application
Contact: Terri Cedillo, terri.cedillo@rrcc.edu(link sends e-mail), 303.914.6674
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.edu(link sends e-mail), 303.914.6674
Transfer Students
Planning to transfer upon graduation, to seek a bachelor's degree at another institution in Colorado?
Compare 4-year public institutions in Colorado here.
Compare 4-year private institutions in Colorado here.
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, 2023, or a recent graduate (since spring 2018).
- Plan to enroll full time in a baccalaureate program at an accredited college or university in fall 2023.
- 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 9, 2023 (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)
Denver Foundation–Reisher (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:
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Be a Colorado resident
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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)
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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.
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Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
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Have financial need with a total unmet need of at least $4,000 but not more than $11,000.
Covers:
$4,000 to $11,000 awarded per year, to approximately 350 students
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 put together a list of some common scholarships our students have received in the past or those donors have recently requested us to post.
Prior to searching for private scholarships, please read these ******** important tips *********
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 link.
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.
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
