(1) As used in this section: (a) "Federal program" means a veterans educational assistance program established in: (i) 10 U.S.C., Chapter 1606, Educational Assistance for Members of the Selected Reserve; (ii) 38 U.S.C., Chapter 30, All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program; (iii) 38 U.S.C., Chapter 31, Training and Rehabilitation for Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities; (iv) 38 U.S.C., Chapter 31, Post-Vietnam Era Veterans' Educational Assistance; or (v) 38 U.S.C., Chapter 33, Post-9/11 Educational Assistance. (b) "Program" means the Veterans Tuition Gap Program created in this section. (c) "Qualifying military veteran" means a veteran, as defined in Section 68-3-12.5, who: (i) is a resident student under: (A) Section 53H-11-202; and (B) rules of the board; (ii) is accepted into an institution and enrolled in a program leading to a bachelor's degree; (iii) (A) has exhausted the federal benefit under a federal program; or (B) demonstrates that the veteran no longer qualifies to receive federal benefits under any federal program; (iv) has not completed a bachelor's degree; and (v) is not a family member. (d) There is established a Veterans Tuition Gap Program to serve qualifying military veterans with tuition assistance at an institution or private postsecondary educational institution when: (i) federal benefits under the federal program have been exhausted or are not available; and (ii) a qualifying military veteran has not finished a bachelor's degree and is in the final year of a bachelor's degree program. (2) The board shall use the guidelines in this section to develop policies to implement and administer the program. (3) (a) The board shall allocate money appropriated for the program to institutions or private postsecondary educational institutions to provide grants for qualifying military veterans. (b) The board may not use program money for administrative costs or overhead. (c) An institution or private postsecondary educational institution may not use more than 3% of the institution's program money for administrative costs or overhead. (d) Money returned to the board under Subsection (8)(b) shall be used for future allocations to institutions or private postsecondary educational institutions. (4) (a) An institution or private postsecondary educational institution shall award a program grant to a qualifying military veteran on an annual basis but distribute the money one quarter or semester at a time, with continuing awards contingent upon the qualifying military veteran maintaining satisfactory academic progress as defined by the institution or private postsecondary educational institution in published policies or rules. (b) At the conclusion of the academic year, money distributed to an institution or private postsecondary educational institution that was not awarded to a qualifying military veteran or used for allowed administrative purposes shall be returned to the board. (c) (i) To qualify for a program grant under this section, a military veteran shall demonstrate, in accordance with rules described in Subsection (4)(c)(ii), the completion of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. (ii) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the board shall make rules regarding the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid described in Subsection (4)(c)(i), including: (A) provisions for students or parents to opt out of the requirement due to financial ineligibility for any potential grant or other financial aid, personal privacy concerns, or other reasons the board specifies; and (B) direction for applicants to financial aid advisors. (5) A qualifying military veteran may receive a program grant until: (a) the qualifying military veteran completes the requirements for a bachelor's degree; or (b) the qualifying military veteran receives the maximum award that the board sets. (6) A qualifying military veteran who receives a program grant may use the grant toward tuition, fees, books, education-related supplies, and a housing allowance at an institution or private postsecondary educational institution. (7) The board may accept grants, gifts, bequests, and devises of real and personal property from any source for the purpose of awarding grants to qualifying military veterans in addition to those funded by the state. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 8, 2025 Special Session 1
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