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Rhode Island Office of Higher Education

Rhode Island Office of Higher Education
301 Promenade Street
Providence, RI 02908-5748
Phone: (401) 455-9300
Fax: (401) 455-9345
TTY: (401) 455-9331
Website: http://www.ribghe.org/


Rhode Island students have a bewildering number of college grants and scholarships available to them.

The Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority (RIHEAA) was set up to manage the largest programs.

It is also the guarantee agency for the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) in Rhode Island.

If you take out federal student loans through a RIHEAA lender, they will pay the federal default fee.

If you go through the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority or RISLA (a non-profit partner) the federal origination fee will be paid also.

And although the state does not officially offer private student loans, RISLA offers the Rhode Island Family Education Loan Program (RIFEL), alternative loans that feature:

  • a fixed rate of 7.74%

  • a minimum loan of $1,500 up to a maximum of $35,000 per year with a total maximum of $125,000

  • a 4% repayment fee added to the loan, instead of being due upfront

  • deferment until 6 months after graduation with a 15 year repayment schedule

  • cosigner release after 24 on-time payments

RISLA also offers a reward program for teachers, nurses and pharmacists who have taken out Stafford loans through them. The first 48 months of payments are interest-free; all repayment money will go to the loan principal for that period.

The FAFSA is the form that Rhode Island students also use to apply for a free government grant:

The Rhode Island State Grant

  • award is based on financial need

  • amount is $250-$2,000 per year- renewable for 4 or 5 years depending on the school's degree program

  • can be used at out of state schools

Check your Rhode Island FAFSA deadline.

Beginning with this year's FAFSA, Rhode Island will be one of three test states in which families have the option to use "FAFSA on the phone". They can call 1-800-4-FED-AID and have a government customer service representative help them fill out the form.


Another program that uses the FAFSA along with an SAT or ACT score is the:

Academic Promise Scholarship

  • awards up to $2,500 per year over four years, up to a total of $10,000
  • can be used at any school that allows federal aid
  • to keep the scholarship- 2.5 GPA the first year; 2.62 GPA the second year; 2.75 the third year

The formula for calculating the winners of this scholarship is: ((4731 - EFC)/10) + SAT Score or Adjusted ACT Score. The person with the highest score gets the first scholarship, the next highest gets the second, and so on. It's kind of like adding apples and oranges, but there you go. :)


There are more than 1,000 different college grants and scholarships available just to Rhode Island students. You can register for free online grant applications and information about all of them.


Also, check for nationwide college grants and scholarships that can be awarded to you.





college loan consultant FFELP loans overseen by the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education are in better shape than in most states. The reward programs are the closest thing the state has to loan forgiveness, although graduates can apply for federal student loan forgiveness programs.


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