Admissions FAQs

Submit an online application. For additional information on the application process, click here.

Review the getting started page.

Username format is:

First Name.Last Name and last 4 digits of  Student ID

Example: john.smith1234

Your password is your 6-digit birthday, example: 120895 if born on December 8, 1995. If you are having problems logging in, please contact Technical Support.

You can check your student portal for any holds on your record. For step-by-step instructions, please watch the video: How to view holds

If you do not have a registration time ticket, it may be because you have not applied for the semester you are attempting to register for, or your application has not yet been processed. Please allow 24–48 hours for processing. Once your application is processed, you will be able to register for classes at your assigned time.

Your registration date can be located either on our registration dates and times page or through AccessRío:

• Log in to AccessRío
• Click the Registration tab
• Click Registration Status

To learn how to register or add a class, please watch the following video for step-by-step instructions: How to add a course

To learn how to drop a class, please watch the following video for step-by-step instructions: How to drop a course

If the class is full, you should add yourself to the waitlist before the semester begins. Once the semester starts, you will need to attend the class to see if the instructor can provide you with an add code.

If the class is online, please email the professor to ask if you may receive an add code. You can find the professor’s email address next to the CRN when viewing the class schedule.

You may be notified by the department if your class is canceled. Please connect with a counselor to help you find another class. Your fees will automatically be adjusted or refunded.

All registrations must be completed electronically through AccessRío. Please watch the following video for step-by-step instructions:  How-To Tutorial: Add/Drop a Course

A prerequisite is a course that must be completed before enrolling in your desired course. If you have questions, please contact the Counseling Center for assistance.

Yes. If you are using a class taken at another school, official transcripts must be on file to clear the prerequisite. Please send official transcripts to [email protected].

You should also bring any supporting documentation (e.g., syllabus, catalog description) from the other school to help your counselor establish equivalency. Please contact the Counseling Center for prerequisite clearance.

The CRN (Course Reference Number) is a five-digit number that identifies a specific section of a course. This CRN is essential for students to identify and register for specific courses. The CRN is found in the college’s class schedule and is used during the registration process

A waitlist is a line of students waiting for a seat to be open that is already full.  The following tutorial shows how to join or leave a waitlist using AccessRio.  

When you register for classes, each course has a limited number of seats. Once all available spots are taken, the class becomes full. That is where the waitlist begins. Once a class is full, you will see the option to add yourself to the waitlist.  

On AccessRío, go to the Registration page. On the Summary tab, look under the “Status” column. The status for the course should say waitlisted. 

Great! You are now in line for an open seat. If a seat opens and it is your turn on the waitlist, you will be automatically enrolled in that class. Our system checks for open seats every 5 minutes. You may regularly check your RíoMail inbox for notifications regarding your waitlist status. 

The following video provides instructions on how to view your waitlist position using Access Río. 

On AccessRío, go to the Registration page. The go to View Registration Information. Select the appropriate term and select the Schedule Details button. Look for the “Waitlist Position” text, and the number that follows is your position number.

The option to join a waitlist will close on the first day of the course. Students who were already waitlisted prior to the start date of the course will remain on the waitlist roster. 

Not all classes will have a waitlist. Classes that are restricted for certain cohorts or those that are not available for open enrollment might not have a waitlist and will close once all seats are filled. 

Unfortunately, being on a waitlist does not guarantee that you will join the course.  

No, it will not since you do not receive a letter grade. 

You may either speak with the instructor to see if you can obtain an add code to join the course, or remove yourself from the waitlist.  

Yes! Please visit the View Class Schedule page on the Río Hondo College homepage. Once you have searched for course, look for the “status” column for the designated course.

An “add code” is a special authorization code given by the instructor to allow a student to enroll in a course that is otherwise full, waitlisted, or closed. This code is used to add the class to your schedule in the college’s registration system, AccessRío. 

• For an in-person class, attend the class and ask the instructor if they can provide you with an add code. It is at the discretion of the instructor to provide students with an add code.  

• For an online class, you must contact the instructor via email and ask if they can provide you with an add code. Please include the five-digit CRN in your email. It is at the discretion of the instructor to provide students with an add code. 

Please note: Add codes are issued at the instructor’s discretion. 

For a full breakdown, view the Enrollment Fees, Paying Your Fees, and Student Financial Obligations page or contact the Cashier’s Office at (562) 463-7097.

Cashier’s Window – In-Person Assistance SS180

No. All refunds are processed automatically after the last day to drop classes with a refund has passed.

Refunds are processed after the last day to drop classes with a refund has passed.

Please check the Important Dates and Deadlines for your semester.

Please note: Some classes have different start and end dates, which means the refund drop date may vary by class. Always review the class schedule to confirm the drop date for each course you are enrolled in.

If you need help finding your drop date, please review the step-by-step instructions for viewing drop dates.

Your refund will be mailed to the address on record. It should arrive about 45 business days after the last day to drop classes with a refund has passed.

To get a copy of your 1098-T, click here.

Fees are due as soon as you register for a class. Failure to pay your fees promptly will prevent you from registering for the next term and from receiving transcripts. A hold will remain on your record until the fees are paid.

You can pay your enrollment fees through AccessRío, or in person at the payment window during the first two weeks of the semester.

Your student number will be included in the Welcome email you receive after your application has been processed. Please check your spam or junk folder if you don’t see an email from Río Hondo College within 24–48 hours.

If you still haven’t received it, contact the Admissions & Records Office:

Admissions & Records Office
Student Services Building – Room SS120

Phone: (562) 463-7639
Email: [email protected]

To recover a forgotten student number, you can:

1. Visit the Admissions & Records counter with a valid photo ID.

2. Submit a request online by filling out  Recover Student ID Number.

Please note:

• If your name has changed since attending Río Hondo College, you must provide supporting documentation (e.g., court/divorce documents, marriage license).

• For online requests, your student ID number can only be emailed to the address currently on file.

Admissions & Records Office
Student Services Building – Room SS120

Email: [email protected]

We are unable to disclose a student ID number over the phone because this is confidential information.

You can either:

• Join us via Zoom and present a valid government-issued photo ID, then answer a few verification questions.

• Visit the Admissions & Records Office in person with a valid government-issued photo ID.

Admissions & Records Office
Student Services Building – Room SS120
Río Hondo College
3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA 90601

Email: [email protected]

Visit our transcripts page.

Visit our transcripts page.

Visit our transcripts page.

Taking classes “Pass  / No Pass” means that you are requesting to receive credit for a course without receiving a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F. As long as you earn the equivalent of an A, B, or C, you will receive a “Pass” for the grade of record on your official transcript. If you earn the equivalent of a D or F, you will receive a “No Pass”. Classes taken “Pass / No Pass” do not affect your GPA.

In addition to courses in which all students are evaluated on a “Pass / No Pass” basis, students may enroll in one course each semester on a “Pass / No Pass” basis. They may elect at registration, or no later than the end of the third week, whether the basis of evaluation is to be “Pass / No Pass” or a letter grade. (For summer school, this is by the end of the first week.)

Important: Students will not be allowed to request a letter grade after the dates listed on the Río Hondo College website, nor request a letter grade for previously completed courses in which they earned a “Pass”.

This depends on the class format. The three most common formats are full term, first half, and second half. The drop dates for these classes can be viewed on the Important Dates and Deadlines page.

Please note that many classes are offered in other formats and have different drop dates unique to the class. It is recommended that students refer to the class schedule to verify the drop date for each specific class they are enrolled in.

Visit our Graduation page for more information on Graduation and Commencement. If you still need more information please drop by the Admissions and Records office (Room SS-120) or contact us for more information.

For the Fall and Spring semesters, the minimum requirement to be considered full-time is 12 units. During the Summer semester, the minimum is 4 units.