CHAPTER 20
IOWA NATIONAL GUARD EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
283—20.1(261) Educational assistance to Iowa national guard members for undergraduate studies at eligible Iowa institutions. The adjutant general shall determine eligibility requirements and select program recipients. The decision of the adjutant general is final.
	20.1(1) Definitions. As used in this chapter:
“Federal active duty” means military duty performed pursuant to orders issued under Title 10, United States Code, other than for training.
“State-defined payment period” means one of five payment terms and corresponding deadlines as defined by the college student aid commission.
	20.1(2) Guard member eligibility. A recipient must:
	a. 	Be a resident of Iowa, as defined by the adjutant general of Iowa, and a member of an Iowa army or air national guard unit throughout each term for which the member receives benefits.
	b. 	Have satisfactorily completed required guard training.
	c. 	Have maintained satisfactory performance of guard duty.
	d. 	Have applied to the adjutant general of Iowa for program eligibility by the established application deadline date(s). The adjutant general shall accept an application from an eligible member of the Iowa national guard who was on federal active duty at the time of an application deadline if the application is received within 30 days after the eligible member returns to Iowa from federal active duty. The applicant will be considered for funding for the state-defined payment period in which the application was received and any future state-defined payment periods in that academic year.
	e. 	Be pursuing a certificate or undergraduate degree program at an eligible Iowa college or university and maintaining satisfactory academic progress.
	f. 	Provide notice of national guard status to the college or university at the time of registration.
	20.1(3) Institutional eligibility. Guard members attending the following categories of colleges and universities located in Iowa are eligible to receive awards under this program:
	a. 	Institutions accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).
	b. 	State-supported area community colleges accredited by the state department of education.
“Located in Iowa” means a college or university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, that has made a substantial investment in a permanent Iowa campus and staff, and that offers a full range of courses leading to the degrees offered by the institution as well as a full range of student services.
	20.1(4) Award notification. A guard member is notified of eligibility by the adjutant general of Iowa. The adjutant general will notify the Iowa college student aid commission (commission) of all eligible members. The commission will notify Iowa colleges and universities of guard member eligibility.
	20.1(5) Award limitations. Awards may be used for educational assistance including tuition and fees; room and board; books, supplies, transportation and personal expenses; dependent care; and disability-related expenses. Individual award amounts shall be determined by the adjutant general and shall be neither less than an amount equal to 50 percent of the resident tuition rate established for students attending regent institutions nor exceed the amount of the resident tuition rate established for students attending regent institutions.
	20.1(6) Restrictions.
	a. 	A guard member may use benefits only for undergraduate educational assistance.
	b. 	A guard member who has met the educational requirements for a baccalaureate degree is not eligible for benefits.
	c. 	A qualified student may receive benefits for no more than 120 semester credit hours, or the equivalent, of undergraduate study. All credit hours within a term of enrollment to which educational assistance was applied must be reported to the commission within the state-defined payment period.
	20.1(7) Verification and compliance.
	a. 	The adjutant general will notify the commission of all eligible guard members. Changes in member eligibility will be sent to the commission within 30 days of the change.
	b. 	The commission will notify eligible Iowa colleges and universities of guard member eligibility.
	c. 	The commission will coordinate the collection and dissemination of eligibility and enrollment information received from the adjutant general and colleges and universities.
	d. 	The institution’s financial aid administrator will be responsible for completing academic progress enrollment verifications and for coordinating other aid to ensure compliance with student eligibility requirements and allowable award amounts. Colleges and universities will report changes in student enrollment to the commission within 30 days after the last day of the enrollment period.
This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code section 261.86.
[ARC 1319C, IAB 2/19/14, effective 3/26/14; ARC 2207C, IAB 10/28/15, effective 12/2/15; ARC 2753C, IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16]
[Filed 6/20/97, Notice 4/9/97—published 7/16/97, effective 8/20/97]
[Filed 8/20/99, Notice 6/16/99—published 9/8/99, effective 10/13/99]
[Filed 4/11/03, Notice 2/19/03—published 4/30/03, effective 6/4/03]
[Filed ARC 1319C (Notice ARC 1122C, IAB 10/16/13), IAB 2/19/14, effective 3/26/14]
[Filed ARC 2207C (Notice ARC 2111C, IAB 8/19/15), IAB 10/28/15, effective 12/2/15]
[Filed ARC 2753C (Notice ARC 2583C, IAB 6/22/16), IAB 10/12/16, effective 11/16/16]