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Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§12603 Determination of the amount of the educational award

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 129— - NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE STATE GRANT PROGRAM › § 12603

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

When a person finishes a full-time approved national service term, they must get an education award equal to the maximum Federal Pell Grant a Pell-eligible student could receive for that award year. Someone who finishes a part-time approved term gets half of that amount. If a person is released under program rules before finishing the agreed term, the program may give a partial award that matches how much service they actually completed. Finishing a required summer of service term gives an award of $500 for each term, for up to 2 terms. The program CEO may raise that to $750 for participants who are economically disadvantaged. Finishing a required silver scholar term gives an award of $1,000.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §12603

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as provided in subsection (c), an individual described in section 12602(a) of this title who successfully completes a required term of full-time national service in an approved national service position shall receive a national service educational award having a value equal to the maximum amount of a Federal Pell Grant under section 1070a of title 20 that a student eligible for such Grant may receive in the aggregate (without regard to whether the funds are provided through discretionary or mandatory appropriations), for the award year for which the national service position is approved by the Corporation.
(b)Except as provided in subsection (c), an individual described in section 12602(a) of this title who successfully completes a required term of part-time national service in an approved national service position shall receive a national service educational award having a value equal to 50 percent of value of the national service educational award determined under subsection (a).
(c)If an individual serving in an approved national service position is released in accordance with section 12593(c)(1)(A) of this title from completing the full-time or part-time term of service agreed to by the individual, the Corporation may provide the individual with that portion of the national service educational award approved for the individual that corresponds to the quantity of the term of service actually completed by the individual.
(d)An individual described in section 12602(a) of this title who successfully completes a required summer of service term shall receive a summer of service educational award having a value, for each of not more than 2 of such terms of service, equal to $500 (or, at the discretion of the Chief Executive Officer, equal to $750 in the case of a participant who is economically disadvantaged).
(e)An individual described in section 12602(a) of this title who successfully completes a required silver scholar term shall receive a silver scholar educational award having a value of $1,000.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 147 of Pub. L. 101–610 was classified to section 12577 of this title prior to the general amendment of subtitle D of title I of Pub. L. 101–610 [former part D of this subchapter] by Pub. L. 103–82, § 102(a).

Amendments

2009—Pub. L. 111–13, § 1404(1), substituted section catchline for former section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–13, § 1404(2), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, an individual described in section 12602(a) of this title who successfully completes a required term of full-time national service in an approved national service position shall receive a national service educational award having a value, for each of not more than 2 of such terms of service, equal to 90 percent of— “(1) one-half of an amount equal to the aggregate basic educational assistance allowance provided in section 3015(b)(1) of title 38 (as in effect on
July 28, 1993), for the period referred to in section 3013(a)(1) of such title (as in effect on
July 28, 1993), for a member of the Armed Forces who is entitled to such an allowance under section 3011 of such title and whose initial obligated period of active duty is 2 years; less “(2) one-half of the aggregate basic contribution required to be made by the member in section 3011(b) of such title (as in effect on
July 28, 1993).” Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111–13, § 1404(3), struck out “, for each of not more than 2 of such terms of service,” after “having a value”. Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 111–13, § 1404(4), added subsecs. (d) and (e).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2009 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–13 effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 6101(a) of Pub. L. 111–13, set out as a note under section 4950 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 123 of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1993 Amendment note under section 1701 of Title 16, Conservation.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 12603

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73