CHAPTER 3. NURSING SCHOLARSHIP FUND - Indiana Statutes

IC 21-13-3
     Chapter 3. Nursing Scholarship Fund

IC 21-13-3-1
Nursing scholarship fund; established
     Sec. 1. (a) The nursing scholarship fund is established:
        (1) to encourage and promote qualified individuals to pursue a career in nursing in Indiana; and
        (2) to rectify the shortage of nurses in Indiana.
    (b) The fund consists of the following:
        (1) Appropriations by the general assembly.
        (2) Gifts to the fund.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-2
Administration of fund
     Sec. 2. (a) The commission shall administer the fund.
    (b) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid from money in the fund.
    (c) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same manner as other public funds. Interest that accrues from those investments must be deposited in the fund.
    (d) Money in the fund at the end of a fiscal year does not revert to the state general fund but remains available to be used for providing money for nursing scholarships under this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254. Amended by P.L.234-2007, SEC.52.

IC 21-13-3-3
Use of fund; eligibility requirement; amount of award
     Sec. 3. The money in the fund must be used to provide annual scholarships to nursing students who qualify by demonstrating a financial need and meeting the requirements in this chapter. An annual scholarship awarded under this subsection is equal to the lesser of the following amounts:
        (1) The balance of the student's total cost of tuition or fees in attending the eligible institution for the academic year.
        (2) Five thousand dollars ($5,000).
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-4
Use of fund; approval of award
     Sec. 4. A scholarship awarded under this chapter may be used only for the payment of educational costs that are:
        (1) approved by the approved postsecondary educational institution that awards the scholarship; and
        (2) not otherwise payable under any other scholarship or form of financial assistance specifically designated for educational costs. As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-5
Qualifications for initial scholarship
     Sec. 5. To initially qualify for a scholarship from the fund, a nursing student must:
        (1) be admitted to an approved postsecondary educational institution as a full-time or part-time nursing student in a program that will meet the requirements to allow the student to obtain licensing as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse under IC 25-23-1;
        (2) agree, in writing, to work as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse providing direct patient care in:
            (A) an acute care or specialty hospital;
            (B) a long term care facility;
            (C) a rehabilitation care facility;
            (D) a home health care entity;
            (E) a hospice program;
            (F) a mental health facility; or
            (G) a facility located in a shortage area (as defined in IC 16-46-5-6);
        in Indiana for at least two (2) years following graduation;
        (3) meet any other minimum criteria established by the commission; and
        (4) demonstrate a financial need for the scholarship.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254. Amended by P.L.55-2009, SEC.1.

IC 21-13-3-6
Qualifications for scholarship renewal
     Sec. 6. To qualify for a scholarship renewal from the fund, a nursing student must:
        (1) comply with the criteria set forth in section 5 of this chapter;
        (2) maintain at least the cumulative grade point average:
            (A) that is required by an approved postsecondary educational institution for admission to the approved postsecondary educational institution; or
            (B) equivalent to 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale, as established by the approved postsecondary educational institution, if the institution's nursing program does not require a certain minimum cumulative grade point average; and
        (3) demonstrate a continuing financial need for the scholarship.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-7
Term of student eligibility
     Sec. 7. Subject to section 11 of this chapter, a scholarship awarded may be renewed under section 6 of this chapter for a total number of terms that does not exceed:
        (1) eight (8) full-time (or part-time equivalent) semesters; or
        (2) twelve (12) full-time (or part-time equivalent) quarters. As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-8
Renewal of scholarship; restriction
     Sec. 8. The approved postsecondary educational institution may not grant a scholarship renewal to a student for an academic year that ends later than six (6) years after the date the student received the initial scholarship under this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-9
Information; number of nursing students
     Sec. 9. The commission for higher education shall provide the commission with the most recent information concerning the number of nursing students enrolled at each approved postsecondary educational institution.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-10
Allocation of fund
     Sec. 10. The commission shall allocate the available money from the fund to each approved postsecondary educational institution that has a nursing program in proportion to the number of nursing students enrolled at each approved postsecondary educational institution based upon the information received from the commission for higher education.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-11
Determination of scholarship recipients
     Sec. 11. Each approved postsecondary educational institution shall determine the scholarship recipients under this chapter based upon the criteria set forth in this chapter and the rules adopted by the commission. In addition, the approved postsecondary educational institution shall consider the need of the applicant when awarding scholarships under this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-12
Reallocation of fund
     Sec. 12. Any funds that:
        (1) are allocated to an approved postsecondary educational institution; and
        (2) are not used for scholarships under this chapter;
shall be returned to the commission for reallocation by the commission to any other eligible institution in need of additional funds.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-13 Maintenance of records
     Sec. 13. The commission shall maintain complete and accurate records in implementing the program, including the following:
        (1) The number of scholarships awarded under this chapter.
        (2) The number of individuals who fulfilled the agreement described under section 5 of this chapter.
        (3) The number of individuals who did not fulfill the agreement described under section 5 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.

IC 21-13-3-14
Duties of eligible institutions
     Sec. 14. Each eligible institution shall provide the commission with information concerning the following:
        (1) The awarding of scholarships under this chapter.
        (2) The academic progress made by each recipient of a scholarship under this chapter.
        (3) Other pertinent information requested by the commission.
As added by P.L.2-2007, SEC.254.