§3205. Amount of grants.

(a) Full-time student assistance grants.--Grants awarded under this subchapter to full-time students shall be determined by the agency without regard to financial need and shall not exceed for each academic year the lesser of:

(1) the tuition of the approved institution of higher learning for the approved program of education in which the member is enrolled; or

(2) the tuition charged to a resident of this Commonwealth at a member institution of the State System of Higher Education for the same academic year.

(b) Part-time student assistance grants.--Grants awarded under this subchapter to part-time students who do not possess a baccalaureate degree shall be determined by the agency without regard to financial need and shall not exceed for each academic year or period the lesser of:

(1) the tuition for the part-time course of study in which the member is enrolled; or

(2) two-thirds of the tuition charged to a resident of the Commonwealth at a member institution of the State System of Higher Education for the same academic year or period.

(b.1) Part-time student assistance grants for students possessing baccalaureate degrees.--Grants awarded under this subchapter to part-time students who possess a baccalaureate degree shall be determined by the agency without regard to financial need and shall not exceed for each academic year or period the lesser of:

(1) one-half of the tuition for the part-time course of study in which the member is enrolled; or

(2) one-third of the tuition charged to a resident of this Commonwealth at a member institution of the State System of Higher Education for the same academic year or period.

(c) Other grants and financial aid.--

(1) The agency shall not reduce the amount of other agency grants or aid for which the eligible member qualifies on account of the member's eligibility for or receipt of grants under this subchapter.

(2) Prior to making a grant under this chapter, the approved institution of higher learning shall first consider any Federal tuition assistance received by the eligible member and then shall award a grant under this chapter if the eligible member requires additional financial aid to cover the costs of attendance for an approved program of higher education. A grant under this chapter shall be paid or refunded to the eligible member for approved costs of attendance. Grants authorized under this section shall be reduced so that the total of all Federal and State military education benefits, as administered by the Pennsylvania National Guard, do not exceed 100% of the costs of attendance.

(d) Adjustments.--If the agency and the Adjutant General determine that the amount appropriated for the program in any year will be insufficient to provide grants in the amounts set forth in this section to all eligible members, the agency and the department may reduce the maximum amount of the grants proportionately or set a limit on the number of participants to ensure that sums expended do not exceed appropriations.

(May 10, 2000, P.L.36, No.11, eff. July 1, 2000; July 7, 2006, P.L.598, No.87, eff. 60 days; June 26, 2014, P.L.791, No.78, eff. July 1, 2014; June 26, 2014, P.L.807, No.82, eff. 60 days)

Notation

2014 Amendments.  Act 78 amended subsecs. (a), (b), (b.1) and (c) and Act 82 amended subsec. (c). Act 82 overlooked the amendment by Act 78, but the amendments do not conflict in substance and have both been given effect in setting forth the text of subsec. (c).