Section 23-3.7-103 - Tuition assistance grant program - authorization - administration(1) The general assembly hereby authorizes the commission to establish and administer a tuition assistance grant program within the scholarship and grant program for in-state students attending nonpublic institutions of higher education in this state.(2) An in-state student may apply to an eligible nonpublic institution of higher education for a grant at any time after his or her acceptance by such nonpublic institution of higher education. The commission shall award grants, out of moneys in the fund created in section 23-3.7-107, for such students to such institutions in accordance with criteria established by the commission. In establishing this criteria the commission shall include, but not be limited to, the consideration of need and merit. The criteria shall also include: (a) A prohibition against the awarding of any financial assistance pursuant to this article to a student who is pursuing a professional degree in theology; except that the prohibition described in this section shall not apply to financial assistance that is awarded to a student from a federal program, including but not limited to Title IV of the federal "Higher Education Act of 1965", 20 U.S.C. sec. 1070, as amended; and(b) A requirement that a nonpublic institution of higher education that seeks to award financial assistance to a student pursuant to this article certify that the student is not pursuing a professional degree in theology.(3) Grants, except in the case of part-time students, shall be for not more than one thousand five hundred dollars per academic year, and no student may receive more than one grant per academic year.(4) Students enrolled on less than a full-time but more than a half-time basis shall be eligible for prorated grants as determined by the commission.(5) A grant shall be awarded for not more than four academic years of credit, which shall be completed within twelve years of the initial award of such grant. Such grant may be renewed annually in accordance with criteria established by the commission in subsection (2) of this section and shall include the consideration of the student's performance and circumstances since the initial award of such grant.(6) Grants shall be transmitted to nonpublic institutions of higher education on behalf of in-state students at the time of registration by the students.(7) If an in-state student discontinues attendance at a nonpublic institution of higher education before the end of the academic term for which a grant has been transmitted on his behalf, the institution shall remit the unused portion of such student's grant to the commission as determined by the commission.L. 86: Entire article added, p. 825, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2009: (2) amended, (HB 09-1267), ch. 348, p. 1825, §7, effective June 1. For the legislative declaration contained in the 2009 act amending subsection (2), see section 1 of chapter 348, Session Laws of Colorado 2009.