10-2-118. State scholarship for eligible purple heart recipients. (1) There is a state scholarship program for eligible purple heart recipients. The board shall administer the program pursuant to this section.
     (2) A person is eligible for the scholarship provided in subsection (3) if the person:
     (a) is a recipient of the purple heart as verified by an authentic department of defense form 214 (DD 214) or other authentic military discharge form listing awards;
     (b) is a resident of Montana;
     (c) has been enrolled for a full academic year as a full-time or part-time student at an accredited state university or state vocational or technical school either prior to or after military service, has maintained a grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 grade point scale, and has reenrolled to continue the student's higher education at an accredited state university or state vocational or technical school.
     (3) Each student who meets the criteria set forth in subsection (2) is eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship as provided in subsection (4).
     (4) (a) The state educational institution in which the eligible student is enrolled shall verify the student's eligibility and apply to the board, on a form prescribed by the board, for the scholarship. Except as provided in subsection (5), upon receipt of the scholarship application, the board shall pay the scholarship money to the educational institution.
     (b) The educational institution shall provide the scholarship money to the eligible student in the form of a voucher that the eligible student may apply toward the cost of tuition, books, transportation, or housing.
     (5) The scholarship may be paid only to the extent that funding is available. Scholarship awards must be paid in the order that the applications are received by the board.

     History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 372, L. 2013.