Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110
§12603 Determination of the Amount of the Educational Award
Title 42 › CHAPTER 129 — NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER I — NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE STATE GRANT PROGRAM › § 12603
Summary
People who finish a required national service term in an approved position get an educational award. For a full-time term, the award equals the maximum Federal Pell Grant amount a Pell-eligible student could receive for the award year when the position was approved. For a part-time term, the award is 50% of that full-time amount. If someone is released early under the rules in section 12593(c)(1)(A), the Corporation may give a partial award that matches how much of the term they actually completed. A required summer service term pays $500 per term, for up to two terms, or $750 per term if the Chief Executive Officer decides the participant is economically disadvantaged. A required silver scholar term pays $1,000.
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §12603
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Amount for full-time national service
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)Amount for part-time national service
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)Award for partial completion of service
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)Amount for summer of service
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)Amount for silver scholars
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
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110