§1134a — Title 20 Education | U.S. Code

§1134a Allocation of fellowships

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 28— - HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER VII— - GRADUATE AND POSTSECONDARY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS › Part Part A— - Graduate Education Programs › Subpart subpart 1— - jacob k. javits fellowship program › § 1134a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must create a nine-member Javits Fellows Board made up of people from both public and private colleges and universities who are well qualified. When picking members, the Secretary must try to choose respected academics from different U.S. regions, from a range of arts, humanities, and social science fields, and include people from schools eligible for certain federal grants. Board members serve four-year terms, cannot serve more than six years total, and fill any vacancy only for the remainder of the term. The Secretary calls the first meeting so the Board can elect a Chair and Vice Chair; those first officers serve one year, and later officers serve two-year terms. A majority of members is a quorum. The Board must meet at least once a year, consult regularly with agencies like the NSF, NEH, and NEA and with colleges and academic groups, and send Congress a report at least once every three years. Board members may be paid up to the basic pay for Executive Schedule Level IV and get travel expenses under section 5703 of title 5. The Board sets program rules, decides fellowship criteria, and picks scholar panels to choose fellows (or a private contractor can do these tasks if hired). Fellows are chosen nationwide in each field, up to the number the Board allocates for that field each year. Each fellow may use the award at any accredited graduate school they choose.

Title 20, §1134a

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)(A)The Secretary shall appoint a Jacob K. Javits Fellows Program Fellowship Board (referred to in this subpart as the “Board”) consisting of 9 individuals representative of both public and private institutions of higher education who are especially qualified to serve on the Board.

(B)In making appointments under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall—

(i)give due consideration to the appointment of individuals who are highly respected in the academic community;

(ii)appoint members who represent the various geographic regions of the United States;

(iii)ensure that individuals appointed to the Board are broadly representative of a range of disciplines in graduate education in arts, humanities, and social sciences; and

(iv)ensure that such individuals include representatives from institutions that are eligible for one or more of the grants under subchapter III or V.

(2)The Board shall—

(A)establish general policies for the program established by this subpart and oversee the program’s operation;

(B)establish general criteria for the award of fellowships in academic fields identified by the Board, or, in the event that the Secretary enters into a contract with a nongovernmental entity to administer the program assisted under this subpart, by such nongovernmental entity;

(C)appoint panels of academic scholars with distinguished backgrounds in the arts, humanities, and social sciences for the purpose of selecting fellows, except that, in the event that the Secretary enters into a contract with a nongovernmental entity to administer the program, such panels may be appointed by such nongovernmental entity; and

(D)prepare and submit to the Congress at least once in every 3-year period a report on any modifications in the program that the Board determines are appropriate.

(3)In carrying out its responsibilities, the Board shall consult on a regular basis with representatives of the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and representatives of institutions of higher education and associations of such institutions, learned societies, and professional organizations.

(4)The term of office of each member of the Board shall be 4 years, except that any member appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the term for which the predecessor of the member was appointed. No member may serve for a period in excess of 6 years.

(5)The Secretary shall call the first meeting of the Board, at which the first order of business shall be the election of a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson, who shall serve until 1 year after the date of the appointment of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. Thereafter each officer shall be elected for a term of 2 years. In case a vacancy occurs in either office, the Board shall elect an individual from among the members of the Board to fill such vacancy.

(6)(A)A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

(B)The Board shall meet at least once a year or more frequently, as may be necessary, to carry out the Board’s responsibilities.

(7)Members of the Board, while serving on the business of the Board, shall be entitled to receive compensation at rates fixed by the Secretary, but not exceeding the rate of basic pay payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule, including travel time, and while so serving away from their homes or regular places of business, the members may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5 for persons in Government service employed intermittently.

(b)The recipients of fellowships shall be selected in each designated field from among all applicants nationwide in each field by distinguished panels appointed by the Board to make such selections under criteria established by the Board, except that, in the event that the Secretary enters into a contract with a nongovernmental entity to administer the program, such panels may be appointed by such nongovernmental entity. The number of recipients in each field in each year shall not exceed the number of fellows allocated to that field for that year by the Board.

(c)Each recipient shall be entitled to use the fellowship in a graduate program at any accredited institution of higher education in which the recipient may decide to enroll.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Level IV of the Executive Schedule, referred to in subsec. (a)(7), is set out in section 5315 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to this section were contained in section 1134i of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–244. A prior section 1134a, Pub. L. 89–329, title IX, § 911, as added Pub. L. 102–325, title IX, § 901,

July 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 761, authorized grants to encourage women and minority participation in graduate education, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–244, § 3, title VII, § 702, Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1585, 1803, effective Oct. 1, 1998. Another prior section 1134a, Pub. L. 89–329, title IX, § 902, as added Pub. L. 99–498, title IX, § 901(a), Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1550, related to submission and contents of applications, prior to the general amendment of part A of subchapter IX of this chapter by Pub. L. 102–325. Another prior section 1134a, Pub. L. 89–329, title IX, § 902, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 181(a),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 305; amended Pub. L. 94–482, title I, § 171(a)(3), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2159; Pub. L. 96–374, title XIII, § 1391(a)(1), Oct. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 1503, related to applications for grants to institutions of higher education, prior to the general amendment of subchapter IX of this chapter by Pub. L. 99–498. Another prior section 1134a, Pub. L. 89–329, title IX, § 903, as added Pub. L. 90–575, title II, § 261, Oct. 16, 1968, 82 Stat. 1043, related to project grants and contracts to strengthen and improve education for the public service, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 92–318. A prior section 702 of Pub. L. 89–329 was classified to section 1132a–1 of this title, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 105–244. Another prior section 702 of Pub. L. 89–329 was classified to section 1132a–1 of this title, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 99–498. Another prior section 702 of Pub. L. 89–329 was classified to section 1132a–1 of this title, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 96–374.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 110–315 amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Secretary shall appoint a Jacob K. Javits Fellows Program Fellowship Board (hereinafter in this subpart referred to as the ‘Board’) consisting of 9 individuals representative of both public and private institutions of higher education who are especially qualified to serve on the Board. In making appointments, the Secretary shall give due consideration to the appointment of individuals who are highly respected in the academic community. The Secretary shall assure that individuals appointed to the Board are broadly representative of a range of disciplines in graduate education in arts, humanities, and social sciences.”