Sec. 13b.08.10.04. Award Amounts and Credit Completion Requirements

A. Educational Excellence Award program award amounts shall be determined by OSFA in accordance with this regulation and Regulation .06 of this chapter.

B. Educational Assistance Grant Award Amounts.

(1) Educational Assistance Grant award amounts shall range between $400 and $3,000 and be awarded in $100 increments.

(2) The amount of an Educational Assistance Grant made to a student in the student’s first 2 academic years of enrollment may not be less than $400 or more than $3,000.

(3) If the student enrolled in an eligible institution on or after August 31, 2015, and has received the EA Grant for at least 2 years, then beginning with the 2018-2019 award year, and in each academic award year thereafter, the student shall successfully complete:

(a) At least 30 credits in the prior academic year, in order for the EA award amount to not be less than $400 or more than $3,000; or

(b) At least 24 but fewer than 30 credits in the prior academic year, in order for the EA award amount to be equal to the amount the student would have otherwise received under §B(3)(a) of this regulation multiplied by the ratio of the number of credits successfully completed divided by 30.

(4) If the student’s prorated award amount under §B(3)(b) of this regulation is less than $400, the student shall not be awarded an Educational Assistance Grant.

C. Guaranteed Access Grant Award Amounts.

(1) Guaranteed Access Grant award amounts shall range from $400 up to a maximum award not to exceed the equivalent annual expenses of a full-time resident undergraduate at the 4-year public institution of higher education within the University System of Maryland, other than the University of Maryland University College and the University of Maryland Baltimore, which is calculated by OSFA to have the highest annual expenses for a full-time resident undergraduate, in $100 increments.

(2) The amount of a Guaranteed Access Grant made to a student in the student's first 2 academic years of enrollment shall be equal to 100 percent of the student's adjusted financial need as determined by OSFA, subject to the requirements of §C(1) of this regulation.

(3) If the student has enrolled in an eligible institution on or after August 31, 2015, and has received the GA Grant for at least 2 years, then beginning with the 2018-2019 award year, and each academic award year thereafter, the student shall successfully complete:

(a) At least 30 credits in the prior academic year, in order for the award amount to be equal to 100 percent of the amount calculated under §C(2) of this regulation; or

(b) At least 24 but fewer than 30 credits in the prior academic year, in order for the award amount to be equal to 100 percent of the amount calculated under §C(2) of this regulation multiplied by the ratio of the number of credits successfully completed divided by 30.

(4) If the student’s prorated award amount under §C(3)(b) of this regulation would be less than $400, the student shall not be awarded a Guaranteed Access Grant.

D. Except as provided in §E of this regulation, if the student fails to complete at least 24 credits at the end of the student’s second academic year of receiving the grant, the student shall not be awarded either the Guaranteed Access Grant or the Educational Assistance Grant.

E. A student described in §D of this regulation may be awarded the grant if, subsequent to the second year of receiving the grant:

(1) The student completes 24 credits within an academic year; and

(2) Reapplies for and qualifies for the grant the following year.

F. The award recipient shall continue to meet the criteria established by this chapter for the duration of the award.

G. Students may hold other State scholarships or grants in addition to an EEA, but shall meet all conditions for all awards, and may not receive an amount combined from all State programs that exceeds the maximum amount established by OSFA.

H. A student who has been approved through an appeal under Regulation .15 of this chapter to receive an EEA while taking fewer than 12 credits in a term may not receive a part-time grant from OSFA during that same term.