§ 21-12-8-9 — Eligibility for high value workforce ready credit-bearing grant

(a) This section applies to an applicant who
attends or has attended any of the following:
(1) An approved secondary school.
(2) A state accredited nonpublic school.
(3) A nonaccredited nonpublic school.
(b) An applicant is eligible to receive a high value workforce ready
credit-bearing grant if the following conditions are met:
(1) The applicant is domiciled in Indiana, as defined by the
commission.
(2) The applicant:
(A) has received a diploma of graduation from a school
described in subsection (a);
(B) has been granted a:
(i) high school equivalency certificate before July 1, 1995; or
(ii) state of Indiana general educational development (GED)
diploma under IC 20-10.1-12.1 (before its repeal), IC 20-20-6
(before its repeal), or IC 22-4.1-18; or
(C) is a student in good standing who is completing a final year
of study at a school described in subsection (a) and will be
eligible upon graduation to attend an approved institution of
higher learning.
(3) The applicant is enrolled in an eligible certificate program, as
determined under section 2(4) of this chapter, at Ivy Tech
Community College, Vincennes University, or a program
approved by the commission.
(4) The applicant enrolls at least half-time for purposes of federal
financial aid.
(5) The applicant has not received any grant for the maximum
number of academic terms specified for the grant in IC 21-12-13-1 or IC 21-12-13-2.
(6) The applicant is not eligible for any state financial aid
program described in IC 21-12-13-1(a) or IC 21-12-13-2(a).
(7) The applicant is identified as financially independent from the
applicant's parents as determined by the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
(8) The applicant has correctly filed the FAFSA and, if eligible
for aid, accepts all offered federal scholarships and grants.
(9) Except as provided under subsection (c), the applicant
maintains satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the
eligible institution.
(10) The applicant has not previously received a baccalaureate
degree or associate degree.
(11) The applicant meets any other minimum criteria established
by the commission.
(c) This subsection applies to an applicant who does not maintain
satisfactory academic progress under subsection (b)(9) but meets all the
other conditions required under subsection (b). An applicant is eligible
to receive a high value workforce ready credit-bearing grant if the
applicant meets one (1) of the following:
(1) The applicant has not attended an eligible institution for the
immediately preceding two (2) academic years.
(2) The applicant:
(A) attended an eligible institution at any time during the
immediately preceding two (2) academic years; and
(B) maintained satisfactory academic progress, as determined
by the eligible institution, during the period described in clause
(A) in which the applicant attended the eligible institution.
(d) If an applicant is identified as dependent as determined by the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the applicant must:
(1) meet the criteria specified in subsection (b), except for
subsection (b)(4), (b)(7), and (b)(9);
(2) enroll full time for purposes of federal financial aid;
(3) maintain satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the
eligible institution; and
(4) complete a workforce ready grant success program, as
determined by the commission, if the applicant graduates from
high school after December 31, 2018.
(e) If the demand for high value workforce ready credit-bearing
grants exceeds the available appropriation, as determined by the
commission, the commission shall prioritize the applicants identified
as independent as determined by the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA).

Legislative History

As added by P.L.230-2017, SEC.30. Amended by P.L.174-2018, SEC.8; P.L.178-2018, SEC.6; P.L.143-2019, SEC.31; P.L.92-2020, SEC.100; P.L.232-2025, SEC.19.