1. (a) An applicant who is enrolled in an accredited postsecondary educational institution may qualify for a scholarship under this chapter. To qualify for a scholarship, an applicant must:

   1. (1) apply for a scholarship on a form supplied by the commission;

   2. (2) except as provided in subsection (b), have graduated from an Indiana nonaccredited nonpublic or state accredited high school accredited under IC 20-31-4.1 located in an underserved county, and:

      1. (A) graduated in the highest twenty percent (20%) of students in the applicant's high school graduating class;
      2. (B) received a score in the top twentieth percentile on the SAT or ACT examination; or
      3. (C) achieved a cumulative grade point average upon graduation of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale (or its equivalent if another grading scale is used) for courses taken during grades 9, 10, 11, and 12;
   3. (3) have participated in school activities and community service activities during high school;
   4. (4) have applied to and been accepted for enrollment in an accredited postsecondary educational institution approved by the commission under section 10 of this chapter;

   5. (5) agree in writing to:

      1. (A) obtain a license to teach under IC 20-28-5 ; and
      2. (B) be employed as a teacher for at least five (5) consecutive years in a public school or an eligible school (as defined in IC 20-51-1-4.7 ) located in an underserved county in Indiana, after graduating with a baccalaureate degree from the accredited postsecondary educational institution described in subdivision (4); and
   6. (6) meet any other criteria established by the commission.
2. (b) A student who graduates from a nonaccredited nonpublic school must meet the requirement described in subsection (a)(2)(B) in order to meet the eligibility requirement described in subsection (a)(2).

As added by P.L.161-2023, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.44-2024, SEC.9; P.L.196-2025, SEC.2.