Section 188-D:13 Grants.
I. The postsecondary education commission shall make all grants in a fair and equitable manner and at such times as the postsecondary education commission shall determine, to any person who has established that his or her residence in New Hampshire is for some purpose other than the temporary or primary one of obtaining an education and who has satisfactorily met the requirements established by the postsecondary education commission. Application requirements established by the postsecondary education commission shall include, but not be limited to the requirement that the applicant:
(a) Complete a formal grant application on the appropriate forms and within the designated time frames approved by the postsecondary education commission; and
(b) Provide whatever additional information and verification shall be required by rules and regulations established by the postsecondary education commission.
II. All grants made by the postsecondary education commission under this subdivision shall be for the period of one academic year and in specified amounts of not less than $100 nor more than $1,500 within the limits of the demonstrated need and of the schedule set forth in the rules and regulations of the postsecondary education commission.
III. No grant shall be made which does not include a self-help requirement by the recipient. Self-help may be in the form of either work or loans and demonstrated need shall be defined as the applicant's cost of education minus available resources and the self-help factor determined under the rules and regulations set by the postsecondary education commission. Except as prohibited by federal law or regulations, determination of a recipient's available financial resources shall exclude the value of any New Hampshire college savings bond issued pursuant to RSA 6-A and 195-G held in the individual's name or for the benefit of the individual. Such exclusion shall apply only in those years in which the state appropriation to the New Hampshire incentive program equals or exceeds $ 4,000,000. No grant shall be in excess of the tuition charged the student for the academic year in which the grant is received nor when combined with the mandated self-help contribution of the student will exceed the cost of education at the eligible postsecondary institution for that year.
IV. No person to whom a grant is made shall be restricted as to the choice of program or postsecondary institution approved by the postsecondary education commission either inside or outside of the state. The postsecondary education commission shall adopt rules pursuant to RSA 541-A relative to use of grants at postsecondary institutions outside New Hampshire.
IV-a. The postsecondary education commission may allow a student from New Hampshire to use such grant in another state if a student from that other state may use a grant from the other state in New Hampshire. However, no student from New Hampshire may use such grant out-of-state unless the student shall be given permission to do so by the postsecondary education commission.
V. No person, on the ground of race, color, age, sex or national origin, shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under this subdivision.
VI. During the first year of the New Hampshire incentive program, the postsecondary education commission shall make grants only to freshmen. The postsecondary education commission may make grants to upperclassmen in the following years in accordance with available funds and according to priorities established by the postsecondary education commission.
VII. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, if the appropriation for New Hampshire incentive program grants for any fiscal year includes a sum expected to be received from the federal government for the purposes of such program and if the amount of federal funds actually received is less than the amount indicated in the appropriation, the sum appropriated from the state general fund shall not be reduced because of such a shortfall in federal funds actually received but shall be available in full for New Hampshire incentive program grants.
Source. 1976, 27:2. 1981, 273:1, 2. 1983, 240:3. 1990, 26:1. 1996, 110:5, eff. July 14, 1996. 2009, 280:2, eff. Sept. 27, 2009.