CHAPTER 186
STATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Sec. 10a-161. (Formerly Sec. 10-116l). Duties of Board of Governors of Higher Education re student financial assistance. The Board of Governors of Higher Education shall: (1) Establish policy pertaining to student financial assistance under sections 10a-163 and 10a-167 to 10a-169, inclusive; (2) establish procedure by regulation, for the award of financial assistance under sections 10a-167 and 10a-169; (3) review and approve applications for financial assistance under sections 10a-163, 10a-168 and 10a- 169; (4) receive and review records of all financial assistance granted pursuant to section 10a-167; (5) increase the availability of the state financial assistance programs to all segments of the state population, with significant attention to those with special needs; and (6) assist financial aid officers at institutions of higher education and secondary school guidance counselors in becoming better informed about matters concerning student financial assistance affairs. The Board of Governors of Higher Education shall appoint a seven-member advisory committee on student financial assistance matters. At least one member shall be a financial aid officer at a public institution of higher education; at least one member shall be a financial aid officer at an independent institution of higher education; at least one member shall be a Connecticut student from a public institution of higher education in the state; at least one member shall be a Connecticut student from an independent college or university in the state; and, at least one member shall be a public secondary school guidance counselor.
(P.A. 77-530, S. 2, 11; 77-573, S. 24, 30; P.A. 78-331, S. 27, 58; P.A. 81-157, S. 2, 14; 81-408, S. 2, 3; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; 82-472, S. 152, 183; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 87-256, S. 2; 87-450, S. 12, 17; P.A. 88-136, S. 33, 37.)
History: P.A. 77-573 substituted board of higher education for commission for higher education; P.A. 78-331 made technical change in Subsec. (c)(1), substituting "and" for "or"; P.A. 81-157 deleted Subsecs. (a) and (b) re appointment of chairman and committees and re board of higher education's duties concerning financial assistance programs and transferred duties formerly held by state student financial assistance commission under former Subsec. (c) to board of higher education, adding policy-making power and provisions re appointment of five-member advisory committee; P.A. 81-408 clarified board's policy-making powers by listing specific statute sections in Subdiv. (1); P.A. 82-218 reorganized higher education system, replacing board of higher education with board of governors, effective March 1, 1983; P.A. 82- 472 made no change; Sec. 10-116l transferred to Sec. 10a-161 in 1983; P.A. 84-241 added "of higher education" to board of governors' title; P.A. 87-256 added two Connecticut students to the advisory committee, one from a public institution and one from an independent institution; P.A. 87-450 deleted references to Secs. 10a-164 and 10a-165 which were repealed elsewhere in the act; P.A. 88-136 deleted references to Sec. 10a-162 which was repealed by the same act.

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Sec. 10a-161a. Report to the General Assembly on cost and financial aid trends. The Commissioner of Higher Education shall report, biennially, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education on state, northeast regional and national trends in (1) the cost of attendance at public and independent institutions of higher education and private occupational schools and (2) the availability and utilization of all forms of student financial aid relative to economic conditions and personal income.
(P.A. 94-180, S. 9, 17.)
History: P.A. 94-180 effective July 1, 1994.

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(a) There is established a Student Financial Aid Information Council. The council shall consist of: (1) The Commissioners of Higher Education, Education and Banking, or their designees, and the State Treasurer, or his designee; (2) a representative each designated by the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority, the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation and the Connecticut Association of Professional Financial Aid Administrators; (3) four members appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall represent private occupational schools, one of whom shall be a high school guidance counselor, one of whom shall be an academic officer at an independent institution of higher education and one of whom shall be a financial aid officer at a public institution of higher education; and (4) one member appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives who shall be a finance officer at a public institution of higher education, one member appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives who shall represent private occupational schools, one member appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives who shall be a finance officer at an independent institution of higher education, one member appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate who shall be a financial aid officer at an independent institution of higher education, one member appointed by the majority leader of the Senate who shall be a high school guidance counselor and one member appointed by the minority leader of the Senate who shall be an academic officer at a public institution of higher education. Appointments shall be made and the Commissioner of Higher Education notified of such appointments by October 1, 1994. The Commissioner of Higher Education shall be the chairperson of the council and he shall convene the first meeting of the council by November 1, 1994.
(b) The council shall (1) develop procedures to improve student financial aid policy and increase resources, (2) develop methods to improve financial aid awareness, especially among middle and high school students and their families and (3) coordinate financial aid delivery. The council shall be assisted in their responsibilities by the Department of Higher Education and the Connecticut Association of Professional Financial Aid Administrators.
(P.A. 94-180, S. 10, 17.)
History: P.A. 94-180 effective July 1, 1994.

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Sec. 10a-162. (Formerly Sec. 10-116m). State scholarship program. Eligibility for awards after July 1, 1982; termination of program. Section 10a-162 is repealed.
(P.A. 77-530, S. 3, 11; 77-573, S. 24, 30; P.A. 78-331, S. 28, 58; P.A. 81-157, S. 3, 14; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 88-136, S. 36, 37.)

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Sec. 10a-162a. State scholarship program for nursing education and program for the forgiveness of loans provided by the state for nursing education. The Board of Governors of Higher Education, in consultation with the State Board of Examiners for Nursing and the Commissioner of Public Health, shall administer a scholarship program for nursing education within the state and shall establish a program for the forgiveness of loans provided by the state to residents for nursing education within the state. The loans shall be forgiven if the resident remains in the nursing field in Connecticut for five years. For purposes of this section, "nursing education" includes any program of study and courses taken to enter or to advance in the profession or to upgrade knowledge and skills. The board of governors, in consultation with the State Board of Examiners for Nursing and the Commissioner of Public Health, shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to establish procedures to administer the scholarship program for nursing education and the program for the forgiveness of loans provided by the state to residents for nursing education.
(P.A. 88-207, S. 3; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58.)
History: P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995.

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Sec. 10a-163. (Formerly Sec. 10-116n). Teacher incentive loan program for training in areas of teacher shortages. Eligibility requirements. Loan repayment and forgiveness provisions. (a) There is established a teacher incentive loan program which shall be administered by the Board of Governors of Higher Education of the state system of higher education.
(b) The Commissioner of Education may, by December first, annually, determine a maximum of five fields in which a critical shortage of teachers exists and certify the shortage to the Board of Governors of Higher Education. In determining fields of critical teacher shortages, the commissioner shall consider the following, including but not limited to: (1) The number of teacher vacancies in a particular field of study; (2) the number of new certificates in a particular field of study issued by the state Department of Education during the preceding year; and (3) the number and types of classes being taught by persons whose training is not specific to the field in which they are teaching.
(c) Full-time undergraduate students in their junior or senior years and full-time graduate students who have been admitted to a teacher education program approved by the State Board of Education and accredited by the Board of Governors of Higher Education and which prepares an individual for teaching in a field designated by the Commissioner of Education as an area of critical teacher shortage shall, within available appropriations, be eligible for student loans under this program in an amount not greater than five thousand dollars per year for not more than two years.
(d) Independent and public sectors of higher education shall be allotted a portion of available teacher incentive loan program nominations based upon the sector's percentage of provisional teaching certificates awarded by the state Department of Education to persons who graduate from eligible institutions during the preceding twelve- month period. For the purposes of this section, an eligible institution shall mean an independent college or university, as defined in section 10a-37, or a public college or university, as defined in section 10a-1, which offers approved teacher education programs. Eighty per cent of all nominations allotted to a particular sector shall be distributed to colleges with the teacher education programs on the basis of the number of provisional teaching certificates awarded to graduates of colleges within that sector during the previous twelve-month period. The remaining twenty per cent of available nominations to colleges within each sector shall be assigned by the Commissioner of Higher Education taking into consideration the number of teacher education programs or unique programs in shortage areas available at each eligible college.
(e) Loan candidates shall be nominated by eligible institutions to the Department of Higher Education. Nominations shall be based upon, but not limited to, the following criteria: (1) The candidate's academic standing; and (2) the candidate's performance in courses necessary to teach in a designated area of critical shortage. In the event the number of eligible and qualified students applying for such loans is in excess of the number of loans available, Connecticut residency and financial need may be considered in determining nominees.
(f) (1) Loan repayment and interest charges shall commence twelve months after the loan recipient has terminated at least half-time student status. Students who render services as a certified teacher in a Connecticut public school in an area of critical teacher shortage or, on and after July 1, 1989, in a private special education facility approved by the State Board of Education, on at least a half-time basis as certified by the local superintendent of schools, or by the authority responsible for the operation of such special education facility, shall have their loans forgiven as follows: Ten per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of one year of teaching; twenty-five per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of two years of teaching; forty-five per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of three years of teaching; seventy per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of four years of teaching; and one hundred per cent forgiveness upon the completion of five years of teaching. If a loan recipient is teaching less than full-time in the shortage area or in such special education facility, such superintendent or authority shall certify to the Department of Higher Education that a full-time position was not available. Recipients who teach in a priority school district as designated by the state Department of Education pursuant to section 10-266p of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to 1991, shall have their loans forgiven as follows: Thirty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon completion of one year of teaching; sixty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon completion of two years of teaching; and one hundred per cent forgiveness upon the completion of three years of teaching. If a recipient has taught in a priority school district and in a nonpriority school district the Department of Higher Education shall formulate an appropriate forgiveness schedule.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, students who receive loans for one academic year only shall have their loans forgiven as follows: Thirty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of one year of teaching; sixty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of two years of teaching; and one hundred per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of three years of teaching. Recipients who receive loans for one academic year only and who teach in a priority school district as designated by the state Department of Education pursuant to section 10-266p of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to 1991, shall have their loans forgiven as follows: Forty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of one year of teaching; and one hundred per cent forgiveness upon the completion of two years of teaching. If a recipient has taught in a priority school district and in a nonpriority school district, the Department of Higher Education shall formulate an appropriate forgiveness schedule.
(3) The interest rate for loan awards made under this program shall be determined in accordance with subsection (t) of section 3-20.
(4) The Commissioner of Higher Education may grant loan deferments to a recipient when the recipient is teaching in a subject area determined to have a critical teacher shortage or when it is determined by the commissioner that loan repayment would present an unjust hardship to the recipient. Interest charges will not accrue to the recipient during deferment periods approved by the commissioner. The commissioner may forgive loans if the commissioner determines that such action is required due to the death or disability of the recipient or because the loan is uncollectible in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(5) A recipient meeting the forgiveness or deferment provisions of this section must apply for loan forgiveness or deferment to the Commissioner of Higher Education. Requests for loan deferments must be submitted prior to the period for which a deferment is requested. An application for loan forgiveness must be received by the commissioner within one year of the last day of the period for which the recipient is applying for loan forgiveness. Forgiveness will not be granted for teaching services performed prior to or during the loan award period. Recipients who enter into the loan repayment period will be required to make a minimum monthly payment of fifty dollars unless exception is granted by the Department of Higher Education. A recipient shall have up to five years in which to repay loans granted pursuant to the provisions of this section, except that when it is determined by the commissioner that loan repayment would present an unjust hardship to the recipient, a recipient shall have up to seven years in which to repay such loans. Deferment periods shall not be included in the repayment period.
(6) The Commissioner of Higher Education may designate a staff member or employee to perform the duties imposed under subdivisions (4) and (5) of this subsection.
(P.A. 77-530, S. 4, 11; P.A. 81-157, S. 5, 14; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; P.A. 83-556, S. 1, 5; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; 84-376, S. 1, 3; P.A. 85-377, S. 4, 13; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1, S. 40, 58; P.A. 87-416, S. 10, 24; P.A. 90-147, S. 14, 20; P.A. 92- 262, S. 34, 42; P.A. 93-201, S. 16, 24.)
History: P.A. 81-157 transferred administration of grant program from state student financial assistance commission to board of higher education; P.A. 82-218 reorganized system of higher education, replacing board of higher education with board of governors, effective March 1, 1983; Sec. 10-116n transferred to Sec. 10a-163 in 1983; P.A. 83-556 entirely replaced former section concerning scholarships for graduate training of teachers in specific fields with a teacher incentive loan program for the training of undergraduate students and graduate students without prior teacher certification in teacher shortage areas; P.A. 84-241 added "of higher education" to board of governors' title; P.A. 84-376 amended Subsec. (b) changing date of determination from January to December first and clarifying that the board shall identify a maximum of five fields in which a "critical" teacher shortage exists, amended Subsec. (c) stipulating that "full-time" undergraduate and graduate students were eligible for the loans, deleted provisions of Subsec. (d) and substituted procedure for allocating loans between the public and private sectors, changed time at which rate of interest is fixed in Subdiv. (2) of Subsec. (f) from time borrower begins repayment to the date the loan is awarded, in Subdiv. (4) of same Subsec. deleted provisions re submission of applications for loan forgiveness and deferment within five years after borrower enters repayment period and substituted language requiring deferment requests to be submitted prior to the period for which a deferment is requested and within one year of the last day of the period for which a borrower is applying for loan forgiveness and repealed Subsec. (g) re revocation of a teaching certificate if the borrower fails to repay any loan and interest; P.A. 85-377 substituted commissioner of education for state board in Subsecs. (b) and (c); May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1 amended Subsec. (f) by providing in Subdiv. (1) that a recipient have terminated at least half-time student status rather than have terminated student status in the program for which the loan was tendered and by providing a five-year forgiveness schedule for teaching in an area of critical teacher shortage and a three-year schedule for teaching in a priority district, added a new Subdiv. (2) to provide alternate schedules for students who receive loans for one academic year only, renumbered Subdivs. (2) to (4), inclusive, substituted the prevailing prime interest rate for the rate borne by bonds of the state, provided that the interest rate remain fixed for all subsequent awards, substituted "recipient" for "borrower" and made other technical changes; P.A. 87-416 provided that the interest rates on loans would be determined in accordance with Subsec. (t) of Sec. 3-20; P.A. 90-147 in Subsec. (b) made the education commissioner's determination of fields of critical shortage permissive, in Subsec. (c) made eligibility for loans subject to available appropriations and in Subsec. (f) made the loan forgiveness provisions apply to students who render services in approved private special education facilities and provided a seven-year repayment period when there is a determination that repayment would present an unjust hardship; P.A. 92-262 amended Subsec. (f) to make a technical change; P.A. 93-201 amended Subdiv. (4) of Subsec. (f) to add the provision on uncollectible loans, effective July 1, 1993.

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Sec. 10a-163a. Teacher incentive loan program and academic scholarship loan program funds. The Board of Governors of Higher Education is authorized to establish and administer a fund to be known as the Teacher Incentive Loan Program Fund and a fund to be known as the Academic Scholarship Loan Program Fund. All teacher incentive or academic scholarship loans and interest repayments made to the Board of Governors of Higher Education and all unexpended balances of allocations made pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 8 of special act 82-46, as amended by section 3 of public act 83-556 and section 5 of public act 85-479, shall be added to the respective funds. The Board of Governors of Higher Education may (1) make expenditures from these funds to provide for: (A) Administrative and loan servicing costs; and (B) teacher incentive or academic scholarship loans as authorized under subsection (m) of section 2 of special act 82-46, as amended by section 2 of public act 83-556 and section 4 of public act 85-479 and (2) on and after July 1, 1995, transfer moneys, received as repayment of loans, from these funds to the appropriation to the Department of Higher Education for capitol scholarship grants pursuant to section 10a- 169. These funds shall not lapse or revert to the General Fund of the state.
(P.A. 83-556, S. 4, 5; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 85-479, S. 1, 6; P.A. 94-180, S. 8, 17; P.A. 95-259, S. 25, 32; P.A. 98- 252, S. 54, 80.)
History: P.A. 84-241 added "of higher education" to board of governors' title; P.A. 85-479 amended section to establish academic scholarship loan program fund; P.A. 94-180 added provision for the transfer of moneys to the appropriation of the department of higher education for scholastic achievement grants and made Subdivs. (1) and (2) subparas. (A) and (B), effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-259 amended Subdiv. (2) to specify transfer of moneys "received as repayment of loans", effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 98-252 changed the name of the scholastic achievement grant to the capitol scholarship grant, effective January 1, 1999.

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The Board of Governors of Higher Education is authorized to contract with the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation or other public or private loan servicing agencies for servicing loans provided under section 10a-163. The Department of Higher Education may use not more than three per cent of the total amount of any annual bond allocation for teacher incentive loans, for administering such loans. Such revenue shall be held in the Incentive Scholarship Loan Fund established under section 10a-163a.
(May Sp. Sess. 86-1, S. 41, 58.)

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Section 10a-164 is repealed.
(P.A. 77-530, S. 5, 11; 77-573, S. 24, 30; P.A. 81-157, S. 6, 14; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 87- 450, S. 15, 17.)

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(a) The Board of Governors of Higher Education shall annually request an appropriation to the Department of Higher Education equal to the amount required, for the fiscal year two years prior, for tuition waivers, tuition remissions, grants for educational expenses and student employment under subsection (e) of section 10a-77, subsection (e) of section 10a-99 and subsection (f) of section 10a-105. The department shall allocate any such appropriation to The University of Connecticut, each of the Connecticut state universities and each of the regional community-technical colleges in accordance with a formula approved by the Board of Governors of Higher Education. The formula shall take into account the amount of federal student aid received by students at each institution. The amounts allocated shall be used to provide grants for educational expenses and student employment for residents of the state who demonstrate substantial financial need and are enrolled as full-time or part-time matriculated students in a degree-granting program or a precollege remedial program. For each fiscal year a minimum of ten per cent of the total amount of state student financial aid appropriated to each institution which exceeds the amount received by each institution for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1987, shall be used for student financial aid for needy minority students in accordance with the board's strategic plan for racial and ethnic diversity under section 10a-11. For each fiscal year a minimum of five per cent of the total amount of state student financial aid appropriated to each institution which exceeds the amount received by each institution for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1988, shall be used for on-campus or off-campus community service work-study placements. Individual awards shall not exceed a student's calculated financial need as determined on the basis of a needs analysis system approved by the United States Department of Education. Financial aid provided to Connecticut residents under this program shall be designated as a grant from the Connecticut aid to public college students grant program.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section to the contrary, for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1989, and June 30, 1990, no institution shall have its allocation pursuant to this section reduced for the subsequent fiscal year solely because the institution did not use, for on-campus or off-campus community service work- study placements, a minimum of five per cent of the total amount of state student financial aid appropriated to the institution which exceeds the amount received by the institution for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1988.
(c) The Board of Governors of Higher Education shall request an appropriation to the Department of Higher Education for each year of the biennium equal to the amount set aside by Charter Oak State College in the previous fiscal year for fee waivers. Such amount shall not exceed fifteen per cent of the tuition and fees paid in the previous fiscal year. The Department of Higher Education shall allocate any such appropriation to Charter Oak State College to be used to provide grants for educational expenses to residents of the state who demonstrate substantial financial need and who are matriculated in a degree program at Charter Oak State College. Individual awards shall not exceed a student's calculated financial need as determined by a needs analysis system approved by the United States Department of Education.
(P.A. 87-450, S. 1, 17; P.A. 88-252, S. 3, 6; P.A. 89-260, S. 35, 41; P.A. 90-147, S. 13, 20; P.A. 91-208, S. 9, 11; P.A. 92-126, S. 28, 48; P.A. 94-180, S. 5, 17; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 8.)
History: P.A. 88-252 provided that for each fiscal year a minimum of five per cent of the total amount of state student financial aid appropriated to each institution which exceeds the amount received by each institution for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1988, be used for on-campus or off-campus community service work-study placements; P.A. 89-260 substituted "regional community college" for "community college" and "regional technical colleges" for "state technical colleges"; P.A. 90-147 in Subsec. (a) added an alternative method for the determination of financial need for purposes of student employment and provided that certain students employed in on-campus and off-campus community service work- study placements may earn not more than four thousand dollars in any year for which they receive awards, added Subsec. (b) re allocation reduction for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1989, and June 30, 1990, and made technical changes; P.A. 91-208 in Subsec. (a) substituted five per cent for three per cent and five thousand dollars for four thousand dollars as limits on awards by institutions and on earnings by students; P.A. 92-126 amended Subsec. (a) to replace reference to community colleges and technical colleges with reference to community-technical colleges and made a technical change; P.A. 94-180 authorized grants for students enrolled in Charter Oak State College and deleted detailed exceptions to provision using awards on financial need as determined by a needs analysis system approved by U.S. Department of Education, effective July 1, 1994; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 deleted language re grant authorization for students enrolled in Charter Oak State College in Subsec. (a) and added new Subsec. (c) re appropriation for grants for Charter Oak State College students, effective August 15, 2002.

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Section 10a- 165 is repealed.
(P.A. 77-530, S. 6, 11; P.A. 81-157, S. 7, 14; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 87-450, S. 15, 17.)

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Sec. 10a-166. (Formerly Sec. 10-116q). Education grant to child of deceased or disabled veteran or missing in action member of armed forces. (a) Any child between the ages of sixteen and twenty-three, inclusive, of any person who served in the armed forces in time of war, as defined by subsection (a) of section 27-103 and who was killed in action or who died as a result of accident or illness sustained while performing active military duty with the armed forces of the United States or who has been rated totally and permanently disabled by the Veterans' Administration of the United States, or who is missing in action in Vietnam, if such person was a resident of this state at the time of his induction or reenlistment, shall receive, upon application to and approval of such application therefor by the Board of Governors of Higher Education, state aid for tuition, matriculation fees, board, room rent, books and supplies for such child attending any of the following-named institutions approved by said board: An educational or training institution of college grade or any other institution of higher learning or commercial training, a state college, a vocational school or technical institute or any accredited military preparatory school if such beneficiary is preparing to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point, the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, the United States Coast Guard Academy at New London or the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. The application submitted to the Board of Governors of Higher Education shall include an affidavit signed by the applicant which states that the applicant has not applied for and will not apply for or receive state aid from another state which is similar to that provided for in this section. Such grant may be used for the matriculation fees of any such beneficiary at any of said United States government academies. Such aid shall be based on need and shall not exceed four hundred dollars per year for each beneficiary and shall be paid to such institution on vouchers approved by the Board of Governors of Higher Education.
(b) To be eligible for a grant under this section, a child of a person missing in action in Vietnam must apply for such aid while his or her serviceman parent is still missing in action. Once the application of such child has been approved, the return of the parent of such child shall not result in the termination of such aid.
(P.A. 77-530, S. 7, 11; 77-573, S. 24, 30; P.A. 81-157, S. 8, 14; 81-273, S. 1, 2; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; P.A. 83-392, S. 1, 2; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5.)
History: P.A. 77-573 replaced commission for higher education with board of higher education; P.A. 81-157 transferred administration of grant program from student financial assistance commission to board of higher education; P.A. 81-273 amended Subsec. (a) to require the grant be based on need; P.A. 82-218 reorganized system of higher education, replacing board of higher education with board of governors, effective March 1, 1983; Sec. 10-116q transferred to Sec. 10a-166 in 1983; P.A. 83-392 amended Subsec. (a) to expand eligibility for grant to children of veteran who was a resident of this state at time of reenlistment and to require submission of affidavit which states that applicant has not applied for and will not apply for or receive similar aid from another state; P.A. 84-241 added "of higher education" to board of governors' title.

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A scholarship fund shall be established for Vietnam era veterans, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, who have been accepted for admission on a full-time basis in a degree-granting program at any independent, nontheological college in the state, provided such veteran is a resident of the state at the time of his acceptance, as defined in sections 10a-28, 10a-29 and 10a-30. The board shall adopt, by regulation, guidelines for qualifying for scholarship funds, taking into consideration the special needs of such veterans, such as marital status, parental responsibilities and sources of support.
(P.A. 77-530, S. 8, 11; P.A. 81-157, S. 9, 14; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46.)
History: P.A. 81-157 transferred administration of scholarship program from student financial assistance commission to board of higher education and clarified residency requirement; P.A. 82-218 made no change in language of section; Sec. 10-116r transferred to Sec. 10a-167 pursuant to reorganization of higher education system.

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Sec. 10a-168. (Formerly Sec. 10-116s). Scholarship aid for teachers of children requiring special education. If the Board of Governors of Higher Education determines that no approved program of teacher education within the state is available for the preparation of teachers of children requiring special education as defined in part V of chapter 164, said board of governors may provide scholarship aid for such undergraduate and graduate students as it may designate to attend approved programs in institutions in other states. The board may determine the amount of such scholarship aid in each case, without regard to the limitations of section 10a-169. In order to be eligible for such scholarship aid any applicant shall agree to teach children requiring special education in Connecticut for at least three years.
(P.A. 77-530, S. 9, 11; 77-573, S. 24, 30; P.A. 81-157, S. 10, 14; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 87- 450, S. 13, 17; P.A. 88-136, S. 34, 37.)
History: P.A. 77-573 replaced commission for higher education with board of higher education; P.A. 81-157 transferred administration of any program awarding scholarship aid to teachers of children requiring special education from student financial assistance commission to board of higher education; P.A. 82-218 replaced board of higher education with board of governors pursuant to reorganization of higher education system, effective March 1, 1983; Sec. 10-116s transferred to Sec. 10a-168 in 1983; P.A. 84-241 added "of higher education" to board of governors' title; P.A. 87-450 deleted reference to Sec. 10a-164 which was repealed by the same act; P.A. 88-136 deleted a reference to Sec. 10a-162 which was repealed by the same act.

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(a) There is established a Connecticut minority teacher incentive program administered by the Department of Higher Education.
(b) Within available appropriations, the program shall provide grants to minority students (1) in teacher education programs for their junior or senior year, or both such years, at any four-year institution of higher education, (2) completing the requirements of such a teacher education program as a graduate student, provided such student received a grant pursuant to this section for one year at the undergraduate level, or (3) enrolled in the alternate route to certification program administered through the Department of Higher Education. No student shall receive a grant under the program for more than two years. Maximum grants shall not exceed five thousand dollars per year. The department shall ensure that at least ten per cent of the grant recipients are minority students who transfer from a Connecticut regional community-technical college.
(c) A minority student who received grants under subsection (b) of this section, and who teaches in a Connecticut public school upon graduation, shall be eligible for reimbursement of federal or state educational loans up to a maximum of two thousand five hundred dollars per year for up to four years of teaching service.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the combined dollar value of grants and loan reimbursements shall not exceed twenty thousand dollars per student.
(e) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2001, and June 30, 2002, the Department of Higher Education may use up to two per cent of the funds appropriated for purposes of this section for program administration, promotion, recruitment and retention activities that are designed to increase the number of minority students pursuing teaching careers at Connecticut institutions of higher education.
(P.A. 98-168, S. 13, 26; 98-252, S. 65, 80; P.A. 00-220, S. 37, 43; P.A. 01-173, S. 37, 67; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-1, S. 8, 54.)
History: P.A. 98-168 effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 98-252 removed the limitation on the program to students in "public" institutions of higher education, effective June 8, 1998; P.A. 00-220 amended Subsec. (b) to remove a cap on the number of students who may receive grants, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-173 amended Subsec. (e) to extend the use of funds to the fiscal years ending June 30, 2001, and June 30, 2002, and to reduce percentage from five to two, effective July 6, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-1 amended Subsec. (b) to designate portions of existing provisions as Subdivs. (1) and (3), to add Subdiv. (2) re graduate students and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2001.

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For the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 1987, and thereafter, any student (1) who is a resident of the state as defined under sections 10a-28, 10a-29 and 10a-30, (2) who has not received a baccalaureate degree and (3) who has been accepted for study on a full-time or part-time basis at any postsecondary school, technical institute, college or university within the state or in any other state which permits its students to bring state student financial assistance funds into Connecticut shall be eligible for financial assistance under the capitol scholarship grant program at any stage of postsecondary study. All such institutions shall be previously approved or accredited by the Board of Governors of Higher Education or by the State Board of Education for postsecondary study. Grants under said program shall be based on financial need and either previous high school academic achievement or performance on standardized academic aptitude tests, as determined by the Board of Governors of Higher Education. The maximum award tendered to a student attending an institution in the state shall not exceed two thousand dollars annually. The maximum award tendered to a student attending an out-of-state institution shall not exceed five hundred dollars annually. Sums so awarded shall be disbursed by the accepting institution on behalf of the student for tuition fees, books, board or any legitimate educational expense.
(P.A. 81-157, S. 4, 14; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 87-450, S. 14, 17; P.A. 98-252, S. 55, 80.)
History: P.A. 82-218, which reorganized higher education system, used here as authority for replacing board of higher education with board of governors, effective March 1, 1983; P.A. 84-241 added "of higher education" to board of governors' title; P.A. 87-450 increased the maximum award from one thousand five hundred to two thousand dollars; P.A. 98-252 changed the name of the scholastic achievement grant to the capitol scholarship grant, effective January 1, 1999.

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(a) There is established a Connecticut information technology scholarship pilot program administered by the Department of Higher Education.
(b) Within available appropriations, the program shall provide grants for students entering or enrolling in an information technology related degree or certification program at any public or independent institution of higher education in this state. The scholarship shall not exceed three thousand dollars per student per year. The scholarship shall not exceed the combined costs of tuition and fees of an institution at which a recipient is or will be enrolled. The Department of Higher Education shall develop eligibility requirements for recipients. Such requirements may include income guidelines. Students shall be eligible for such scholarships for each year they are enrolled in an information technology related degree or certification program for a total of not more than four years per student. Students may apply for such scholarships to the Department of Higher Education at such time and in such manner as the Commissioner of Higher Education prescribes.
(c) The Department of Higher Education may accept donations for such scholarship program.
(d) The recipients of scholarships pursuant to this section for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, shall constitute a cohort and scholarships for succeeding years shall only be available to members of such cohort.
(e) Any unexpended funds appropriated for purposes of this section shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year but shall be available for expenditure during the next fiscal year.
(f) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, the Department of Higher Education may use up to five per cent of the funds appropriated for purposes of this section for program administration, promotion, recruitment and retention activities.
(P.A. 00-187, S. 30, 75; P.A. 01-173, S. 38, 67.)
History: P.A. 00-187 effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-173 amended Subsec. (b) to make a technical change, effective July 1, 2001.
See Secs. 32-8a, 32-8b re duties of Commissioner of Economic and Community Development with respect to this program and cooperative internship program for students majoring in information technology fields.

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(a) There is established an information technology loan reimbursement pilot program administered by the Department of Higher Education.
(b) Within available appropriations, the program shall provide a student loan reimbursement grant for persons who meet the eligibility requirements for the information technology scholarship program pursuant to section 10a-169a, and (1) attended an institution of higher education in this state, (2) majored in an information technology related field, and (3) are newly employed on or after January 1, 2001, by a company in this state in an information technology related position.
(c) Persons who qualify under subsection (b) of this section and meet any additional requirements established by the Department of Higher Education pursuant to this subsection shall be reimbursed on an annual basis for qualifying student loans. Such reimbursement shall not exceed two thousand five hundred dollars for each year of employment and for no more than a total of two years per person. A person qualifying under subsection (b) of this section shall only be reimbursed if such person is employed by a qualifying company at the time of application for loan reimbursement pursuant to this section. The Department of Higher Education may develop additional eligibility requirements for recipients. Such requirements may include income guidelines. Persons may apply for grants to the Department of Higher Education at such time and in such manner as the Commissioner of Higher Education prescribes.
(d) The recipients of reimbursements pursuant to this section for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, shall constitute a cohort and reimbursements for succeeding years shall only be available for members of such cohort.
(e) Any unexpended funds appropriated for purposes of this section shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year but shall be available for expenditure during the next fiscal year.
(f) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, the Department of Higher Education may use up to five per cent of the funds appropriated for purposes of this section for program administration, promotion and recruitment activities.
(P.A. 00-187, S. 31, 75; P.A. 01-173, S. 39, 67; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-1, S. 40, 54.)
History: P.A. 00-187 effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-173 amended Subsec. (b) to make a technical change, effective July 1, 2001; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-1 amended Subsec. (b) to apply the eligibility requirements for the information technology scholarship program pursuant to Sec. 10a-169a to the loan program, to require attendance at an institution "in this state", to change the employment requirement by allowing employment for a company in this state in an information technology related position rather than an electronic commerce or information technology intensive company, and amended Subsec. (c) to require persons to meet any additional requirements established by the department, to eliminate limitation on reimbursement to an amount equal to the loan payments made by the person for the previous taxable year and apply only the existing cap of two thousand five hundred dollars, to require the person to be employed by a qualifying company at the time of application, to change "shall develop eligibility requirements" to "may develop additional eligibility requirements" and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2001.
See Secs. 32-8a, 32-8b re duties of Commissioner of Economic and Community Development with respect to this program and cooperative internship program for students majoring in information technology fields.

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The Board of Governors of Higher Education may utilize up to one per cent of the total annual student financial assistance appropriation for administrative support associated with implementing the provisions of section 10a-169.
(P.A. 81-157, S. 11, 14; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 88-136, S. 35, 37; P.A. 00-220, S. 26, 43.)
History: P.A. 82-218, which reorganized higher education system, used here as authority for replacing board of higher education with board of governors, effective March 1, 1983; P.A. 84-241 added "of higher education" to board of governors' title; P.A. 88-136 deleted a reference to Sec. 10a-162 which was repealed by the same act; P.A. 00-220 substituted "administrative" support for "data processing" support, effective July 1, 2000.

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There is established within the Department of Higher Education a "high technology graduate assistantship program", the purpose of which shall be to encourage academically talented students to enroll in and complete graduate programs in high technology fields at institutions of postsecondary education in Connecticut.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-6, S. 1, 6; P.A. 93-201, S. 17, 24.)
History: P.A. 93-201 changed the name of the program from "scholarship" to "assistantship" and removed requirement that the program be for Connecticut residents.

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High technology graduate assistantships shall be awarded only to students at institutions in Connecticut enrolled in graduate programs approved by the Board of Governors of Higher Education and designated by the Board of Governors of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, as programs in high technology fields which meet state-wide economic needs.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-6, S. 2, 6; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 93-201, S. 18, 24; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6.)
History: P.A. 84-241 added "of higher education" to board of governors' title; P.A. 93-201 deleted Subsec. (a) concerning requirements on residency and teaching assignments, changed the description of the program from "scholarship" to "assistantship" and required board of governors to consult with the commissioner of economic development, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development.

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Sec. 10a-170c. Award of high technology assistantships; renewal; limitations; amounts. (a) A graduate assistantship shall be awarded for one academic year, but may be renewed upon the submission of a renewal application, with the recommendation of the institution the student is attending, subject to the continued eligibility of the student and the availability of appropriated funds. Half of the graduate assistantship award shall be disbursed each semester, contingent upon the student continuing in good academic standing in the designated program. In no case shall a student be eligible for a graduate assistantship award for more than three years of study.
(b) Students selected as graduate assistants pursuant to section 10a-170b shall receive ten thousand dollars annually provided the student shall be employed by the institution in a teaching or research capacity for not less than fifty per cent of full-time, as defined by the institution. The Commissioner of Higher Education shall pay (1) to each public and private institution under the program ten thousand dollars annually for each such student and (2) to each public institution under the program fifteen hundred dollars annually for each such student to support the institution's costs associated with the coverage provided in section 5-259, pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of section 10a-105, and subsection (g) of section 10a-99.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-6, S. 3, 6; P.A. 93-201, S. 19, 24.)
History: P.A. 93-201 changed the description of the program from "scholarship" to "assistantship" and added Subsec. (b) concerning the amount and payment of assistantships under the program, effective July 1, 1993.

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The Board of Governors of Higher Education shall annually appoint a committee of graduate faculty members to recommend award recipients to the Commissioner of Higher Education. The committee shall consider affirmative action and equal opportunity goals when recommending award recipients to the commissioner. The board shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this section and sections 10a-170a to 10a-170c, inclusive, which shall include, but not be limited to, criteria for the selection of graduate assistantship candidates and the development of a timetable and application process.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-6, S. 4, 6; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5; P.A. 93-201, S. 20, 24.)
History: P.A. 84-241 added "of higher education" to board of governors' title; P.A. 93-201 changed the description of the program from "scholarship" to "assistantship" and provided for recommendations to the commissioner rather than the department, effective July 1, 1993.

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There is established, beginning in fiscal year 1985-1986, an academic scholarship loan program to encourage Connecticut's academically superior students to teach in the state's public schools. The program shall be administered by the state Department of Higher Education.
(P.A. 84-513, S. 1, 10.)

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To be eligible to apply for a loan under this program, a high school student shall: (a) Be a resident of Connecticut; (b) be eligible for graduation at the end of the current school year; (c) intend to enroll the following fall at a four-year accredited college or university or at a two-year accredited Connecticut college in a two-year transfer program; (d) intend to teach in a Connecticut public elementary or secondary school or nonpublic elementary or secondary school approved by the State Board of Education; and (e) score twelve hundred or above on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or in the alternative, rank in the top twenty per cent of the student's class at the end of the junior year of high school and achieve a combined score of one thousand on the mathematics and verbal sections of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
(P.A. 84-513, S. 2, 10.)

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To be eligible to apply for a loan under this program, a person other than a currently enrolled high school student shall: (a) Be a resident of Connecticut; (b) intend to enroll the following fall or be enrolled at a four-year accredited college or university or at a two-year accredited Connecticut college in a two-year transfer program; (c) intend to teach in a Connecticut public elementary or secondary school or nonpublic elementary or secondary school approved by the State Board of Education; and (d) have a 3.3 grade point cumulative average or its equivalent at the completion of at least fifteen college credits, or score twelve hundred or above on the Scholastic Aptitude Test or rank in the top twenty per cent of his class at the end of his senior year of high school and achieve a combined score of one thousand on the mathematics and verbal sections of the Scholastic Aptitude Test.
(P.A. 84-513, S. 3, 10; P.A. 85-479, S. 2, 6.)
History: P.A. 85-479 added alternative eligibility criteria based upon scholastic aptitude test scores or combination of test scores and class rank, deleting reference to previous alternative requirement in Sec. 10a-170f(e).

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Loan candidates shall make application to the Commissioner of Higher Education on such forms and at such time as prescribed by said commissioner. Loan recipients shall be selected by the Commissioners of Education and Higher Education, provided said commissioners shall consider affirmative action and equal opportunity goals when selections are made. In the event the number of eligible applicants is in excess of the number of loans available, academic standing and financial need may be considered by the commissioners in selecting loan recipients. Loans under this program shall be in an amount not greater than five thousand dollars per year for not more than four years for students attending independent colleges and universities and not greater than three thousand dollars per year for not more than four years for students attending public colleges and universities. In order to maintain eligible status under this grant program, each recipient shall continue to be enrolled in an accredited college or university and shall demonstrate compliance with the academic standards established by the Commissioners of Education and Higher Education through an annual reapplication process, at such time and in such manner as prescribed by the Commissioner of Higher Education. No student shall receive the proceeds of a loan until said student has submitted a letter from an accredited college or university certifying full- time enrollment. Sixty per cent of the loans awarded annually shall be divided equally among the resident applicants of the state's six congressional districts with the balance awarded on a state-wide basis. If any of the loans designated for resident applicants of any one congressional district are not accepted by a date to be determined by the Commissioner of Higher Education, all such loans not accepted shall be awarded on a state-wide basis.
(P.A. 84-513, S. 4, 10.)

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(a) Loan repayment and interest charges shall commence twelve months after the loan recipient has terminated full-time student status or five years after initial receipt of a loan under this program whichever occurs first, except as provided in section 10a-170k. Each recipient who renders services as a certified teacher in a Connecticut public elementary or secondary school or nonpublic elementary or secondary school approved by the State Board of Education shall have the loan forgiven based upon the following schedule: Ten per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of one year of teaching in such a school on a full-time basis; twenty-five per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of two years of teaching in such a school on a full-time basis; forty-five per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of three years of teaching in such a school on a full-time basis; seventy per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of four years of teaching in such a school on a full-time basis; and one hundred per cent forgiveness upon the completion of five years of teaching in such a school on a full-time basis. The superintendent of public schools or the director of a nonpublic school or the person holding an equivalent position, who employs such teacher shall certify annually to the Commissioner of Higher Education or a designee of the commissioner that the loan recipient has taught that year in a Connecticut public or nonpublic elementary or secondary school.
(b) A recipient who teaches in a priority school district as designated by the state Department of Education pursuant to section 10-266p of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to 1991, shall have a loan under this program forgiven as follows: Thirty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon completion of one year of teaching; sixty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon completion of two years of teaching; and one hundred per cent forgiveness upon the completion of three years of teaching.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section, students who receive loans for one academic year only shall have their loans forgiven as follows: Thirty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of one year of teaching; sixty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of two years of teaching; and one hundred per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of three years of teaching. Recipients who receive loans for one academic year only and who teach in a priority school district as designated by the state Department of Education pursuant to section 10-266p of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to 1991, shall have their loans forgiven as follows: Forty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of one year of teaching; and one hundred per cent forgiveness upon the completion of two years of teaching. If a recipient has taught in a priority school district and in a nonpriority school district, the Department of Higher Education shall formulate an appropriate forgiveness schedule.
(P.A. 84-513, S. 5, 10; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1, S. 42, 58; P.A. 92-262, S. 35, 42.)
History: May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1 added Subsecs. (b) and (c) to provide forgiveness schedules for recipients who teach in priority school districts and for those who receive loans for one academic year only and made technical changes in Subsec. (a); P.A. 92-262 made a technical change.

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(a) The interest rate for loan awards made under this program shall be determined in accordance with subsection (t) of section 3-20.
(b) Any person otherwise qualifying for a loan made under this program shall not be disqualified by reason of being under the age of eighteen years and for the purpose of applying for, receiving and repaying such a loan any such person shall be deemed to have full legal capacity to act and shall have all rights, powers, privileges and obligations of a person of full age with respect thereto.
(P.A. 84-513, S. 6, 10; P.A. 85-479, S. 3, 6; P.A. 87-416, S. 11, 24.)
History: P.A. 85-479 amended section to require interest rate set at one per cent above prevailing prime interest rate listed in the first Federal Reserve Bulletin published for the calendar year in which award is made, to provide that interest rate remains fixed for all subsequent loan awards to a particular borrower and to prohibit disqualification by reason of applicant's minority; P.A. 87-416 provided that the interest rates on loans would be determined in accordance with Subsec. (t) of Sec. 3-20.

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Sec. 10a-170k. Loan deferments. Loan forgiveness upon death or disability of loan recipient. (a) The Commissioner of Higher Education may grant annual loan deferments to a loan recipient when the recipient is teaching on a full-time basis in a Connecticut public elementary or secondary school or nonpublic elementary or secondary school approved by the State Board of Education or when it is determined by the commissioner that loan repayment would present an unjust hardship to the recipient. Interest charges shall not accrue to the recipient during deferment periods approved by the commissioner. The commissioner may forgive loans if the commissioner determines that such action is required due to the death or disability of the loan recipient or because the loan is uncollectible in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
(b) A recipient meeting the forgiveness or deferment provisions of this section shall submit an application for loan forgiveness or deferment to the Commissioner of Higher Education. An application for loan forgiveness shall be received by the commissioner within one year of the last day the recipient ceases full-time student status. Requests for loan deferments must be submitted prior to the period for which a deferment is requested. A recipient shall have not more than six years excluding deferment periods in which to repay loans provided under sections 10a-170e to 10a-170m, inclusive, except that when it is determined by the commissioner that loan repayment would present an unjust hardship to the recipient, a recipient shall have up to eight years in which to repay such loans.
(c) The Commissioner of Higher Education may designate a staff member or employee to perform the duties imposed under this section.
(P.A. 84-513, S. 7, 10; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1, S. 43, 58; P.A. 90-147, S. 15, 20; P.A. 93-201, S. 21, 24.)
History: May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1 substituted "the commissioner" for "he" in Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (c) re commissioner designating a person to perform the duties imposed under the section; P.A. 90-147 in Subsec. (b) provided that an application for loan forgiveness be received by the commissioner of higher education within one year of recipient ceasing full-time student status and provided an eight-year repayment period when it is determined that repayment would present an unjust hardship; P.A. 93-201 amended Subsec. (a) to add the provision on uncollectible loans, effective July 1, 1993.

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The Board of Governors of Higher Education is authorized to contract with the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation or other public or private loan servicing agencies for servicing loans provided under sections 10a-170e to 10a-170m, inclusive. The Department of Higher Education may use not more than three per cent of the total amount of any annual bond allocation for academic scholarship loans, for administering and contracting for the servicing of loans. Such revenue shall be held in the Academic Scholarship Loan Fund established under section 10a-163a.
(P.A. 84-513, S. 8, 10; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1, S. 44, 58.)
History: Editorial substitution of the word "of" for the word "for" was made in reference to board of governors to conform with provisions of P.A. 84-241, S. 2; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1 limited the amount the department of higher education may use for loan servicing and administering and provided that such revenue be held in the academic scholarship loan fund.

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The Board of Governors of Higher Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education, may adopt such regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, as it deems necessary to implement the purposes of sections 10a-170e to 10a-170l, inclusive.
(P.A. 84-513, S. 9, 10.)
History: Editorial substitution of the word "of" for the word "for" was made in reference to board of governors to conform with provisions of P.A. 84-241, S. 2.

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Reserved for future use.

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(a) There is established, beginning in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1988, an academic scholarship graduate student loan program for the benefit of students who have been accepted for admission or are currently enrolled in a degree- granting, graduate teacher preparation program at an accredited college or university in the state. The program shall be administered by the state Department of Higher Education.
(b) To be eligible to apply for a loan under this program a student shall: (1) Be a resident of Connecticut; (2) be accepted or enrolled on a full-time basis in a degree- granting, graduate teacher preparation program at an accredited college or university in the state and intend to teach in a Connecticut public elementary or secondary school or nonpublic elementary or secondary school approved by the State Board of Education; (3) have graduated from a baccalaureate-degree-granting program with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.1 or have scored at least eighteen hundred on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test; and (4) shall not have been the recipient of a loan under section 10a-163 or under section 10a-170i.
(May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1, S. 35, 58.)

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Loan candidates for the academic scholarship graduate student loan program shall make application to the Commissioner of Higher Education on such forms and at such time as prescribed by said commissioner. Loan recipients shall be selected by the Commissioner of Higher Education, who shall consider affirmative action and equal opportunity goals when making such selections. In the event the number of applicants is in excess of the number of loans available, academic standing and financial need may be considered by the commissioner in selecting loan recipients. Loans under this program shall be in an amount not greater than five thousand dollars per year for one year for recipients attending independent colleges and universities and not greater than three thousand dollars per year for one year for recipients attending public colleges and universities. In order to maintain eligible status under this loan program, each recipient shall continue to be enrolled full time in an accredited college or university and shall demonstrate compliance with the academic standards established by the Commissioner of Higher Education. No student shall receive the proceeds of a loan until he has submitted a letter from an accredited college or university certifying the appropriate enrollment status pursuant to subsection (b) of section 10a-170r.
(May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1, S. 36, 58.)

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Sec. 10a-170t. Loan repayment. Loan forgiveness provisions. Interest charges. Loan deferments. (a) Loan repayment and interest charges shall commence twelve months after the academic scholarship graduate student loan recipient has terminated full-time student status or two years after the initial receipt of a loan under this program whichever occurs first. (1) A recipient who renders services as a certified teacher in a Connecticut public school on at least a half-time basis as certified by the local superintendent of schools shall have his loan forgiven as follows: (A) Thirty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of one year of teaching; (B) sixty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of two years of teaching; (C) one hundred per cent forgiveness upon completion of three years of teaching. If a loan recipient is teaching less than full-time, said superintendent shall certify to the Department of Higher Education that a full-time position was not available. (2) Recipients who teach in a priority school district as designated by the state Department of Education pursuant to section 10-266p of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to 1991, shall have their loans forgiven as follows: (A) Forty per cent forgiveness of the total amount borrowed upon the completion of one year of teaching; (B) one hundred per cent forgiveness upon the completion of two years of teaching. If a recipient has taught in a priority school district and in a nonpriority school district, the Department of Higher Education shall formulate an appropriate forgiveness schedule.
(b) A fixed-rate interest charge on the loan balance shall be set at a rate one per cent above the prevailing prime interest rate as listed in the first federal reserve bulletin published for the calendar year in which awards are to be made.
(c) The Commissioner of Higher Education may grant loan deferments to a recipient when the recipient is teaching or when it is determined by the commissioner that loan repayment would present an unjust hardship to the recipient. Interest charges will not accrue to the recipient during deferment periods approved by the commissioner. The commissioner may forgive loans if the commissioner determines that such action is required as a result of the death or disability of the recipient.
(d) A recipient meeting the forgiveness or deferment provisions of this section shall apply for loan forgiveness or deferment to the Commissioner of Higher Education. Requests for loan deferments shall be submitted prior to the period for which a deferment is requested. An application for loan forgiveness shall be received by the commissioner within one year of the last day of the period for which the recipient is applying for loan forgiveness. Forgiveness shall not be granted for teaching services performed prior to or during the loan award period. Recipients who enter into the loan repayment period will be required to make a minimum monthly payment of fifty dollars, unless exception is granted by the Department of Higher Education. A recipient shall have five years in which to repay loans granted pursuant to the provisions of this section. Deferment periods shall not be included in the five-year repayment period.
(e) The Commissioner of Higher Education may designate a staff member to perform the duties imposed under subsections (c) and (d) of this section.
(May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1, S. 37, 58; P.A. 92-262, S. 36, 42; P.A. 94-245, S. 14, 46.)
History: P.A. 92-262 made a technical change in Subsec. (a); P.A. 94-245 reorganized Subdivs. and Subparas. in Subsec. (a), effective June 2, 1994.

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The Board of Governors of Higher Education is authorized to contract with the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation or other public or private loan servicing agencies for servicing loans made pursuant to sections 10a-170r and 10a-170s. The Department of Higher Education may use not more than three per cent of the total amount of any annual bond allocation for the academic scholarship graduate student loan program, for administering such loans. Such revenue shall be held in the Academic Scholarship Graduate Student Loan Fund established under section 10a-170v.
(May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1, S. 38, 58.)

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The Board of Governors of Higher Education is authorized to establish and administer a fund to be known as the Academic Scholarship Graduate Student Loan Program Fund. All academic scholarship graduate student loans and interest repayments made to the Board of Governors of Higher Education shall be added to this fund. The Board of Governors of Higher Education may make expenditures from this fund to provide for administrative and loan servicing costs. This fund shall not lapse or revert to the General Fund of the state.
(May Sp. Sess. P.A. 86-1, S. 39, 58.)

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(a) The Board of Governors of Higher Education may establish and administer an account to be known as the gear up for Connecticut futures account. The account shall be a separate and nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The account shall be used for scholarships pursuant to the federal GEAR UP program, 20 USC 1070a-21 et seq. The board may deposit state funds appropriated as a state match to the federally funded GEAR UP grant in the account.
(b) The Treasurer may invest in accordance with section 3-31a any moneys in the account not needed for current disbursement for scholarships. The interest derived from such investment shall be credited to the account.
(P.A. 02-88, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 02-88 effective July 1, 2002.

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The transfer of functions, powers, duties, obligations, including but not limited to contract obligations, the continuance of orders and regulations, the effect upon pending actions and proceedings, the completion of unfinished business and the transfer of records and property between the state Student Financial Assistance Commission as it existed prior to July 1, 1981, and the Board of Governors of Higher Education established pursuant to section 10a-2 shall be governed by the provisions of subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, and subsection (f) of section 4-38d.
(P.A. 81-157, S. 12, 14; P.A. 82-218, S. 37, 46; P.A. 84-241, S. 2, 5.)
History: P.A. 82-218, which reorganized system of higher education, used as authority for replacing board of higher education with board of governors, effective March 1, 1983; P.A. 84-241 added "of higher education" to board of governors' title.

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Reserved for future use.

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