The following words used in this article have the following meanings:

1. (1) ACTIVE MEMBER. A member of a federally recognized unit of the Alabama National Guard meeting the minimum requirements for satisfactory membership as defined in the Department of the Army and Department of the Air Force regulations.
2. (2) ALABAMA NATIONAL GUARD. Federally recognized units of the Alabama National Guard.
3. (3) ANCILLARY COSTS. Expenses incurred outside of tuition related to educational costs, including textbooks, additional course fees, differential tuition, or other course-related or training program costs.
4. (4) DIFFERENTIAL TUITION. The amount, in addition to regular tuition, which is charged to students to support services and programming at institutions of higher education.
5. (5) EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES. The per term cost of required on-campus living expenses, such as the cost of living in a residence hall or dormitory, and per term cost of required on-campus meal plans.
6. (6) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION. A public or private two-year or four-year college or university, community college, or junior college located within the state.

7. (7) QUALIFYING ACADEMIC PATHWAY. A postsecondary program at an institution of higher education in the state that is one of the following:

   1. a. A program that has been identified as a Pell Grant eligible program for which the student earns credits required for a postsecondary degree at the undergraduate level.
   2. b. A graduate program that is the individual’s first degree sought at that level.
   3. c. A workforce development program.
8. (8) TUITION. The per term cost of instruction and mandatory instructional fees to the public or private postsecondary student not to exceed the median cost of tuition per term, such as quarter or semester, of all public four-year institutions of higher education in this state as reported to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education by state-supported institutions of higher education and appearing on the tuition plus required fees report of the commission, for classes or courses that count toward the individual’s degree or certificate plan.
9. (9) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. A professional or workforce development program that includes accredited and nonaccredited certification or stand-alone training that leads to an industry-recognized credential and is approved pursuant to Section 31-10-3(c).

(Acts 1984, No. 84-288, p. 498, §2; Act 2014-179, p. 522, §1; Act 2015-431, p. 1375, §1; Act 2017-349, §1; Act 2023-528, §1; Act 2026-521, §1.)