7000.1 Students who wish to apply for the tuition assistance provided by the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 ("College Access Act"), approved November 12, 1999, Pub. L. 106-98, D.C. Code, 2001 Ed. §§38-2701 to 38-2705, (hereafter called the "D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program"), shall submit an application, on a form prescribed by the Mayor.

7000.2 An applicant is eligible for tuition assistance under the College Access Act if he or she:

1. (a) Was domiciled in the District of Columbia for not less than the 12 consecutive months preceding the commencement of the freshman year at an institution of higher education;
2. (b) Graduated from a secondary school or received the recognized equivalent of a secondary school diploma on or after January 1, 1998;
3. (c) Begins his or her undergraduate course of study within the three calendar years (excluding any period of service on active duty in the Armed Forces, or service under the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. §§2501 et seq.) or subtitle D of title I of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. §§12571 et seq.)) of graduation from a secondary school, or obtaining the recognized equivalent of a secondary school diploma, whichever is earlier;
4. (d) Is enrolled or accepted for enrollment, on at least a half-time basis, in a degree, certificate, or other program (including a program of study abroad approved for credit by the institution at which such student is enrolled) leading to a recognized educational credential at an eligible institution;
5. (e) If enrolled in an eligible institution, is maintaining satisfactory academic progress in the course of study the student is pursuing in accordance with §484(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. §1091(c)) and the regulations promulgated under its authority (34 C.F.R. §668.32(f));
6. (f) Has not completed his or her first undergraduate baccalaureate course of study;
7. (g) Continues to be domiciled in the District of Columbia throughout his/her undergraduate education;
8. (h) Does not owe money back on a grant previously received under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. §§1070 et seq.) or has made satisfactory arrangements to repay it, and is not in default on any loan made or guaranteed under this title or has made satisfactory arrangements to repay it;

(i) Has registered with the Selective Service if required to register with the Selective Service;

(j) For the second and subsequent applications for tuition assistance, has not had more than a three year break in enrollment at an eligible institution; and

(k) Is not incarcerated.

7000.3 The applicant shall submit with the application form the following:

(a) With the first application for tuition assistance:

(1) The evidence described in §7003 of this Chapter that, in the reasonable judgment of the Mayor, is sufficient to establish that the applicant is domiciled in the District of Columbia at the time the applicant submits his or her application, and was (or will be) domiciled in the District of Columbia for not less than the 12 consecutive months preceding the commencement of the freshman year at an institution of higher education; and

(2) A photocopy of the applicant's social security card.

(b) With the second and subsequent applications for tuition assistance, the evidence described in §7003 of this Chapter that, in the reasonable judgment of the Mayor, is sufficient to establish that the applicant has not abandoned the District of Columbia as his or her domicile since the applicant last received tuition assistance under this Chapter.

7000.4 The applicant shall submit the application form and other records, documents or information required by §7000.3 or 7003 to the Mayor after January 1st of the year preceding the award year the student will attend college. The application must be received by the Mayor no later than the student's last day of enrollment at the institution or June 30th (whichever comes first) of the award year for which the applicant is applying for tuition assistance.

AUTHORITY: Unless otherwise noted, the authority for this chapter is the District of Columbia College Access Act §§3(f)(2) and 5(e)(2), D.C. Code, 2001 Ed. §§ 38-2702(f)(2) and 38-2704(e)(2); and Mayor's Order 2000-138 (September 7, 2000).

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 48 DCR 5013 (June 1, 2001).