A. The payment of tuition or fees, except fees established for the purpose of paying for course materials, such as laboratory fees, shall be provided for a person who is a bona fide domiciliary of Virginia, as defined in § 23-7.4, and who:
1. Has received a high school diploma or has passed a high school equivalency examination approved by the Board of Education and was in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Social Services or is considered a special needs adoption at the time such diploma or certificate was awarded, or was in foster care when he turned 18 and subsequently received a high school diploma or passed a high school equivalency examination approved by the Board of Education;
2. Is enrolled or has been accepted for enrollment as a full-time or part-time student, taking a minimum of six credit hours per semester, in a degree or certificate program of at least one academic year in length in a public two-year institution of higher education in the Commonwealth;
3. Has not been enrolled in postsecondary education as a full-time student for more than five years and/or does not have a prior bachelor’s degree;
4. Maintains the required grade point average established by the State Board for Community Colleges;
5. Has submitted applications for federal student financial aid programs for which he may be eligible; and
6. Demonstrates financial need and meets any additional financial need requirements established by the State Board for Community Colleges for the purposes of such grant.
B. The State Board for Community Colleges, in consultation with the State Council of Higher Education and the Department of Social Services, shall establish regulations governing such grants. The regulations shall include, but shall not be limited to, provisions addressing renewals of grants; financial need; the calculation of grant amounts, after consideration of any additional financial resources or aid the student may hold; the grade point average required to retain such grant; and procedures for the repayment of tuition and fees for failure to meet the requirements imposed by this section.
History
2000, c. 968; 2009, cc. 430, 603; 2014, c. 84.
