20 U.S.C. § 1070b–1: Amount and duration of…

§1070b–1 Amount and Duration of Grants

Title 20 › CHAPTER 28 — HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE › SUBCHAPTER IV — STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Part A — Grants to Students in Attendance at Institutions of Higher Education › subpart 3 — federal supplemental educational opportunity grants › § 1070b–1

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Schools that give these supplemental grants must pay each student each year the smaller of: what the school finds the student needs under the rules in part F, or $4,000. For study abroad, schools must count all reasonable extra costs and may pay up to $400 more than $4,000 if those costs are higher. If the school’s calculated amount is under $100, the student gets nothing that year. Students enrolled for less than a full year get a smaller, proportional amount. A student can get these grants only for the time needed to finish their first bachelor’s degree. To receive payments, a student must meet the federal student aid eligibility rules in section 1091, except as section 1070b–2(c) says. Schools may split the grant into different payments during the year to match when costs happen.

Title 20, §1070b–1

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(a)Amount of grant

(1)Except as provided in paragraph (3), from the funds received by it for such purpose under this subpart, an institution which awards a supplemental grant to a student for an academic year under this subpart shall, for each year, pay to that student an amount not to exceed the lesser of (A) the amount determined by the institution, in accordance with the provisions of part F of this subchapter, to be needed by that student to enable the student to pursue a course of study at the institution or in a program of study abroad that is approved for credit by the institution at which the student is enrolled, or (B) $4,000.

(2)If the amount determined under paragraph (1) with respect to a student for any academic year is less than $100, no payment shall be made to that student for that year. For a student enrolled for less than a full academic year, the minimum payment required shall be reduced proportionately.

(3)For students participating in study abroad programs, the institution shall consider all reasonable costs associated with such study abroad when determining student eligibility. The amount of grant to be awarded in such cases may exceed the maximum amount of $4,000 by as much as $400 if reasonable study abroad costs exceed the cost of attendance at the home institution.

(b)Period for receipt of grants; continuing eligibility

(1)The period during which a student may receive supplemental grants shall be the period required for the completion of the first undergraduate baccalaureate course of study being pursued by that student.

(2)A supplemental grant awarded under this subpart shall entitle the student (to whom it is awarded) to payments pursuant to such grant only if the student meets the requirements of section 1091 of this title, except as provided in section 1070b–2(c) of this title.

(c)Distribution of grant during academic year

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an institution from making payments of varying amounts from a supplemental grant to a student during an academic year to cover costs for a period which are not applicable to other periods of such academic year.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1070b–1, Pub. L. 89–329, title IV, § 413B, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 131(b)(1), June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 252; amended Pub. L. 96–374, title IV, § 403(c), Oct. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 1405, related to amount and duration of supplemental educational opportunity grants, prior to the general revision of this part by Pub. L. 99–498.

Amendments

1992—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 102–325, § 403(c)(1), substituted “Except as provided in paragraph (3), from” for “From” in introductory provisions and inserted “or in a program of study abroad that is approved for credit by the institution at which the student is enrolled” after “course of study at the institution” in subpar. (A). Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 102–325, § 403(c)(2), added par. (3).