110 ILCS 967/15-20

(110 ILCS 967/15-20)

Sec. 15-20. Eligibility.

(a) The Commission shall, on an annual basis until July 1, 2010, receive and consider applications for scholarship assistance under the program. An applicant is eligible for a scholarship under the program if the Commission finds that the applicant:

(1) is a United States citizen or permanent resident;

(2) is a resident of Illinois;

(3) is enrolled or accepted for enrollment on at least a half-time basis in an approved program of professional or practical nursing education at the graduate level at an Illinois institution of higher learning.

(b) Scholarship recipients shall be selected from among eligible applicants based on a combination of academic excellence and financial need, as determined by the Commission.

(c) Preference may be given to previous recipients of a scholarship under the program, provided that the recipient continues to meet the eligibility requirements set forth in this Section and maintains satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution of higher education at which he or she is enrolled.

(d) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for an academic year, each recipient of a scholarship awarded under the program must sign an agreement pledging that, within the one-year period following the termination of the academic program for which the recipient was awarded a scholarship, the recipient shall (i) begin working as an educator in an approved program of professional nursing education or an approved program of practical nursing education in Illinois for a period of not less than 5 years and (ii) upon request of the Commission, provide the Commission with evidence that he or she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the work agreement required under this subsection (d).

(Source: P.A. 94-1020, eff. 7-11-06.)