There is a Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship Program, which is administered by the Office pursuant to Education Article, §18-604, Annotated Code of Maryland. The Program may be referred to as the Senator Douglas J.J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship Program. The purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance to attend a Maryland institution of higher education for United States armed forces personnel who served in the Afghanistan or Iraq Conflicts and their families. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. Terms Defined. “Commission” means the Maryland Higher Education Commission. “Director” means the Director of the Office. “Educational expenses” means: Tuition and mandatory fees; and Costs of room and board. “Eligible institution” means: A community college in the State; A public senior higher education institution in the State; or A private nonprofit institution of higher education in the State that: Is approved to operate by the Commission under Education Article, §11-202, Annotated Code of Maryland; or May operate without a Certificate of Approval from the Commission under Education Article, §11-202.1(a), Annotated Code of Maryland. Extenuating Circumstances. “Extenuating circumstances” means the occurrence of an extraordinary event or condition that prevents a recipient from fulfilling a scholarship requirement. “Extenuating circumstances” may include, but is not limited to: Disability or serious illness or injury of the student; Pregnancy or adoption of a child; Fulfillment of military service; Extreme financial hardship of the student or the student’s immediate family; or Serious illness or injury or death of an immediate family member. “Family member” means son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, or spouse. “Full-time” means enrollment at an eligible institution in at least 12 credits per semester in an undergraduate program. “Office” means the Office of Student Financial Assistance within the Maryland Higher Education Commission. “Part-time” means enrollment at an eligible institution in at least 6, but fewer than 12, credits per semester in an undergraduate degree program. “Scholarship” means a Senator Douglas J.J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship under this chapter. “Veteran” has the meaning stated in State Government Article, §9-901, Annotated Code of Maryland. A scholarship may be used for educational expenses at any eligible institution. The annual award may not exceed the amount of 50 percent of the equivalent annual tuition and mandatory fees and room and board of a resident undergraduate at a 4-year public institution of higher education within the University System of Maryland, other than the University of Maryland Global Campus and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, with the highest annual expenses for a full-time resident undergraduate. If a recipient of a scholarship receives federal education benefits for which the recipient qualifies as a result of the individual’s military service, status as a dependent of a member of the armed forces, or status as a veteran of the armed forces, the amount of the federal education benefits received for the purposes of educational expenses shall be credited against the recipient’s educational expenses before the calculation of the scholarship award amount. Subject to the State budget, the Office annually shall determine individuals’ initial eligibility to receive a scholarship. An applicant is eligible for a scholarship if the applicant is: A resident of Maryland; Accepted for admission or enrolled in an eligible institution in: An undergraduate degree program; or A 2-year lower division certificate program in which the coursework is acceptable for transfer credit toward a bachelor’s degree program at an eligible institution; and One of the following: A veteran or active duty member of the United States armed forces who served in: Afghanistan or contiguous air space, as defined in federal military regulations, on or after October 24, 2001, and before a terminal date prescribed by the United States Secretary of Defense; or Iraq or contiguous waters or air space, as defined in federal military regulations, on or after March 19, 2003, and before a terminal date prescribed by the United States Secretary of Defense; A member of a reserve component of the United States armed forces or the Maryland National Guard who was activated as a result of the United States military conflict in: Afghanistan or contiguous air space, as defined in federal military regulations, on or after October 24, 2001, and before a terminal date prescribed by the United States Secretary of Defense; or Iraq or contiguous waters or air space, as defined in federal military regulations, on or after March 19, 2003, and before a terminal date prescribed by the United States Secretary of Defense; or The son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, or spouse of an individual described in §B(3)(a) or (b) of this regulation.. To be considered for an initial scholarship award, an individual shall submit to the Office, no later than March 1: A complete Senator Douglas J.J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship application form; All applicable documentation of military service and family relationship described in §§B and C of this regulation; and Any other documents requested by the Office. Documentation of Military Service in Afghanistan or Iraq Conflicts. An active duty member of the United States armed forces or a family member of an active duty member of the United States armed forces shall submit a copy of the member’s official military orders. A veteran of the United States armed forces, a family member of a veteran of the United States armed forces, a member of a reserve component of the United States armed services or the Maryland National Guard, or a family member of a member of a reserve component of the United States armed services or the Maryland National Guard shall submit a copy of the veteran’s or member’s Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Documentation of Family Relationship. The son or daughter or an individual described in Regulation .04B(3)(a) or (b) of this chapter shall submit a copy of their birth certificate or proof of adoption. The spouse of an individual described in Regulation .04B(3)(a) or (b) of this chapter shall submit a copy of their marriage certificate. The stepson or stepdaughter of an individual described in Regulation .04B(3)(a) or (b) of this chapter shall submit: A copy of the marriage certificate of their parent and stepparent; and A copy of their birth certificate or proof of adoption. An application form or any required documentation under §§B and C of this regulation that is received after March 1 may not be considered in the determination of award eligibility. Additional Information or Documentation. The Office may request additional information or documentation, or a signed authorization for the release of information or documentation from a third party, before determining eligibility for the award. Any requested information, documentation, or signed authorization submitted after any deadline established by the Office will not be considered in the determination of award eligibility. An initial scholarship award under this chapter may be renewed annually for a maximum of: Four renewal awards, if the student is enrolled full-time; or Eight renewal awards, if the student is enrolled part-time. A student shall be eligible for a renewal award if the student: Continues to meet the requirements in Regulation .04B(1) and (2) of this chapter; and Except as set forth in §C of this regulation, has achieved and maintained a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Waiver of GPA Requirement Based on Extenuating Circumstances. A student who has not achieved or maintained the required cumulative GPA shall be eligible to receive a renewal award if the student provides the Office with documentation of extenuating circumstances and the Office determines that the documentation provides sufficient evidence of the extenuating circumstances. No later than 30 days after receiving notice of ineligibility for a renewal award, a student requesting a waiver of the GPA requirement shall submit to the Office: A letter explaining the extenuating circumstances and why they prevented the student from achieving the required GPA; Any documentation of the occurrence of the extenuating circumstances; Any other relevant supporting information; and Any other documents requested by the Office. Waiver determinations made by the Office are final and not subject to additional review or appeal.. If the number of eligible applicants for awards exceeds the amount of funds available, eligible applicants will be selected pursuant to §§B—D of this regulation. Renewal Awards. Priority shall be given to applicants who are renewing an award under Regulation .06 of this chapter. Veterans, Active Duty Military, and Reserve and National Guard Members. If funds remain after awards are made to students under §B of this regulation, priority shall be given to initial applicants who are eligible for a scholarship under Regulation .04B(3)(a) or (b) of this chapter. If the number of applicants under this section exceeds the amount of funds available, applicants shall be ranked by application completion date. Family Members. If funds remain after awards are made to students under §§B and C of this regulation, awards shall be made to initial applicants who are eligible for a scholarship under Regulation .04B(3)(c) of this chapter. If the number of applicants under this section exceeds the amount of funds available, applicants shall be ranked by application completion date. An eligible applicant who does not receive an award shall be notified and placed on a waiting list. Notification and Acceptance of Award. Applicants who are selected for a scholarship shall be notified of an award offer in writing, which may include electronic mail. A recipient of an award offer who wishes to accept the award shall provide written notification to the Office, in the form prescribed by the Office, by the deadline established by the Office Annual awards shall be disbursed in two installments, one per semester. Before disbursing an award, the Office may require an institution to certify, in the form and manner requested by the Office, that a recipient has met certain eligibility requirements for the award. In addition to any certification required under §B of this regulation, before disbursement of a renewal award, an institution shall certify, in the form and manner requested by the Office, that a recipient maintained a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. An award will not be disbursed by the Office until all required certification is received. An institution shall provide certification to the Office and request payment for all recipients on a semester basis, no later than: December 15, for the fall semester; and May 15, for the spring semester. An institution that fails to timely certify and request payment for all recipients under §D of this regulation may not certify recipients for the subsequent semester until all prior semester awards have been certified and disbursed. Education Article, §§11-105(u), 18-204(c), and 18-604, Annotated Code of Maryland Effective date: August 21, 2023 (50:16 Md. R. 727)