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2017 SESSION

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SB 1527 Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program; changes to Program, Commonwealth Award grants.

Introduced by: Richard L. Saslaw | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program; grants. Makes several changes to the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program, including adding requirements that (i) each student eligible for the Program receive a grant from the institution's appropriations for undergraduate student financial assistance before Commonwealth Award grants are awarded to students with equivalent remaining need, (ii) each eligible student receive a Program grant in an amount greater than Commonwealth Award grants awarded to students with equivalent remaining need, (iii) each eligible student receive a Program grant in an amount greater than the grant of each eligible student with equivalent remaining need in the next-lowest class level, and (iv) each Program grant be determined by a proportionate award schedule adopted by each institution and vary according to each student's remaining need and the total of tuition, fees, and other necessary charges, including books. This bill is identical to HB 2427.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program; eligibility; renewal; amount of grants. Changes the student eligibility criteria for Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program grants by removing the requirement that the recipient be a dependent and by requiring the recipient to be enrolled full time. The bill places the following conditions on renewal of Program grants: (i) no recipient shall receive a subsequent grant until he has satisfied the requirements to advance to the next class level, as defined in the bill; (ii) no recipient shall receive more than one year of support per class level for a maximum total of two years of support at an associate-degree-granting public institution of higher education or more than one year of support per class level for a maximum total of four years of support at a baccalaureate public institution of higher education; and (iii) no recipient shall receive more than a combined lifetime total of four years of support. The bill permits public institutions of higher education to use Program funds to provide larger awards to students in a higher class level or to students who enroll in 15 or more credit hours per semester. The provisions of the bill become effective beginning with the first-time entering freshman class of the fall 2018 academic year.