Section 2755.40  Institutional Procedures

a)         An institution shall certify the qualified applicant's eligibility with its request for payment within the time frame specified by ISAC.

b)         Upon receipt of scholarship funds, the institution(s) shall verify the recipient's enrollment status for the term for which the award was intended.  If enrolled, the institution may credit scholarship funds to the recipient's account for expenses due and payable.  If the recipient withdraws from enrollment prior to completing the academic year of study, the institution shall return the amount of the scholarship to ISAC for the semester(s) or quarter(s) not attended.

c)         Refunds not submitted to ISAC will be deducted from payments for the subsequent academic year.

d)         If a scholar does not meet the requirements for continuing eligibility within an award year, scholarship funds will be suspended until the scholar demonstrates that s/he meets the eligibility requirements.  The scholar is not eligible to receive scholarship funds during the period of suspension.  If the suspension period exceeds 12 months, the scholar's eligibility will be terminated.  If eligibility is reestablished within the 12-month period, scholarship funds will be disbursed only for remaining periods of eligibility. The funds not awarded during a period of suspension cannot be awarded to the scholar during a subsequent period of enrollment at an institution as an undergraduate student.

e)         The total amount of the Byrd Scholarship awarded to a recipient in any given academic year, when added to the other federal or state financial aid available to the recipient for that year, cannot exceed the student's cost of attendance.

1)         The amount of any federally guaranteed student loans should be decreased prior to reducing the amount of the Byrd Scholarship.

2)         A Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant should be decreased prior to reducing the amount of a Byrd Scholarship.

3)         The Byrd Scholarship should be decreased prior to reducing the amount of a Federal Pell Grant.

f)         Except as provided in subsection (e) of this Section, a recipient may receive up to $1500 for each academic year, up to a maximum of four years of study. Scholarship payment is subject to the limit of available federal funding.

g)         Out-of-state institutions that are eligible to participate in Title IV federal student financial aid programs need not execute a Program Participation Agreement with ISAC to receive funds on behalf of recipients.

h)         To provide sufficient time for processing and vouchering through the State Comptroller's Office in Springfield, all payment requests must be received no later than May 15.

(Source:  Amended at 30 Ill. Reg. 11666, effective July 1, 2006)