A student must be a U.S. citizen to be eligible for an award, but this section creates several exceptions and reinstatement rules.
§5022. Citizenship requirements A. Except as otherwise provided by this Section, to be eligible for an award pursuant to this Chapter, a student shall be a citizen of the United States. B. The following students shall be deemed to satisfy the citizenship requirement of this Section: (1) A student who is not a citizen of the United States but who is eligible to apply for such citizenship, if within sixty days after the date the student attains the age of majority, the student applies to become a citizen of the United States and obtains such citizenship within one year after the date of application. (2)(a) A student graduating from high school who is not a citizen of the United States but who is the child of a non-United States citizen who is either serving in a branch of the United States Armed Forces or has been honorably discharged from a branch of the United States Armed Forces. (b) The provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall not apply to a student who graduates from high school prior to the 2018-2019 school year. (3) A student who graduates from high school during the 2002-2003 school year or thereafter, who is not a citizen of the United States but who is a permanent resident as defined by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, and who is eligible to apply for United States citizenship. C. An award under this Chapter shall be reinstated for any student who was determined eligible prior to the 2002-2003 school year, and such award was subsequently canceled due solely to that student's failure to become a United States citizen within one year after the date of the application, provided the student is a permanent resident, as defined by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service, and is eligible to apply for United States citizenship or is now a United States citizen. D. This Section is not applicable to a student who graduated from high school prior to the 1999-2000 school year. Acts 2015, No. 227, §1; Acts 2015, No. 403, §7.