§ 116-21.2. Legislative tuition grants to aid students and licensure students attending private institutions of higher education. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 116‑21.2.  Legislativetuition grants to aid students and licensure students attending privateinstitutions of higher education.

(a)        Grants forStudents. – In addition to any funds appropriated pursuant to G.S. 116‑19and in addition to all other financial assistance made available toinstitutions, or to persons attending these institutions, there is granted toeach North Carolina undergraduate student attending an approved institution asdefined in G.S. 116‑22, a sum, to be determined by the General Assemblyfor each academic year which shall be distributed to the undergraduate studentas provided by this subsection. A full‑time North Carolina undergraduatestudent shall be awarded the full amount of the tuition grant provided by thissection. A part‑time North Carolina undergraduate student who is enrolledto take at least nine hours of academic credit per semester shall be awarded atuition grant in an amount that is calculated on a pro rata basis.

(a1)      Grants for LicensureStudents. – The legislative tuition grant provided by this section shall alsobe granted to each full‑time licensure student who is enrolled in aprogram intended to result in a license in teaching or nursing at an approvedinstitution. The legislative tuition grant provided by this section shall beawarded on a pro rata basis to any part‑time licensure student who isenrolled to take at least nine hours of undergraduate academic credit persemester in a program intended to result in a license in teaching or nursing atan approved institution. The legislative tuition grant and prorated legislativetuition grant authorized under this subsection shall be paid for undergraduatecourses only. If a course is required for licensure, but is designated as bothan undergraduate and graduate course, for purposes of this subsection, thecourse shall be considered an undergraduate course.

(b)        Administration ofGrants. – The tuition grants provided for in this section shall be administeredby the State Education Assistance Authority pursuant to rules adopted by theState Education Assistance Authority not inconsistent with this section. TheState Education Assistance Authority shall not approve any grant until itreceives proper certification from an approved institution that the student orlicensure student applying for the grant is eligible. Upon receipt of thecertification, the State Education Assistance Authority shall remit at thetimes as it prescribes the grant to the approved institution on behalf, and tothe credit, of the student or licensure student.

(c)        Student orLicensure Student Change of Status; Audits. – In the event a full‑timestudent on whose behalf a grant has been paid in accordance with subsection (a)of this section or a full‑time licensure student on whose behalf a granthas been paid in accordance with subsection (a1) of this section is notenrolled and carrying a minimum academic load as of the tenth classroom dayfollowing the beginning of the school term for which the grant was paid, theinstitution shall refund the full amount of the grant to the State EducationAssistance Authority. If a part‑time student on whose behalf a proratedgrant has been paid in accordance with subsection (a) of this section or a part‑timelicensure student on whose behalf a prorated grant has been paid in accordancewith subsection (a1) of this section is not enrolled and carrying a minimumacademic load of nine credit hours per semester in the undergraduate class asof the tenth classroom day following the beginning of the school term for whichthe grant was paid, the institution shall refund the full amount of the grantto the State Education Assistance Authority. If the matriculated status of afull‑time student or a full‑time licensure student changes to amatriculated status of part‑time student or part‑time licensurestudent by the tenth classroom day following the beginning of the school termfor which the grant was paid, the institution shall refund only the differencebetween the amount of the full‑time grant awarded and the amount of thepart‑time grant that is awarded pursuant to this section. Each approvedinstitution shall be subject to examination by the State Auditor for thepurpose of determining whether the institution has properly certifiedeligibility and enrollment of students and licensure students and creditedgrants paid on behalf of them.

(d)        Shortfall. – In theevent there are not sufficient funds to provide each eligible student orlicensure student with a full or prorated grant as provided by subsection (a)of this section or a full or a prorated grant as provided by subsection (a1) ofthis section:

(1)        The Board ofGovernors of The University of North Carolina, with the approval of the Officeof State Budget and Management, may transfer available funds to meet the needsof the programs provided by subsections (a), (a1), and (b) of this section; and

(2)        Each eligiblestudent and licensure student shall receive a pro rata share of funds thenavailable for the remainder of the academic year within the fiscal periodcovered by the current appropriation.

(e)        Reversions. – Anyremaining funds shall revert to the General Fund.  (2001‑424, s. 31.1(a);2006‑66, s. 9.13(d); 2007‑323, s. 9.13(a); 2008‑107, s.9.11(a); 2009‑451, s. 9.8(a).)