Navigating Rice University's Online Resources: A Comprehensive Guide to ESTHER and the Rice Portal

Rice University offers a comprehensive suite of online resources designed to support students, alumni, and friends. These resources, accessible through platforms like ESTHER and the Rice Portal, provide access to essential information, facilitate communication, and streamline administrative processes. This guide will delve into the functionalities of these platforms, offering detailed instructions and addressing common queries.

Accessing and Utilizing the Rice Portal

The Rice Portal serves as a central hub for alumni and friends to connect with each other and engage with the university. It offers a variety of online resources to facilitate networking and staying informed about university happenings.

Registration and Access

Accessing the Rice Portal requires account registration. To sign up for your Rice Portal account, visit riceconnect.rice.edu. All members of the Rice community, including alumni and friends, are welcome to create a user account. If you already have a Rice Portal account, you can access it at riceconnect.rice.edu. To sign up for your Rice Portal account, visit riceconnect.rice.edu/login and click “New User Registration.” Please allow 3-5 business days for account activation.

New users will be given provisional access to the Rice Portal upon registering for an account. Full access will not be granted until that request is processed and the new user’s relationship to the university is verified. Once given full access, users can view and update personal contact information and communication preferences. Stay in touch with the Rice community by updating your contact information and communication preferences.

Troubleshooting Login Issues

To reset your Rice Portal password, simply visit riceconnect.rice.edu and click "reset password" under the login button. Special characters ( ! Also, you may need to wait up to 15 minutes after resetting your password to be able to successfully log in. Starting in 2022, you will need to reset your password every year. Length and character requirements will be listed when you go to change your password. Also, you may need to wait up to 15 minutes after resetting your password to be able to successfully log in.

If you've tried to reset your Rice Portal password and it's not working, please try again to reset your password with a unique password that meets the above criteria. Also, you may need to wait up to 15 minutes after resetting your password to be able to successfully log in. When resetting my password, the login prompt screen says Blackbaud Internet Solutions. Blackbaud Internet Solutions is Rice’s content management system that hosts the Rice Portal. After resetting your password, you will be led to a login page for BlackBaud Internet Solutions. Simply log in using your Rice Portal credentials.

Browser Compatibility

The Rice Portal does not support Internet Explorer. Any other browsers should work.

Rice Alumni Directory

You can access the Rice Alumni Directory through the Rice Portal at riceconnect.rice.edu. Contact information for alumni and friends of the university is in OwlConnect, Rice University’s advancement system, which was launched in 2018 and is powered by Blackbaud CRM.

Provisional Access

Rice Portal accounts require registration at riceconnect.rice.edu and remain provisional until verified by our department.

ESTHER: Managing Student Information and Registration

ESTHER is Rice University's online system for students to manage their academic records, register for courses, and access financial aid information.

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Accessing ESTHER

Log on to course registration via ESTHER, using your Rice NetID and password using Duo two-factor authentication.

Course Registration

Before selecting course, the system will display your Registration Status on this page, including your selected curriculum, earned credit hours, and any holds on your student account. Some holds prevent registration. You will be given the opportunity to clear any holds that prevent registration before proceeding to course selection. Follow instructions on this page to clear any holds preventing registration by following the Click here to view and clear registration holds hyperlink. Once all holds preventing registration have been cleared (or if you have no holds preventing registration), you are prepared for registration.

Select the Term for which you are registering by clicking the drop-down menu under Terms Open for Registration. In the Find Classes window, the default view is a simple search for classes by using a variety of criteria, such as subject code, course number, keyword, or by Distribution group. Enter the desired criteria, then click Search.

To perform a more detailed search, click Advanced Search within the Find Classes window. Specific criteria is available in an advanced search, such as instructor name, instructor evaluations, CRN, level (undergraduate or graduate), meeting days, meeting times, open sections, course range (lower-level or upper-level), and more. Enter the desired criteria, then click Search. To finalize the course request, click Submit in the Summary window. The status of the course will then turn green, and the course will be assigned a color within the Schedule window. Search for more classes by selecting the Find Classes tab and clicking Search Again. Clear previous search parameters by clicking Clear within the Find Classes window.

The courses listed in the Summary window with the status of Requested (in green) will comprise your desired schedule when the Course Request Period closes, at which time the Summary list will be locked from further changes, then submitted for the randomized ESTHER registration process. If you are satisfied with your proposed schedule (courses with the status of Requested (in green) in the Summary window) simply click the profile in the upper-right corner and sign out of your account. Adding courses to your proposed schedule does not officially enroll you in the class. You may continue to search for courses, add them to your proposed schedule, and submit them as your requested schedule until the end of the Course Request Period, at which time, course requests will be locked.

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ESTHER will systematically make course selections and populate your schedule via an automated and randomized process, based on the Course Request list you build. The system will display three windows on the Register for Classes tab, the Find Classes window at the top of the screen, the Schedule window (bottom left of the screen), and the Summary window (bottom right of the screen). These three windows are interactive, and can be expanded or collapsed. After the search results display from a simple or advanced Find Classes search, you can click the title of a course for more detailed information.

In addition to the simple search or the advanced search in the Find Classes tab, you may add courses to your schedule by entering the CRN (Course Reference Number) in the Enter CRNs tab. This also allows multiple courses to be added at once. To finalize the course request, click Submit in the Summary window. Search for more classes by selecting the Find Classes tab and clicking Search Again. Clear previous search parameters by clicking Clear within the Find Classes window.

Addressing Registration Errors

TIME CONFLICT: If you add proposed courses to your schedule that have overlapping meeting times, the system will select only one of the courses to be added to your schedule. If a course found in search results conflicts with courses already existing on the proposed schedule, the status will indicate Time Conflict!, and the system will not allow the course to be added to your schedule. You may select Remove from the Action drop-down menu within the Summary window (bottom right of the screen), then click Submit to remove the time conflict from your summary.
COREQUISITE: If you register for a course without also registering for the required corequisite, an error message will appear in the upper right corner that indicates which additional corequisite course is required. Select Web Registration Request from the Action drop-down menu within the Summary window (bottom right of the screen) for the first course. Then find the corequisite course in the Find Classes window, and click Add.
PREREQUISITE: If you attempt to add coursework for which you do not have the prerequisite, an error message will appear in the upper right corner that indicates a Prerequisite and Test Score error. After adding a course to your proposed Schedule and clicking Submit in the Summary window, you will see the error message in the upper right corner. You may select Remove from the Action drop-down menu within the Summary window, then click Submit to remove the course, or you may simply click Submit a second time, and the system will drop the course from the Schedule and Summary.

Viewing Schedules

To view your current schedule in a summary format or to view your schedules from previous semesters, log into ESTHER and in the registration area click on the Register, Add, or Drop Classes tile and then select View Student Schedules. Current semesters will only appear in the View Student Schedules tab (Look up a Schedule or Active Registrations) when registration has been completed for a given semester and you are officially enrolled in courses.

Financial Aid Information

The financial aid programs at Rice provide assistance to meet demonstrated need for university attendance for all admitted undergraduate students. Through grants, endowments, low-interest loans, campus work opportunities, or a combination of these programs, Rice makes every effort to provide students and families assistance to meet their educational expenses. The financial aid program receives funding from many sources. Rice uses contributions from alumni and friends to establish and maintain scholarships and loan funds. Federal and state grant, work, and loan programs also provide funds.

Applying for Financial Aid

The university determines need for first-time students by having them complete the College Scholarship Service (CSS) PROFILE. Students will complete the PROFILE online. The PROFILE number for Rice is 6609. First-time students also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA school code for Rice is 003604. The university determines need for continuing students by having them complete the FAFSA and the PROFILE.

“Need” is the amount required to meet the difference between each student’s basic educational expenses and the student's family’s resources. Parents are expected to contribute according to their financial means, taking into account income, assets, home equity, number of dependents, and other relevant factors. Rice University is a need-blind school. Applicants are admitted to the university regardless of their family’s ability to pay for college. Rice will meet 100% of demonstrated financial need as determined by university calculations. Rice considers applicants for all appropriate assistance administered by the university, including grants, scholarships, loans, and work.

Students receive notification of an offer after their financial aid files are complete and reviewed. Financial aid offers are determined annually. Award amounts are specified in the financial aid offer letter. Because financial circumstances change from year to year, Rice conducts an annual review of need and offers aid accordingly. The university, from time to time, may adjust its methods of computing financial need or its policies regarding the types of financial assistance that it offers to meet the financial needs of the largest possible number of students.

Disbursement of Aid

Financial aid awards during the academic year occur in two equal disbursements (fall and spring semesters), and are released to the student's account once all requirements are completed. The scheduled disbursements are credited a week prior to the start of each term or upon completion of financial aid requirements, whichever is later. Missing requirements may be reviewed through the financial aid tab in ESTHER.

Types of Financial Aid

Various need-based scholarships and grants are awarded to assist undergraduate students with demonstrated need. Institutional need-based grants (i.e. Merit Scholarships are offered through the Office of Admission to incoming students. Merit scholarships may only be used for coursework sponsored by Rice University.

Federal Direct Loans: These are low-interest loans made to students attending school on at least a half-time basis.
Federal Direct PLUS Loan: The PLUS loan is a low-interest loan to parents or legal guardians of dependent undergraduate students.
Private Education Loans: These nonfederal and state loans are available to students attending school on at least a half-time basis. Eligibility is not based on financial need. Loans may be subject to annual and aggregate limits. Total loans plus other resources cannot exceed the student's cost of education, as determined by Rice.
Employment Opportunities: Opportunities for employment are available to students, either on or off campus, during the academic year. Students are eligible to work under either the Federal Work-Study Program or the Rice Work Program.
Deferred Payment Plan: Rice offers a deferred payment plan to enable families to finance students’ educational costs. This plan divides each semester’s charge over four installments. Details are available to eligible students each semester at the time of billing.
Summer Aid: Degree-seeking Rice undergraduates who receive need-based aid during the academic year are eligible to receive financial aid toward Rice summer coursework. Summer aid is limited to two summer terms while an undergraduate at Rice with a maximum of nine credit hours of aid each summer semester. This aid is only available toward for-credit Rice Online, in class, or "Rice in Country" coursework, and for participants in other Rice faculty-led overseas programs offered for Rice credit during the summer.
Aid Eligibility Duration: Undergraduate students are eligible to apply for need-based Rice sponsored and federal/state/private aid during the first eight semesters at Rice; for transfer students the number of semesters is prorated based on the number of hours transferred. If a student is enrolled beyond eight semesters, the student may apply for federal/state/private aid for an additional two semesters.
Texas Equalization Grant (TEG): Texas residents may be eligible for a Texas Equalization Grant (TEG). Renewal requirements for TEG include a completion rate of 75%, cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, and completion of at least 24 credit hours per academic year. If a student encounters difficulty that prevented meeting any or all of these standards, a TEG hardship appeal may be submitted.
Provisional Acceptance to Graduate Program: In some cases, an undergraduate student may be accepted provisionally to a Rice graduate program, allowing the student to pursue graduate and undergraduate degrees simultaneously while still classified as an undergraduate student. In order to maintain need-based financial aid eligibility as a full-time undergraduate, the student must be classified as an undergraduate student and be enrolled in at least 12 undergraduate semester credit hours toward the undergraduate degree. If the undergraduate hours drop below 12 semester credit hours, then the need-based financial aid may be adjusted or canceled.
International Students: Need-based aid is available to international students and is decided on a case-by-case basis. If the student indicated on the application for admission that need-based aid would be required to attend, then the student must submit an application for need-based aid to the Office of Financial Aid, and that office will determine whether there is demonstrated need. Eligible students must reapply each year by submitting a CSS Profile.
Part-Time Enrollment: Financial aid may be reduced due to part-time enrollment. For undergraduate students, part-time is less than 12 semester credit hours and less than half-time is fewer than six semester credit hours.

Appealing Financial Aid Decisions

Some students may have unique circumstances or changes that are not evaluated within Rice’s standardized need analysis. In such individual cases, with adequate documentation, a student may request consideration of their special or unusual circumstances by submitting an appeal to the Office of Financial Aid. Appeals are reviewed by a committee. The committee includes other departments at Rice as needed (i.e. Dean of Undergraduates, Student Success Initiatives, Wellbeing, etc.). Appeals may be approved or denied.

Loan Counseling

Students who are recipients of federal student loans will be required to complete online loan entrance counseling before funds will be credited to student accounts. Students also will be required to complete online exit counseling at the completion of a program of study, enrollment of less than half-time, or withdrawal from Rice. Failure to complete online loan exit counseling will result in a transcript hold. Transcript holds are removed after loan exit counseling has been completed.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations (CRF § 668.34) require that students demonstrate satisfactory academic progress toward completion of their degree to continue to receive institutional, federal, and state financial aid. With the exception of the BArch degree program in architecture, eligibility for institutional aid is limited to the equivalent of 8 semesters of undergraduate enrollment, including coursework taken at other colleges and universities.

Satisfactory academic progress is comprised of three areas as required by federal regulations. A student must complete their degree within a specified period that does not exceed 150% of the published length of the program, demonstrate they are making progress towards the completion of their degree by successfully completing 67% percent of all attempted courses, and maintain a cumulative 1.67 GPA, which is consistent with meeting graduation requirements. Credits counted in the maximum time are all attempted credits (even when not a financial aid recipient).

Students are allowed to appeal their Financial Aid Suspension in cases of the death of a relative, an injury or illness of the student, or other special circumstances. Students must submit a letter discussing why the student failed to make satisfactory academic progress, and what has changed in the student's situation that will allow the student to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation. Supporting documentation (doctor's letter or academic plan) must accompany the appeal letter and must be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid prior to the beginning of the subsequent term.

If an appeal is approved by the Appeals Committee, the student will be placed on financial aid probation and may receive financial aid for one probationary semester. Students who have been suspended by the university for academic reasons need to be aware that if they are readmitted by the Committee on Examinations and Standing, they may not be eligible for financial aid based on their prior academic performance. Students who receive federal funds as part of their aid packages and do not complete the academic term may be subject to returning a portion of those funds.

Personal Information Management in ESTHER

Rice University recognizes that students may choose to use a preferred first name other than their legal first name to identify themselves. Rice University supports the right of students to update or change how their gender identity is identified in the university’s student system. Providing gender identity information is an optional feature and entirely voluntary. Students may add, edit, or remove their gender identity at any time within ESTHER, and their entered gender identity may be different from the legal sex.

Access to gender identity information in the university’s student system is and will be limited to individuals who have a legitimate business or educational need for this information. Rice University supports the right of students to add personal pronouns to their records in the university’s student system. Providing personal pronoun information is an optional feature and entirely voluntary. Students may add, edit, or remove their personal pronouns at any time within ESTHER.

Preferred First Name

To enter or update your preferred first name, students can do so at any time by logging into ESTHER, navigating to the new interface, and clicking on the Personal Information box. The university allows a student to submit a preferred first name that will appear in place of the student's legal first name in most university systems and records. Students can enter or update their preferred first name regardless of whether or not they have legally changed their name. The university reserves the right to remove any preferred first name that is deemed to be inappropriate, derogatory or misrepresentative (e.g., is being used in an attempt to avoid legal obligations or confuse one's identity with that of another).

Preferred first names are used in most of Rice's internal systems and external lists. The university will maintain a record of the student's legal name which will be used when required by university business, or legal need. When required by law, regulation, or business need, external reporting of your name will be your legal name. A student's name, including both the preferred and legal first name, is considered to be directory information under FERPA.

Display Name in WhooRU

To change your Display First Name in WhooRU, log in to your account and click on your profile tab (located on the top right side of your screen). The Display First and Last Names are editable. Be sure to click the Submit button at the bottom of your screen to save your changes.

FERPA and Directory Information

Under FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, directory information may be disclosed to the public. At Rice, FERPA directory information includes, but is not limited to, the student's preferred first name and entire legal name. Rice displays a student's preferred first name in the online directory, along with some other limited FERPA directory information. It is important to know that withholding directory information means that you will not be listed in the online directory and the university cannot confirm your student status (e.g., for the purposes of insurance verifications, graduation application, or potential employment) without your written consent.

Rice University ID Cards

Rice University ID Cards display the preferred first name on the front of the Rice ID. Rice community members (including faculty and staff, as well as students) may request a new, replacement ID card, for a small replacement fee. Rice IDs are maintained by the Identification Office, operated by and housed within the Rice University Police Department near the football stadium.

Legal Name Changes

Students who wish to change their legal first or last name must supply supporting legal documentation and complete the Biographical and Demographical Update Form for submission to the Office of the Registrar.

Pronunciation Recording

All students are asked to record and upload the pronunciation of your full name. When recording, please be certain to clearly articulate your full name (your preferred first name, your middle name (optional), followed by your last name). Phone will allow you to enter a phone number. You will receive an automated call that will allow you to speak your name for recording. Please be sure to follow the prompts.

Emergency Contact Information

Your emergency contact information indicates who you would like us to contact in the event that you, personally, are involved in an emergency situation.

Withholding Directory Information

In the Withhold my Directory Information field, select Yes to withhold your information or No to release your information (if you previously restricted it). Educational records are all records that contain information directly related to a student and are maintained by an educational agency or institution, or by a party acting on its behalf. Under FERPA, these types of records are considered confidential and are only released with written consent from the student.

Updating Biographical and Demographical Information

Students who wish to change their legal names (first, middle, and/or last name), update or correct their social security number (SSN), date of birth, race, ethnicity, citizenship, and SEVIS information should complete the Biographical and Demographical Update Form for submission to the Office of the Registrar. The upload mechanism used below has been approved by Rice IT Security for the transfer of confidential and sensitive information in accordance with Rice Policy 808 - Protection of Personally Identifiable Information.

Diplomas

Rice University Diplomas (when students formally apply for graduation, they are given the chance to provide the name to appear on the diploma).

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