Undergraduate Aid Resources

Awards of at least $10,000 are given to two domestic first-year students participating in the National YoungArts Foundation competition. These scholarships are offered to students who exhibit outstanding academic and artistic achievement but do not necessarily demonstrate need. 

To be eligible for these scholarships, you must enter the YoungArts competition.

RISD participates in the Post 9/11 GI Bill® Yellow Ribbon Program, which provides additional financial assistance to US military veterans. Yellow Ribbon Program-eligible recipients receive RISD scholarship funds in conjunction with Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits, as well as Yellow Ribbon Program federal matching funds. These funds cover the full cost of RISD tuition and fees from all sources.

Participation is limited to 25 veterans. Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations stipulate that assistance be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

To be considered for this program you must provide a copy of your VA Certificate of Eligibility for the Yellow Ribbon to RISD. Qualified students seeking assistance for the upcoming academic year can begin submitting certificates on April 1; application materials submitted prior to April 1 are not accepted.

Please note that your total scholarship assistance cannot exceed tuition and fees. If an applicant receives scholarship assistance from RISD, $10,000 of this scholarship amount will be designated as the Yellow Ribbon match. If the total of scholarship assistance from RISD, the Yellow Ribbon Program and Chapter 33 benefits exceeds tuition and fees, the scholarship assistance offered by RISD will be reduced accordingly.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the US Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official US government VA benefits site.

Your completed FAFSA form determines your eligibility for:

• Federal Pell Grants
• Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants
• Most state grants

Please list RISD’s federal code 003409 on the FAFSA form so that the Financial Aid office receives your information.

Federal grants and most state grants are considered entitlement grants, based on financial need rather than merit.

Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are federal student loans offered by the US Department of Education to help eligible students cover the cost of higher education.

Interest on direct subsidized loans does not accrue as long as you are enrolled at least half-time at RISD. Repayment begins six months after graduation or when your enrollment falls below half-time.

You can find additional information, including rates, from the US Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office.

All borrowers need to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) with the Direct Loan program. First-time borrowers at RISD need to complete a loan entrance counseling session, even those who have borrowed at a previous institution.

Borrowers can complete these steps with ED’s Federal Student Aid office.

Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are federal student loans offered by the US Department of Education to help eligible students cover the cost of higher education.

Interest on direct unsubsidized loans begins to accrue at time of disbursement. Repayment begins six months after graduation or when your enrollment falls below half-time.

For additional information, including rates, visit the US Department of Education’s (ED) FAQ overview of subsidized and unsubsidized loans.

All borrowers need to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) with the Direct Loan program. First-time borrowers at RISD need to complete a loan entrance counseling session, even those who have borrowed at a previous institution.

Borrowers can complete these steps with ED’s Federal Student Aid office.

Creditworthy parents of a dependent undergraduate student can apply for a federal student PLUS loan. These loans may be used to replace all or part of the calculated family contribution for students who have completed a FAFSA. They are not based on demonstrated need.

RISD will not certify a PLUS loan until it accepts a student for admission and the student has paid a commitment deposit to attend. Please visit Federal Student Aid for PLUS rates and additional information.

A parent (biological, adoptive or stepparent) listed on a student’s FAFSA should first apply for the PLUS loan and then the PLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN).

Apply for the PLUS loan by July 15 before each academic year. If denied, please email Student Financial Services for counsel.

Credible provides borrowers with competitive, personalized loan offers from multiple vetted lenders in real time without impacting the borrower’s credit. It is not a lender or a bank. Rather, Credible partners with a number of leading lenders to offer options that best fit the needs of the student and allows students to analyze prequalified rates, terms and eligibility rules side by side.

Go to Credible

ELMSelect lets you compare loans and select the one that best suits student needs. With ELMSelect, you can view, filter and compare private student loan options from lenders included on RISD’s lender list.

Go to ELMSelect