85-3004.

Scholarship; University of Nebraska; eligibility; renewal; Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska; duties.

(1)(a) The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska shall award a Nebraska Career Scholarship to any eligible university student who is enrolled in an eligible program of study in an amount not to exceed:

(i) Ten thousand dollars per year for any scholarship recipient who is a transfer student; or

(ii) Except as provided in subdivision (1)(a)(i) of this section:

(A) Twenty-five thousand dollars per year for any scholarship recipient who achieved a composite score on a standard college admission test equivalent to a score of at least twenty-eight out of a maximum score of thirty-six; or

(B) Ten thousand dollars per year for any scholarship recipient who achieved a composite score on a standard college admission test equivalent to a score of at least twenty and less than twenty-eight out of a maximum score of thirty-six.

(b) The Board of Regents shall allocate funds appropriated to the board under the Nebraska Career Scholarship Act between the university campuses, determine the eligibility of students enrolled in the university, receive and process applications for awards to individual students, and disburse funds directly to scholarship recipients during the fiscal year. Eligibility criteria shall include (i) being a first-time freshman who achieved a composite score on a standard college admission test equivalent to a score of at least twenty out of a maximum score of thirty-six or a transfer student and (ii) enrollment in an eligible program of study.

(c) For purposes of this section, an eligible program of study means:

(i) Through academic year 2023-24, a program of study offered by the University of Nebraska in mathematics, engineering, health care, and computer information systems;

(ii) Beginning with academic year 2024-25, a program of study designated by the Department of Economic Development, in collaboration with the Board of Regents, based on periodic reviews of workforce needs in the state; and

(iii) Beginning with academic year 2024-25, a program of study in special education.

(2) Each scholarship recipient shall register with the appropriate campus office to obtain a Nebraska-based internship, apprenticeship, clinical position, or employment in a major-related field prior to completion of the student's eligible program of study.

(3) A Nebraska Career Scholarship may be used by a scholarship recipient for tuition, fees, required tools and equipment, and room and board.

(4) Each scholarship awarded under this section shall be automatically renewed on an annual basis if the student remains enrolled in good standing in the eligible program of study for which such scholarship was awarded, except that no student shall receive a scholarship renewal after four years of participation in such eligible program of study.

(5) The Board of Regents shall collect information on each university scholarship recipient and shall report electronically to the Clerk of the Legislature and the Governor on or before December 1 of each year the following information for the eligible programs of study at the university in the current or prior academic year:

(a) The total number of students enrolled in each eligible program of study in the immediately prior academic year and the total number of students enrolled in each eligible program of study for the current academic year, based upon official fall census data;

(b) The total number of scholarship recipients in each eligible program of study for the current academic year and the total number of such scholarship recipients who are newly enrolled in each eligible program of study for such academic year, based upon official fall census data;

(c) The total number of newly awarded scholarship recipients retained across all eligible programs of study from the immediately prior academic year to the current academic year and a comparison of the retention rates between those of the newly awarded scholarship recipients and the university's overall first to second year retention rate reported to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for the same year;

(d) The total number of scholarship recipients who graduated during the immediately prior academic year and a comparison of the four-year graduation rates between the scholarship recipients who graduated and the university's overall four-year graduate rate reported to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for the same year; and

(e) The number and percent of scholarship recipients who graduated during the immediately prior calendar year who obtained employment in a major-related field in the state.