PURPOSE: The Higher Education Academic Scholarship Program permits the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to provide academic scholarships for eligible Missouri residents to attend an approved Missouri college or university of their choice pursuant to the provisions included in section 173.250, RSMo. This rule sets forth qualifications required of student applicants for the scholarships, criteria to be used in selecting scholarship recipients and qualifications which approved colleges or universities must meet.

1. (1) Definitions.

   1. (A) Academic year or the period of the scholarship is the period from July 1 of any year through June 30 of the following year.
   2. (B) Applicant is anyone who applies to the coordinating board for a scholarship under the academic scholarship program.
   3. (C) Approved institution shall be any private or public institution located in Missouri that meets the requirements set forth in section 173.205(2) or 173.205(3), RSMo.
   4. (D) Certificate of high school equivalence shall be a certificate that is awarded to an applicant who has successfully completed and passed the General Educational Development (GED) examination as established by the Commission on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education (ACE).
   5. (E) Continually enrolled shall be enrollment as a full-time student who receives scholarship assistance at an approved institution for at least one (1) semester, trimester or quarter, not including summer terms, in the academic year for which the scholarship award was originally offered.
   6. (F) Coordinating board or board is the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) created by section 173.005, RSMo.
   7. (G) Expenses shall be any allowable expenses related to room, board, travel and personal costs of the applicant necessary to satisfactorily provide and complete a service to a nonprofit organization, a state or federal government agency.
   8. (H) Full-time student shall be defined by the approved institution as a postsecondary student who is enrolled in and is carrying a sufficient number of credit hours or its equivalent (minimum twelve (12) credit hours), excluding correspondence-type courses, at the approved private or public Missouri institution to secure the degree or certificate toward which the student is working in accordance with paragraph (2)(A)9. of this rule.
   9. (I) Higher Education Academic Scholarship Program or academic scholarship program shall mean the academic scholarship program provisions included in section 173.250, RSMo.
   10. (J) Initial recipient shall be any applicant who meets the eligibility requirements and is awarded an academic scholarship under the academic scholarship program as a graduating high school senior, a homeschooled student, or a student who has obtained a certificate of high school equivalence by passing the GED examination.
   11. (K) Medical need shall be an illness, disability, pregnancy or other medical need that prevents an eligible applicant from enrolling or which requires a recipient to cease all attendance at an approved institution in the academic year for which the scholarship award was originally offered.
   12. (L) Nonprofit organization shall be any organization which is organized under the laws of its home state as a not-for-profit corporation or organization, such as a charitable, scientific or literary organization.
   13. (M) Renewal recipient shall be any applicant who received an academic scholarship as an initial recipient under the academic scholarship program and meets the eligibility requirements under the provisions of this rule and requirements as defined by the approved institution and is awarded a renewable academic scholarship under the academic scholarship program.
   14. (N) Resident of Missouri is any person who meets the requirements for resident status for Missouri set forth by the coordinating board, in 6 CSR 10-3.010.
   15. (O) Satisfactory academic degree progress or satisfactory academic progress shall be determined by the approved institution’s policies as applied to other students at the approved institution receiving assistance under Title IV financial aid programs included in the Higher Education Act of 1965.
   16. (P) Scholarship assistance or award shall be an amount of money paid by Missouri to a qualified applicant pursuant to the provisions of this rule.
   17. (Q) Standard admissions policies shall be policies approved and published by the approved institution to admit special students and students having a certificate of graduation.
   18. (R) Student deferment or deferment of eligibility shall be a period of time up to twenty-seven (27) continuous months during which an eligible applicant or recipient may defer scholarship eligibility to participate in an international student exchange program, provide a service to a nonprofit organization, a state or federal government agency, serve on active duty in any branch of the armed forces of the United States or because of medical needs. The deferment shall begin on July 1 of the academic year that the student was approved for or July 1 following the most recent academic year that the student received scholarship assistance.
   19. (S) Student exchange program shall be any recognized international or national exchange program that is available to qualified students for the applicant to continue his/her educational studies.
   20. (T) Sufficient documentation or verification shall be required documents provided by the student exchange program, the nonprofit organization, a state or federal government agency, any branch of the armed forces or a practicing medical physician and must be in the form of letters of participation, application materials, copies of orders or release papers, or a statement of medical need.

2. (2) Student Applicant and Recipient Qualifications and Responsibilities.

   1. (A) To be eligible for initial or renewed scholarship assistance under the academic scholarship program, an applicant must meet the following conditions:

      1. 1. Be a citizen or permanent resident of

the United States;

1. 2. Be a resident of Missouri;
2. 3. Be enrolled or accepted for enroll-

ment as a full-time postsecondary student at an approved institution for the period of the scholarship and is in compliance with section 173.215, RSMo excluding the requirements of financial need and undergraduate status;

1. 4. Be a high school senior and have a

composite score on either the American College Testing Program (ACT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) of the college board in the top three percent (3%) of all Missouri students taking those tests during the student’s senior year in high school and be offered and receive a scholarship award as a first-time full-time first-year postsecondary student the academic year immediately following their senior year in high school to be eligible for scholarship assistance as an initial recipient;

1. 5. Be enrolled full-time continually (not

including periods of enrollment during the summer terms) as second-, third-, fourthand fifth-year students or other students meeting the eligibility requirements of this rule in an approved institution and have continually received an academic scholarship subject to the availability of state-appropriated funds to be eligible for scholarship assistance as a renewal recipient;

1. 6. Maintain satisfactory academic

progress in his/her course of study, according to standards determined by the approved institution;

1. 7. Has never been convicted in any court

of an offense which involved the use of force, disruption or seizure of property under the control of any institution of higher education to prevent officials or students in these insti- 6 CSR 10-2

tutions from engaging in their duties or pursuing their studies;

1. 8. Not be enrolled or intend to use the

award to enroll in a course of study leading to a degree in theology or divinity;

1. 9. Be allotted scholarship assistance for

one (1) academic year, but an applicant shall be eligible for renewed assistance until s/he has obtained a baccalaureate degree; provided, the scholarship assistance shall not exceed a total of ten (10) semesters or fifteen (15) quarters or their equivalents; and

1. 10. An initial recipient must complete

an application for scholarship assistance and must submit all of the required application materials to the coordinating board according to the provisions of this rule.

1. (B) To be approved for student deferment status, applicants and recipients must meet the following requirements:

   1. 1. Meet the eligibility requirements for

scholarship assistance in accordance with the provisions of this rule;

1. 2. Contact the coordinating board in

writing to request a student deferment of eligibility;

1. 3. Complete and submit the deferment

of eligibility form that is provided by the coordinating board; and

1. 4. Submit to the coordinating board,

along with the completed deferment form, sufficient documentation that verifies to the satisfaction of the coordinating board the student ceased all attendance or the student was unable to enroll and receive scholarship assistance at an approved institution in the academic year for which the scholarship award was originally offered.

1. (C) To satisfactorily complete the approved student deferment period, applicants and recipients must meet the following requirements:

   1. 1. Notify the coordinating board by sub-

mitting verification documenting that the deferment period was satisfactorily completed within the original dates, not to exceed twenty-seven (27) continuous months, as approved by the coordinating board;

1. 2. Have a completed scholarship appli-

cation or a renewal student record submitted with the coordinating board in accordance with the provisions of this rule;

1. 3. Enroll as a full-time student at an

approved institution in the academic year immediately following the student deferment period; and

1. 4. Submit sufficient documentation as

verification to the coordinating board that the student was not compensated for other than expenses for a service that was provided to a nonprofit organization, a state or federal government agency. (3) Responsibilities of Approved Institutions.

1. (A) Approved institutions shall meet the following requirements:

   1. 1. Follow the provisions included in sec-

tion 173.205(2) or (3), RSMo;

1. 2. Admit students based on the approved

institution’s standard admissions policies;

1. 3. Submit a copy of the institution’s pol-

icy on satisfactory academic degree progress for the coordinating board’s records;

1. 4. Establish fair and equitable refund

policies covering tuition, fees and, where paid to the school, room and board charges. That refund policy shall be the same policy which is utilized by the approved institution for refunding all federal Title IV financial aid programs included in the Higher Education Act of 1965;

1. 5. Sign the Agreement for Educational

Institution Participation in the Higher Education Academic Scholarship Program as provided by the coordinating board;

1. 6. Systematically organize all student

records (student financial aid, registrar, business office) pertaining to student recipients under the scholarship program to be made readily available for review upon request by the coordinating board; and

1. 7. Verify the student’s renewal eligibili-

ty for the academic scholarship program by transmitting the renewal student’s record to the coordinating board by the annual deadline published by the coordinating board for the current academic year.

1. (B) When the approved institution receives the academic scholarship program funds for the awards made by the coordinating board, the approved institution must comply with the following:

   1. 1. Determine if the applicant is enrolled

full-time and is making satisfactory academic progress in his/her course of study according to standards determined by the approved institution;

1. 2. Deliver the scholarship program

funds to the applicant in the amount awarded to that applicant by the coordinating board and obtain the applicant’s endorsement, retaining the portion of the award which the applicant owes for educational-related expenses (tuition, fees, room and board or other educational-related expenses) to that particular approved institution and promptly give the applicant any remaining funds;

1. 3. Must notify the coordinating board if,

prior to disbursement, the applicant to whom an award has been made has not enrolled fulltime, or has indicated that s/he does not plan to enroll full-time, and return the applicant’s check within thirty (30) days of learning these facts;

1. 4. Shall be responsible for the repay-

ment of any scholarship funds sent to it by the coordinating board in the following instances:

1. A. The approved institution delivers

funds to an applicant not eligible under the academic scholarship program if the award was based on erroneous, improper or misleading information provided by the approved institution to the coordinating board; or

1. B. The approved institution delivers

the academic scholarship funds to a person other than the one to whom the coordinating board has directed the funds be delivered; and

1. 5. Determine and calculate the amount

of refunds to the coordinating board based on the refund formula of the approved institution for applicants who withdraw. The coordinating board may refuse to award scholarships to applicants who attend approved institutions which fail to make timely refunds to the coordinating board.

1. (4) Application and Evaluation.

   1. (A) The coordinating board shall annually prescribe the form of and the time and method of filing applications under the academic scholarship program.
   2. (B) An application for scholarship assistance under the academic scholarship program shall be made annually by the applicant upon the form and method prescribed by the coordinating board.
   3. (C) High school seniors’ ACT or SAT official test scores from national test dates will be evaluated using the Missouri high school profile chart provided by the ACT or the SAT of the college board to determine if the applicants’ test scores are in the top three percent (3%) of all Missouri students taking the ACT or SAT test during their senior year in high school for the coordinating board to make a determination of the applicants’ eligibility for awards as initial recipients. Verification of the initial recipient’s test scores from national test dates must be provided by the ACT Program, by the college board or by the high school official with the student’s scholarship application. Failure to provide official test score verification will result in the application being incomplete.
   4. (D) Test scores from the applicant’s sophomore, junior or senior year in high school shall be acceptable in determining eligibility for the academic scholarship program as long as the test scores are in the top three percent (3%) during their senior year in high school.
   5. (E) If an eligible applicant has been offered or has received a scholarship award under the provisions of this rule and if the applicant’s qualifying composite test score has officially been cancelled and is determined to be invalid by the ACT or the SAT of the college board then the applicant will be declared ineligible by the coordinating board for the scholarship program and the applicant or the recipient shall be responsible for the repayment of all scholarship awards to the coordinating board.
   6. (F) Second-, third-, fourthand fifth-year students or other students meeting the eligibility requirements of this rule enrolled in approved institutions will be evaluated by the coordinating board according to the eligibility criteria under the provisions of this rule and the information submitted by the approved institution and on any other information received by and deemed reliable by the coordinating board for renewal recipients.
   7. (G) The deadline for receiving completed academic scholarship applications will be published annually by the coordinating board for each academic year. Completed applications and renewal records must be received by the coordinating board on or before the published deadline to be considered on time and to have priority consideration. Incomplete applications or incomplete renewal records received by the coordinating board will not be processed.
   8. (H) Completed academic scholarship applications and renewal records received after the annual deadline published by the coordinating board will be awarded provided program funds are available, based on a review by the coordinating board.

2. (5) Academic Scholarship Program Award Limits and Criteria.

   1. (A) The maximum academic scholarship program award amount for each applicant per academic year shall be two thousand dollars ($2000), not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1000) per school term. Awards at approved institutions utilizing trimester academic programs shall be evenly distributed over the three (3) terms.
   2. (B) Financial need shall not be used by the coordinating board in determining eligibility for awards under the academic scholarship program for an applicant.
   3. (C) Applicants who qualify as renewal recipients under the provisions of this rule shall have priority in the awarding of program funds. If sufficient program funds are unavailable to award all eligible renewal recipients, program funds shall be awarded in the following order: fifth-, fourth-, thirdand second-year students as defined by the approved institution.
   4. (D) Applicants who qualify as initial recipients under the provisions of this rule, will be awarded each year of the program, based on the availability of program funds.
   5. (E) If sufficient program funds are unavailable to award to initial recipients, the awards will be made based on the earliest date the completed applications are received by the coordinating board until all funds have been expended.
   6. (F) An applicant receiving an award under the academic scholarship program shall have made satisfactory academic progress as defined by the approved institution in order to be eligible for a subsequent award under the academic scholarship program.
   7. (G) The award amount for any given academic year will be disbursed to the approved institution equally according to the number of semesters at the approved institution and awarded for each semester of enrollment.
   8. (H) Awards will not be made for periods of enrollment during the summer term(s).
   9. (I) An applicant may change his/her approved institution choice prior to the beginning of the first day of classes and may transfer between approved institutions during the academic year. Failure to notify the coordinating board of action may result in loss of the award.
   10. (J) Award notifications will be sent to applicants by the coordinating board once the awards have been determined. Notification of awards also will be sent to the student financial aid office at the approved institution where the applicant plans to enroll or has enrolled.
   11. (K) The applicant’s award will be sent to the approved institution to be endorsed by the applicant in accordance with the requirements of subsection (3)(B) of this rule.
   12. (L) Should an applicant withdraw prior to the end of the approved institution’s refund period for the period of the scholarship, then a refund shall be calculated and made to the coordinating board by the approved institution within forty (40) days from the day on which the applicant withdraws. The amount of the refund will be calculated by the approved institution based on the refund formula of that institution.

AUTHORITY: section 173.250, RSMo (1994).* Original rule filed Nov. 14, 1986, effective Feb. 28, 1987. Amended: Filed Feb. 3, 1988, effective April 28, 1988. Amended: Filed Dec. 5, 1988, effective March 1, 1989. Amended: Filed Aug. 15, 1989, effective Nov. 15, 1989. Amended: Filed Oct. 14, 1992, effective May 6, 1993. Amended: Filed Sept. 29, 1994, effective March 30, 1995. *Original authority 1986, amended 1988, 1990, 1991.