Title 22Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73

§4703 Scholarship program authority

Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 57— - UNITED STATES SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES › § 4703

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President, using the United States Information Agency, must give scholarships or partial help for undergraduate study in U.S. colleges to citizens and nationals of developing countries who finished secondary school and could not afford to study in the United States. Each award is treated like a loan that is canceled if the student returns to their home country for at least one year longer than their time studying in the United States. If the student gets asylum under section 1158 of title 8 or is admitted as a refugee under section 1157 of title 8, half the loan is canceled. Before spending any funds under this chapter, the President must talk with U.S. colleges, educational exchange groups, U.S. missions in developing countries, and the governments of the countries taking part about how to follow the rules in section 4704. For this chapter, “institution of higher education” means the same as in section 1001 of title 20.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §4703

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The President, acting through the United States Information Agency, shall provide scholarships (including partial assistance) for undergraduate study at United States institutions of higher education by citizens and nationals of developing countries who have completed their secondary education and who would not otherwise have an opportunity to study in the United States due to financial limitations.
(b)To encourage students to use their training in their countries of origin, each scholarship pursuant to this section shall be in the form of a loan with all repayment to be forgiven upon the student’s prompt return to his or her country of origin for a period which is at least one year longer than the period spent studying in the United States. If the student is granted asylum in the United States pursuant to section 1158 of title 8 or is admitted to the United States as a refugee pursuant to section 1157 of title 8, half of the repayment shall be forgiven.
(c)Before allocating any of the funds made available to carry out this chapter, the President shall consult with United States institutions of higher education, educational exchange organizations, United States missions in developing countries, and the governments of participating countries on how to implement the guidelines specified in section 4704 of this title.
(d)For purposes of this chapter, the term “institution of higher education” has the same meaning as given to such term by section 1001 of title 20.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 105–244 substituted “section 1001” for “section 1141(a)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–244 effective Oct. 1, 1998, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 105–244, see section 3 of Pub. L. 105–244, set out as a note under section 1001 of Title 20, Education.

Transfer of Functions

United States Information Agency (other than Broadcasting Board of Governors and International Broadcasting Bureau) abolished and functions transferred to Secretary of State, see section 6531 and 6532 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 4703

Title 22Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73