Education

College Information and Financial Resources

RHODE ISLAND HIGHER EDUCATION AUTHORITY
560 Jefferson Blvd.
Suite 100
Warwick, RI 02886-1304
www.riheaa.org

The Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority was created to provide financial assistance to students and their families, which assists them in realizing their postsecondary educational goals.

Their mission is to enhance educational access and choice for the residents of Rhode Island by promoting equality of opportunity for postsecondary education to students who would otherwise be restricted financially from participating in the educational program best suited to them.

Main Number, General Inquiries	(401) 736-1100
Toll-Free	(800) 922-9855
TDD	(401) 734-9481
CollegeBoundfund	(401) 736-1141
Scholarships & Grants	(401) 736-1170
Loans	(401) 736-1160
Account Resolution	(401) 736-1120
Claims	(401) 736-1140

 

General Inquiries	info@riheaa.org
Questions about the CollegeBoundfund	collegeboundfund@riheaa.org
Questions about the Rhode Island State Grant program.	grants@riheaa.org
Questions about the Academic Promise or The College Crusade scholarship program.	scholarships@riheaa.org
Questions about your Stafford or PLUS loans	loans@riheaa.org
Questions about a defaulted student loan	accountresolution@riheaa.org
If you are a lender or servicer inquiring about a claim.	claims@riheaa.org
Questions/Comments about the web site	webmaster@riheaa.org

Other Financial / Educational Links:
Government Agencies

www.usa.gov

www.irs.gov/individuals/students/

www.ribghe.org
Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education
Shepard Building
80 Washington Street
Providence, RI  02903
(401) 456-6000
The mission of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education is to provide an excellent, efficient, accessible and affordable system of higher education designed to improve the overall educational attainment of Rhode Islanders and thereby enrich the intellectual, economic, social and cultural life of the state, its residents, and its communities.

www.studentaid.ed.gov
Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC)

Call our toll free numbers:
Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) . .. . . . . . 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)

TTY users (for the hearing-impaired) can call . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-730-8913

Callers in locations without access to 800 numbers may call  
1-319-337-5665 (this is not a toll free number)

The FSAIC staff can answer your student aid questions and can give you all the help you need—FREE—including:

• information about federal student aid programs;
• help completing the FAFSASM;
• help in making corrections to your Student Aid Report (SAR)—the document that contains your
• application results;
• information about the process of determining financial need and awarding aid;    and
• information about your federal student loans.

You can use the FREE FSAIC’s automated response system to find out if your FAFSA application has been processed and to request a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR).

 

www.irs.gov/individuals/students
American Opportunity Credit
Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), more parents and students will qualify over the next two years for a tax credit, the American Opportunity Credit, to pay for college expenses.

 

Association of Independent Colleges and
Universities of Rhode Island
30 Exchange Terrace
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401.272.8270 Fax: 401.272.9194
Daniel P.Egan, President    Email: degan@aicuri.org
Patricia Mulcahey, Assistant Director    Email: pmulcahey@aicuri.org

The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Rhode Island is an alliance representing the eight independent institutions of higher learning within the State of Rhode Island. Designed to address common interests and concerns of independent colleges and universities within the state, the Association serves as the collective and unified voice of its member institutions.

www.collegeboundfund.com/ri/

CollegeBoundfund is a flexible, tax-advantaged 529 college savings program sponsored by the state of Rhode Island. Your investment grows federal income tax free and distributions for qualified higher education expenses* are federal income tax-free. You may also benefit from special gift tax exclusions and estate tax advantages, as well as:

• A variety of investment choices including AllianceBernstein’s Education Strategies
• High contribution levels
• No income limits restricting who can participate

Note: Special benefits are available to Rhode Island residents

The CollegeBoundfund

The CollegeBoundfund, sponsored by the state of Rhode Island, is a flexible college savings program that helps make saving for a child’s higher education easier. Available to everyone-parents, grandparents, friends and family- it allows U.S. citizens and permanent residents to save today to meet the rising costs of higher education tomorrow.
CollegeBoundfund offers you many benefits:

• Tax-Free Earnings - Your investment in Collegeboundfund grows federal and Rhode Island state income tax free. Distributions for qualified higher education expenses are also federal and Rhode Island state income tax free.
• Tax-Deductible Contributions - Rhode Island taxpayers can now receive a state income tax deduction for contributions made to CollegeBoundfund of up to $1,000 for married couples filing jointly and $500 for individual filers. Contributions in excess of the annual limit can be carried forward to future years.
• No Income Limits - Everyone can invest in CollegeBoundfund because there are no income limits restricting who is eligible.
• Low Minimum Investments - If you are a Rhode Island resident and you sign up for one of the automatic investment plans available (convenient electronic deductions from your checking or savings account or your paycheck, if available) there is no minimum amount to open an account. If you choose to open an account by check or money order, you may do so with a minimum initial investment of only $250.
• Experienced Investment Management - Your investments in CollegeBoundfund are managed by AllianceBernstein Investments, Inc., one the most experienced investment managers in the world with over $452 billion in assets under management. Investment oversight is provided by Rhode Island's State Investment Commission, chaired by General Treasurer Frank T. Caprio.
• A Choice of Investment Options - CollegeBoundfund now offers an expanded choice of multiple investment options, including the Principal-Protection Income Portfolio (PPI). The objective of the Principal-Protection Income Portfolio is to generate higher returns than most money market funds from a portfolio of fixed-income securities protected from fluctuations in value typically associated with bond funds.

www.collegesavings.org
The College Savings Plans Network is a national non-profit association dedicated to making college more accessible and affordable for families. Our web site provides detailed information about 529 college savings plans and allows you to compare plans from around the country.

www.mappingyourfuture.org
Mapping Your Future is your free resource for career, college, financial aid, and money management information. Our goal is to help individuals achieve life-long success by empowering students, families, and schools with free, web-based information and services.

www.cpcri.org
At the CPC, we can assist you with selecting colleges, college applications and essays, applying for financial aid and more. Former college admission and financial aid officers staff the College Planning Center, so we know what happens on college campuses and can pass that knowledge on to you. Call today to make an appointment with an experienced college planning counselor. All of our services are
free of charge.

College Planning Center of RI - Warwick Office

The Warwick Mall
400 Bald Hill Road, near JC Penny entrance
Warwick, RI

Phone: 401-736-3170
Fax: 401-736-0104
Email: Staff@cpcri.org
Hours*
Monday - Friday: noon – 7 pm
Call ahead for Saturday, Sunday and holiday hours.

Northern RI Office

Boys & Girls Club of Cumberland Lincoln
1 James J. McKee Way
Cumberland, RI 02864

Phone: 401-475-3544
Email: Staff@cpcri.org
Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday. Call ahead for an appointment and hours.
 

East Bay Office
Bell Tower Plaza

576 Metacom Ave.
Bristol, RI
Phone: 401-396-5481

College Planning Center of RI/Latino College Access Coalition Providence Office

Elmwood Community Center
85 Atlantic Ave
Providence RI 02907
Phone: 401-654-4962
Email: Staff@cpcri.org

Hours: Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm

www.nebhe.org
New England Board of Higher Education
45 Temple Place
Boston, MA 02111
Tel. (617) 357-9620
Fax: (617) 338-1577

The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) promotes greater educational opportunities and services for the residents of New England. In pursuit of this mission, we work across the six New England states to:

• Engage and assist leaders in the assessment, development, and implementation of sound education practices and policies of regional significance.
• Promote policies, programs, and best practices to assist the states in implementing important regional higher education policies.
• Promote regional cooperation and programs that encourage the efficient use and sharing of educational resources.
• Provide leadership to strengthen the relationship between higher education and the economic well-being of New England.

www.thecollegecrusade.org
134 Thurbers Avenue
Suite 111
Providence, RI  02905
Tel. (401) 854 -5500

The College Crusade of Rhode Island is an innovative nonprofit organization founded in 1989 to reduce high school dropout rates and increase educational and career success for low-income urban youth. Each year we serve approximately 3,700 Crusaders from Rhode Island’s most disadvantaged communities – Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket. Our services combine the steady, nurturing presence of caring adults with a rich array of programs that focus on academic enrichment, social and personal development, career awareness and exploration, and preparation for postsecondary education. Students who are members of The College Crusade graduate and go right on to college at higher rates than their peers in the state’s urban school districts. Since 2001, we have awarded over $20 million in college scholarships to more than 2,700 graduates from Rhode Island high schools.  The College Crusade is funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s GEAR UP program, by the State of Rhode Island, and by private corporations, foundations, and individuals

www.teenanalyst.com/college

www.studentaid.ed.gov
Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, plays a central and essential role in America's postsecondary education community.
Federal Student Aid's core mission is to ensure that all eligible individuals benefit from federal financial assistance—grants, loans and work-study programs—for education beyond high school. The programs we administer comprise the nation's largest source of student aid. Every year we provide more than $100 billion in new aid to nearly 14 million postsecondary students and their families.
College Visions
115 Empire Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
(401) 490-3996
CollegeVisions@collegevisions.org
College Visions empowers low income and first-generation college-bound students to realize the promise of higher education by providing individualized advising and resources through college admissions, selection, and enrollment. College Visions promotes equal access to educational opportunities in historically under-served communities.
Youth join College Visions in the spring of 11th grade and remain in the College Access Program until they enter college 12-16 months later. As members of a college-bound community, students actively engage in College Vision’s benchmark-driven curriculum. Students participate in an intensive group workshop series the summer before senior year and then frequent one-on-one meetings with their CV advisor throughout the year.
http://www.collegevisions.org/collegeaccessprogram.html