Section 312.110  Demonstrating Continued Work Toward Graduation and Completion of a Certificate or Degree Program

a)         Scholarships and fee waivers shall be available to recipients for up to five years, provided the recipient is continuing to work toward graduation and completion of a certificate or degree program. [20 ILCS 505/8(a)]

b)         To demonstrate that a recipient is continuing to work toward graduation and completion of a certificate or degree program, a recipient must:

1)         Maintain full-time enrollment status, as defined by recipient's college or university, during the fall and spring terms. The full-time requirement remains regardless of the manner in which the recipient's college or university divides its academic year.

A)        Enrollment during the summer session is not required. Lack of enrollment during the summer session shall not be construed as a failure to work toward graduation and completion of a certificate or degree program.

i)          When a recipient enrolls full time in summer courses, or participates in an approved internship program during the summer session, recipient's scholarship and fee waiver shall apply in the manner described in Section 312.30. For applicable maintenance and school expenses see Section 312.120.

ii)         When the recipient enrolls in summer courses on less than a full-time basis, the recipient will still qualify for the tuition and fee waivers as described in Section 312.260

B)        It shall not be construed as a failure to work toward graduation and completion of a certificate or degree program if a recipient's failure to enroll on a full-time basis is due to their service in the United States Armed Forces, AmeriCorps or Peace Corps, or their deployment while serving in the Illinois National Guard.

2)         Maintain a "C" grade point average.

3)         Provide OETS and, if applicable, recipient's caseworker with the following:

A)        A copy of recipient's semester or quarter grades within 30 days of the close of the grading period;

B)        Timely notice if recipient transfers or withdraws from college, changes address, enrolls in summer courses, or participates in a summer internship program; and

C)        Timely compliance with OETS requests for verification or documentation necessary to administer recipient's award.

c)         The Deputy Director of OETS may grant an exception to any requirement of Section 312.110(b) for one academic term for good cause.  Good cause may include illness, emergency conditions, or other circumstances beyond the recipient's control.

(Source:  Section 312.110 renumbered from Section 312.80 and amended at 50 Ill. Reg. 9789, effective July 6, 2026)