Oklahoma § 70-2604 - Awards

§ 70-2604. Awards

A. Subject to the availability of funds, an amount equivalent

to the nonguaranteed resident tuition for which an eligible Oklahoma

Higher Learning Access Program student is obligated at an

institution of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education shall

be awarded by allocation from the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access

Trust Fund.

B. Subject to the availability of funds, for each eligible

Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program student enrolled at a

private institution of higher learning located within this state and

accredited pursuant to Section 4103 of this title, the Oklahoma

State Regents for Higher Education shall award from the Oklahoma

Higher Learning Access Trust Fund an amount equivalent to the amount

of resident tuition for which the student would be eligible if the

student were enrolled in a comparable program at a comparable

institution of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.

Comparability shall be determined by the State Regents.

C. Subject to the availability of funds, an amount equivalent

to the tuition for any eligible Oklahoma Higher Learning Access

Program student enrolled in a public postsecondary vocationaltechnical program or course for the purpose set forth in Section

2602 of this title shall be awarded by allocation from the Oklahoma

Higher Learning Access Trust Fund. Provided, such allocation shall

not exceed the amount a student would have received for comparable

enrollment at a two-year institution within The Oklahoma State

System of Higher Education.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools

D. 1. An award allowed by this section shall not be allowed

for courses or other postsecondary units taken in excess of the

requirements for completion of a baccalaureate program or taken more

than five (5) years after the student's first semester of

postsecondary enrollment. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher

Education may award the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program

benefits for courses of postsecondary units taken more than five (5)

years after the student's first semester of postsecondary enrollment

only in hardship circumstances; provided, however, no Oklahoma

Higher Learning Access Program participant may receive benefits

beyond a cumulative time period of five (5) years.

2. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may award

the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program benefits for a student's

first semester or other academic unit of postsecondary enrollment

taken more than three (3) years after the student graduates from

high school or completes an educational program equivalent to high

school graduation as authorized in subsection A of Section 2603 of

this title or after the student turns twenty-one (21) years of age

as authorized in subsection B of Section 2603 of this title if the

student is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, the

Reserve Corps of the Armed Forces of the United States, or the

Oklahoma National Guard, and is ordered to active duty or active

duty for special work or training and due to the duty commitment the

student is unable to enroll prior to the end of the three-year

period or before the student reaches twenty-one (21) years of age.

The period shall be extended by the length of the term of duty.

3. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall

establish a maximum limit on the number of courses or other

postsecondary units to which Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program

benefits will apply.

E. Benefits awarded under the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access

Program shall be awarded to all eligible applicants without any

limitation on the number of awards in any year other than the amount

of funds available for the program and the number of eligible

applicants. Subject to the provisions of subsection F of this

section, if funds are not sufficient to provide awards for all

eligible applicants, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

shall make awards on the basis of need. Provided, the Oklahoma

State Regents for Higher Education shall take into consideration

other grants and scholarships received by an eligible applicant when

making awards.

F. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may, at the

time an award is made on behalf of an Oklahoma Higher Learning

Access Program student, set aside in the Oklahoma Higher Learning

Access Trust Fund funds for the full commitment made to such Higher

Learning Access Program student. For all academic years, students

who have previously received awards under the provisions of the

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools

Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Act, Section 2601 et seq. of this

title, and who have continued at all times to fulfill the

requirements for eligibility to receive awards provided pursuant to

this program shall be given an absolute priority for continued

financial support by the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program

superior to any students who are applying for such benefits for the

first time.

G. Beginning with the 2018-2019 academic year, an award allowed

by this section shall not include an amount for payment of remedial

noncredit-earning courses taken by an eligible Oklahoma Higher

Learning Access Program student.

Added by Laws 1992, c. 353, § 4, eff. July 1, 1992. Amended by Laws

1994, c. 153, § 3, emerg. eff. May 3, 1994; Laws 1997, c. 74, § 1,

eff. July 1, 1997; Laws 1999, c. 190, § 2; Laws 2000, c. 232, § 14,

eff. July 1, 2000; Laws 2001, c. 33, § 145, eff. July 1, 2001; Laws

2008, c. 350, § 3, emerg. eff. June 2, 2008; Laws 2009, c. 437, § 2,

eff. July 1, 2009; Laws 2011, c. 351, § 2, eff. July 1, 2011; Laws

2017, c. 289, § 3, eff. July 1, 2017.