Sec. 9. (a) This section applies to an applicant who attends or has attended any of the following:

(1) An approved secondary school.

(2) An accredited nonpublic school.

(3) A nonaccredited nonpublic school.

(b) An applicant is eligible to receive a high value workforce ready credit-bearing grant if the following conditions are met:

(1) The applicant is domiciled in Indiana, as defined by the commission.

(2) The applicant:

(A) has received a diploma of graduation from a school described in subsection (a);

(B) has been granted a:

(i) high school equivalency certificate before July 1, 1995; or

(ii) state of Indiana general educational development (GED) diploma under IC 20-10.1-12.1 (before its repeal), IC 20-20-6 (before its repeal), or IC 22-4.1-18; or

(C) is a student in good standing who is completing a final year of study at a school described in subsection (a) and will be eligible upon graduation to attend an approved institution of higher learning.

(3) The applicant is enrolled in an eligible certificate program, as determined under section 2(4) of this chapter, at Ivy Tech Community College, Vincennes University, or a program approved by the commission.

(4) The applicant enrolls at least half-time for purposes of federal financial aid.

(5) The applicant has not received any grant for the maximum number of academic terms specified for the grant in IC 21-12-13-1 or IC 21-12-13-2.

(6) The applicant is not eligible for any state financial aid program described in IC 21-12-13-1(a) or IC 21-12-13-2(a).

(7) The applicant is identified as financially independent from the applicant's parents as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

(8) The applicant has correctly filed the FAFSA and, if eligible for aid, accepts all offered federal scholarships and grants.

(9) Except as provided under subsection (c), the applicant maintains satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the eligible institution.

(10) The applicant has not previously received a baccalaureate degree, an associate degree, or an eligible certificate.

(11) The applicant meets any other minimum criteria established by the commission.

(c) This subsection applies to an applicant who does not maintain satisfactory academic progress under subsection (b)(9) but meets all the other conditions required under subsection (b). An applicant is eligible to receive a high value workforce ready credit-bearing grant if the applicant meets one (1) of the following:

(1) The applicant has not attended an eligible institution for the immediately preceding two (2) academic years.

(2) The applicant:

(A) attended an eligible institution at any time during the immediately preceding two (2) academic years; and

(B) maintained satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the eligible institution, during the period described in clause (A) in which the applicant attended the eligible institution.

(d) If an applicant is identified as dependent as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the applicant must:

(1) meet the criteria specified in subsection (b), except for subsection (b)(4), (b)(7), and (b)(9);

(2) enroll full time for purposes of federal financial aid;

(3) maintain satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the eligible institution; and

(4) complete a workforce ready grant success program, as determined by the commission, if the applicant graduates from high school after December 31, 2018.

(e) If the demand for high value workforce ready credit-bearing grants exceeds the available appropriation, as determined by the commission, the commission shall prioritize the applicants identified as independent as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

As added by P.L.230-2017, SEC.30. Amended by P.L.174-2018, SEC.8; P.L.178-2018, SEC.6; P.L.143-2019, SEC.31.