105 ILCS 5/30-14.2
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 105 - SCHOOLS|105 ILCS 5/ - School Code.|Article 30 - Scholarships

 (from Ch. 122, par. 30-14.2)Sec. 30-14.2. MIA/POW scholarships.(a) Any spouse, natural child, legally adopted child, or  step-child of an eligible veteran or serviceperson who possesses all necessary  entrance requirements shall, upon application and proper proof, be awarded  a MIA/POW Scholarship consisting of the equivalent of 4 calendar years of  full-time enrollment including summer terms, to the state supported  Illinois institution of higher learning of his choice, subject to the  restrictions listed below."Eligible veteran or serviceperson" means any veteran or serviceperson, including an Illinois National Guard member who is on active duty or is active on a training assignment,   who has been declared by the U.S. Department of Defense or the  U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to be a prisoner of war, be missing  in action, have died as the result of a service-connected disability or have become a person with a permanent disability from service-connected causes with 100% disability and  who (i) at the time of entering service was an Illinois resident, (ii) was an  Illinois resident within 6 months after entering such service, or (iii) is a resident of Illinois at the time of application for the Scholarship and, at some point after leaving such service, was a resident of Illinois for at least 15 consecutive years.Full-time enrollment means 12 or more semester hours of courses per semester,  or 12 or more quarter hours of courses per quarter, or the equivalent thereof  per term.  Scholarships utilized by dependents enrolled in less than full-time  study shall be computed in the proportion which the number of hours so carried  bears to full-time enrollment.Scholarships awarded under this Section may be used by a spouse or child  without regard to his or her age.  The holder of a Scholarship  awarded under this Section shall be subject to all examinations and academic  standards, including the maintenance of minimum grade levels, that are  applicable generally to other enrolled students at the Illinois institution of  higher learning where the Scholarship is being used.  If the surviving spouse  remarries or if there is a divorce between the veteran or serviceperson and  his or her spouse while the dependent is pursuing his or her course of  study, Scholarship benefits will be terminated at the end of the term for  which he or she is presently enrolled.  Such dependents shall also be  entitled, upon proper proof and application, to enroll in any extension  course offered by a State supported Illinois institution of higher learning  without payment of tuition and approved fees.The holder of a MIA/POW Scholarship authorized under this Section shall  not be required to pay any matriculation or application fees, tuition,  activities fees, graduation fees or other fees, except multipurpose  building fees or similar fees for supplies and materials.Any dependent who has been or shall be awarded a MIA/POW Scholarship shall  be reimbursed by the appropriate institution of higher learning for any  fees which he or she has paid and for which exemption is granted under this  Section if application for reimbursement is made within 2 months following  the end of the school term for which the fees were paid.(b) In lieu of the benefit provided in subsection (a), any spouse,  natural child, legally adopted child, or step-child of an eligible veteran  or serviceperson, which spouse or child has a physical, mental or  developmental disability, shall be entitled to receive, upon application and  proper proof, a benefit to be used for the purpose of defraying the cost of  the attendance or treatment of such spouse or child at one or more  appropriate therapeutic, rehabilitative or educational facilities.  The  application  and proof may be made by the parent or legal guardian of the  spouse or child on his or her behalf.The total benefit provided to any beneficiary under this subsection shall  not exceed the cost equivalent of 4 calendar years of full-time enrollment,  including summer terms, at the University of Illinois.  Whenever  practicable in the opinion of the Department of Veterans' Affairs, payment  of benefits under this subsection shall be made directly to the facility,  the cost of attendance or treatment at which is being defrayed, as such  costs accrue.(c) The benefits of this Section shall be administered by and paid for out  of funds made available to the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.  The amounts that become due to any state supported Illinois institution of  higher learning shall be payable by the Comptroller to such institution on  vouchers approved by the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.  The  amounts that become due under subsection (b) of this Section shall be  payable by warrant upon vouchers issued by the Illinois Department of  Veterans' Affairs and approved by the Comptroller.  The Illinois Department  of Veterans' Affairs shall determine the eligibility of the persons  who make application for the benefits provided for in this Section.  (Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17; 101-334, eff. 8-9-19.)