Paying for College: Consortium Agreement

Paying for College: Consortium Agreement

Many students take online classes at Rio Salado College to supplement their curriculum at another college or university. For example, ASU students often prefer to save money on their general education courses by enrolling in transferable online classes at Rio Salado College.

The purpose of a consortium agreement is to ensure that you receive the financial aid for which you are eligible based on your program of study. By completing the Consortium Agreement, you can take courses at your Home School during the same semester you take courses at your Host School and receive financial aid based on the combined eligible credits.

Here are some things you should know about consortium agreements

• Where’s the money? Students will only receive financial aid from one institution.
• Where are you earning the degree? The college where you receive your financial aid and the school where you intend to earn your degree/certificate is the Home School.
• Know your host school: The Host School is where you are not receiving financial aid, and the college where you temporarily take courses for credit that will be transferred back to the Home School.
• Complete the form: The consortium agreement form can be found in the Financial Aid Forms Center. 
• Allow time for processing: A consortium agreement typically takes 7-10 business days to process. 
• Be sure to ask: Not all schools will qualify for a consortium agreement with Rio Salado College. 
• Know the deadline: The Consortium Agreement is due no later than your assigned Semester Block Start Date.  The semester start and end dates for the Host School must fit within your assigned Semester Block.

Note: Coursework from the participating school that overlaps from one semester to the next at the Home School could cause adjustments or delays to current and future disbursements of student aid funds.

Have questions? The Rio Salado College Financial Aid Office is now LIVE! Monday - Friday 9:00a-3:00p