Section 110 ILCS 947/37 - Higher education license plate grant program(a) Each year, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall receive a separate appropriation for the purpose of providing grant assistance to students enrolled at Illinois private colleges and universities. Subject to a separate appropriation for such purposes, an applicant is eligible for a grant to a degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university located in this State under this Section when the institution finds that the applicant: (1) is a resident of this State and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States; and(2) in the absence of grant assistance, will be deterred by financial considerations from completing an educational program at the qualified institution of his or her choice.(b) The private college or university shall award renewals only upon the student's application and upon the institution's finding that the applicant: (1) has remained a student in good standing at a degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university located in this State;(2) remains a resident of this State; and(3) is in a financial situation that continues to warrant assistance.(c) All grants shall be applicable only to tuition and necessary fee costs for 2 semesters or 3 quarters in an academic year. Requests for summer term assistance must be made separately and shall be considered on an individual basis according to Commission policy. The institution shall determine the grant amount for each full-time and part-time student, which shall be the smallest of the following amounts: (1) $2,000 for 2 semesters or 3 quarters of full-time undergraduate enrollment or $1,000 for 2 semesters or 3 quarters of part-time undergraduate enrollment, or such lesser amount as the institution finds to be available; or(2) the amount that equals the tuition and other necessary fees for 2 semesters or 3 quarters required generally by the institution of all full-time undergraduate students, or in the case of part-time students an amount of tuition and fees for 2 semesters or 3 quarters that does not exceed one-half the amount of tuition and necessary fees generally charged to full-time undergraduate students by the institution; or(3) such amount as the institution finds to be appropriate in view of the applicant's financial resources. "Tuition and other necessary fees" as used in this Section includes the customary charge for instruction and use of facilities in general, and the additional fixed fees charged for specified purposes, which are required generally of nongrant recipients for each academic period for which the grant applicant actually enrolls, but does not include fees payable only once or breakage fees and other contingent deposits that are refundable in whole or in part. The Commission may prescribe, by rule not inconsistent with this Section, detailed provisions concerning the computation of tuition and other necessary fees.
(d) No applicant, including those presently receiving scholarship assistance under this Act, is eligible for grant program consideration under this Section after receiving a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent of 10 semesters or 15 quarters of award payments. The institution shall determine when award payments for part-time enrollment or interim or summer terms shall be counted as a partial semester or quarter of payment.(e) The Commission shall ensure that in each school year the total amount of grants awarded under this Section for study at each degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university in this State shall be at least equal to the total amount deposited into the University Grant Fund from the issuance or renewal of license plates bearing the name of that degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university during the calendar year preceding the calendar year in which the school year begins. The institution shall notify applicants that grant assistance is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds.
P.A. 89-424, eff. 6/1/1996; 90-278, eff. 7/31/1997; 91-670, eff. 12/22/1999.