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2015 SESSION
15101203DBe 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 for Virginia
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 2015, 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 for Virginia.