§1135b — Title 20 Education | U.S. Code

§1135b Criteria for applications

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 2— - graduate assistance in areas of national need › § 1135b

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must award grants to college or university departments, programs, or units after they apply. Applications are reviewed and ranked by panels of well-known scholars. The panels look at program quality and the students’ achievement and potential. Whenever possible, the Secretary should follow the reviewers’ recommendations. Each application must describe the current program and promise to provide at least 25 percent of the grant amount from non‑Federal sources. The application must show plans to recruit talented students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, list the number, types, and amounts of fellowships to be offered, and explain rules for giving awards. Awards must go to students with financial need (under part F of subchapter IV), strong academic records, and who plan to pursue the highest degree available. The applicant must promise that federal funds will add to—not replace—its existing funds, that it will cover any shortfall from its own funds, follow the limits in section 1135d, provide at least 1 year of supervised teaching training, and give any other information the Secretary requires.

Title 20, §1135b

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall make grants to academic departments, programs and units of institutions of higher education on the basis of applications submitted in accordance with subsection (b). Applications shall be ranked on program quality by review panels of nationally recognized scholars and evaluated on the quality and effectiveness of the academic program and the achievement and promise of the students to be served. To the extent possible (consistent with other provisions of this section), the Secretary shall make awards that are consistent with recommendations of the review panels.

(b)An academic department, program or unit of an institution of higher education, in the department, program or unit’s application for a grant, shall—

(1)describe the current academic program of the applicant for which the grant is sought;

(2)provide assurances that the applicant will provide, from other non-Federal sources, for the purposes of the fellowship program under this subpart an amount equal to at least 25 percent of the amount of the grant received under this subpart, which contribution may be in cash or in kind, fairly valued;

(3)set forth policies and procedures to assure that, in making fellowship awards under this subpart, the institution will seek talented students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, as determined by the Secretary;

(4)describe the number, types, and amounts of the fellowships that the applicant intends to offer with grant funds provided under this part;

(5)set forth policies and procedures to assure that, in making fellowship awards under this subpart, the institution will make awards to individuals who—

(A)have financial need, as determined under part F of subchapter IV;

(B)have excellent academic records in their previous programs of study; and

(C)plan to pursue the highest possible degree available in their course of study at the institution;

(6)set forth policies and procedures to ensure that Federal funds made available under this subpart for any fiscal year will be used to supplement and, to the extent practical, increase the funds that would otherwise be made available for the purpose of this subpart and in no case to supplant those funds;

(7)provide assurances that, in the event that funds made available to the academic department, program or unit under this subpart are insufficient to provide the assistance due a student under the commitment entered into between the academic department, program or unit and the student, the academic department, program or unit will, from any funds available to the department, program or unit, fulfill the commitment to the student;

(8)provide that the applicant will comply with the limitations set forth in section 1135d of this title;

(9)provide assurances that the academic department will provide at least 1 year of supervised training in instruction for students; and

(10)include such other information as the Secretary may prescribe.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to this section were contained in section 1134o of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–244. A prior section 1135b, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1021, as added Pub. L. 99–498, title X, § 1002, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1561, and amended, which related to purpose of and authority for minority science improvement program, was renumbered section 351 of title III of Pub. L. 89–329 by Pub. L. 105–244, title III, § 301(a)(5), (7), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1636, and transferred to section 1067a of this title. Another prior section 1135b, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1051, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 316, authorized appropriations for occupational education programs, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–482, title I, § 176(c), title II, § 204(c)(2), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2165, 2215, eff. Sept. 30, 1977, Oct. 1, 1977. Another prior section 1135b, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1003, as added Pub. L. 90–575, title II, § 271, Oct. 16, 1968, 82 Stat. 1048, related to selection of grant recipients for improvement of graduate programs, prior to the general amendment of subchapter X of this chapter by Pub. L. 92–318. A prior section 713 of Pub. L. 89–329 was classified to section 1132b–2 of this title, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 105–244. Another prior section 713 of Pub. L. 89–329 was classified to section 1132b–2 of this title, prior to the general amendment of part A of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–325. Another prior section 713 of Pub. L. 89–329 was classified to section 1132b–2 of this title, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 99–498. A prior section 1135b–1, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1022, as added Pub. L. 99–498, title X, § 1002, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1561, which related to grant recipient selection, was renumbered section 352 of title III of Pub. L. 89–329 by Pub. L. 105–244, title III, § 301(a)(5), (7), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1636, and transferred to section 1067b of this title. Another prior section 1135b–1, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1052, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 316, set forth allotment and reallotment requirements for funds appropriated for programs, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–482, title I, § 176(c), title II, § 204(c)(2), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2165, 2215, eff. Sept. 30, 1977, Oct. 1, 1977. A prior section 1135b–2, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1023, as added Pub. L. 99–498, title X, § 1002, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1562, which related to use of funds, was renumbered section 353 of title III of Pub. L. 89–329 by Pub. L. 105–244, title III, § 301(a)(5), (7), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1636, and transferred to section 1067c of this title. Another prior section 1135b–2, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1053, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 317, set forth requirements for administration of programs by Secretary, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–482, title I, § 176(c), title II, § 204(c)(2), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2165, 2215, eff. Sept. 30, 1987, Oct. 1, 1977. A prior section 1135b–3, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1024, as added Pub. L. 99–498, title X, § 1002, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1562, and amended, which required multiagency study of minority science programs, was renumbered section 1024 of title III of Pub. L. 89–329 by Pub. L. 105–244, title III, § 301(a)(5), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1636, transferred to section 1067d of this title, and repealed by Pub. L. 111–39, title III, § 302,

July 1, 2009, 123 Stat. 1938. Another prior section 1135b–3 and prior sections 1135b–4 to 1135b–9 were repealed by Pub. L. 94–482, title I, § 176(c), title II, § 204(c)(2), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2165, 2215, eff. Sept. 30, 1977, Oct. 1, 1977. section 1135b–3, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1054, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 317, set forth responsibilities of Commissioner of Education in the administration of programs. section 1135b–4, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1055, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 318, set forth requirements for State participation and administration of programs. section 1135b–5, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1056, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 318, authorized planning grants for State occupational education programs and set forth criteria for State participation. section 1135b–6, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1057, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 319, authorized program grants for State occupational education programs and set forth criteria for State administration of grants. section 1135b–7, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1058, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 320, set forth prerequisites and procedures for program grants by Commissioner and provided for judicial review of actions of Commissioner. section 1135b–8, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1059, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 321, authorized technical assistance to the States by Commissioner and the establishment of model programs. section 1135b–9, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1060, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1),

June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 322, defined the terms “State” and “postsecondary occupational education” for purposes of occupational education programs.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (b)(5)(C). Pub. L. 110–315 inserted “at the institution” before semicolon at end.