SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2014 SESSION
14104726DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 23-38.53:6 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 23-38.53:6. Eligible students; criteria for awarding grants; amount; priority; renewals.
A. Only students who (i) are domiciled residents of Virginia
as defined by § 23-7.4 and who are graduates of a high school in the
Commonwealth with a cumulative secondary school grade point average of at least
2.5 on a scale of 4.0 or its equivalent, or (ii) are dependent
children of active duty military personnel residing outside the Commonwealth
pursuant to military orders and claiming Virginia on their State of Legal
Residence Certificate and satisfying the domicile requirements for such active
duty military personnel pursuant to subsection B of § 23-7.4, and who
are graduates of a high school inside or outside the Commonwealth with a
cumulative secondary school grade point average of at least 2.5 on a scale of
4.0 or its equivalent, and who (iii) (ii) (a) are accepted
for enrollment as dependent students in any public institution of higher
education in Virginia, and (iv) (b) are not receiving state
discretionary aid, including a Virginia Commonwealth Award, and (c) demonstrate
financial need as defined by the State Council of Higher Education shall be
eligible to receive such awards.
B. The amount of the Guaranteed Assistance Program grant
awarded students shall be determined annually by the State Council of Higher
Education. Eligibility for such awards shall be determined according to the
Congressional methodology for determining financial need and eligibility for
financial aid. Each eligible student shall receive such an award from
the institution's appropriations for undergraduate student financial assistance
before grants are awarded to students with equivalent remaining need.
C. Each eligible student shall receive an award in an amount greater than other grants awarded to students with equivalent remaining need.
D. Beginning with first-time students enrolled in the fall semester in 2014, each eligible student shall receive an award in an amount greater than the award of each eligible student with equivalent remaining need in the next-lowest class level.
E. The amount of each award shall vary according to each student's remaining need and the total of tuition, fees, and other necessary charges, including books. The actual amount of each award shall be determined by the proportionate award schedule adopted by each institution.
C. F. All grants shall be awarded for one year,
but may be renewed annually for no more than three subsequent years of study
and students shall not receive subsequent awards until they have satisfied the
requirements to move to the next class level. Each recipient may receive a
maximum of one year of support per class level for a maximum total of four
years of support at a four-year institution and a maximum total of two years of
support at a two-year institution, provided that in no case shall a recipient
receive more than a combined total of four years of support, if the
recipient:
1. Maintains at least a 2.0 grade point average on a scale of 4.0 or its equivalent;
2. Demonstrates continued financial need;
3. Makes satisfactory academic progress toward a degree,
earning not less than the minimum number of hours of credit required for
full-time standing in each academic period during enrollment at a public
institution of higher education in Virginia; and
4. Maintains continuous enrollment for not less than two semesters or three quarters in each successive academic year, unless granted an exception for cause by the State Council of Higher Education.