ROBERT NOYCE SCHOLARSHIPS.

SEC. 611. ROBERT NOYCE SCHOLARSHIPS. (a) Program Authorized.— There is established a scholarship program for students in a baccalaureate degree program in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, or engineering who are willing to commit themselves to teaching elementary or secondary school mathematics or science. (b) Period of Awards.— (1) Period of initial award.— A student who satisfies the requirements of subsection (g)(1) may receive a scholarship, for a period of 1 academic year of undergraduate study at an institution of higher education. (2) Continuation awards.— (A) First continuation award.— A student who satisfies the requirements of subsection (g)(2) may receive an additional scholarship, awarded for a period of 1 academic year, in order to complete his or her undergraduate course of study. (B) Second continuation award.— An additional period of scholarship support, not to exceed 1 year, shall be available to recipients of scholarships under subsection (a) who have completed requirements for the baccalaureate degree but require additional education courses in order to obtain certification to teach. (c) Use at Any Institution Permitted.— A student awarded a scholarship under this section may attend any institution of higher education. (d) Designation.— The individuals awarded scholarships under subsection (a) shall be referred to as the “Robert Noyce Mathematics and Science Teacher Corps”. (e) Selection.— (1) Selection process for initial awards.— (A) Selection criteria.— The Director shall develop and submit to the Secretary proposed application procedures and criteria to be used in the selection of nominees under this section. Such criteria shall provide for the selection of such nominees on the basis of academic merit and demonstrated accomplishment in physical, life, or computer science, mathematics, or engineering, and on the basis of motivation to pursue a career in science, mathematics, or engineering. In addition, consideration may be given to the financial need of the individual, and to promoting participation by minorities and individuals with disabilities. (B) Publication.— The Secretary and the Director shall agree to, and jointly publish in the Federal Register, appropriate selection criteria. (C) Merit review panel.— Award recipients shall be nominated from among applicants by a merit review panel composed of 8 individuals, 4 of whom shall be appointed by the Director and 4 of whom shall be appointed by the Secretary. Members of the panel shall not be employees of the United States and shall serve as volunteers without compensation. Nominees shall be selected on the basis of selection criteria, which shall be developed and published104 STAT. 2905 in accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B). The panel shall rank the nominees in order of priority. (D) Awarding of scholarships.— The panel shall submit its nominees to the President, who shall, after consultation with the Director and the Secretary, award not more than 500 scholarships under subsection (a). (2) Continuation awards.— The Secretary shall award additional scholarships to recipients of initial awards under this section who the Secretary determines meet the requirements of subsection (g)(2) or (b)(2)(B). (f) Disbursal of Scholarship Proceeds.— Scholarship proceeds shall be disbursed on behalf of students who receive scholarships under this section to the institutions of higher education at which the students are enrolled. No scholarship proceeds shall be disbursed on behalf of a student unless the student is enrolled at an institution of higher education. (g) Eligibility.— (1) Initial eligibility.— Only individuals who are— (A) citizens or nationals of the United States, or who are aliens lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence; (B) majoring in the physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, or engineering; (C) in the last 2 years of a baccalaureate degree program; and . (D) enrolled in an institution of higher education as a full-time undergraduate student (as determined by the institution of higher education), shall be eligible for awards under this section. (2) Requirements for first continuation awards.— A student who has received a scholarship under this section may receive a first continuation award under subsection (b)(2)(A) for a subsequent academic year of undergraduate education if the student— (A) maintains a high level of academic achievement, as determined in accordance with the regulations of the Secretary; (B) continues to major in one of the physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, or engineering; and (C) continues to be enrolled at an institution of higher education as a full-time undergraduate student (as determined by the institution). (h) Waiver of Full-Time Attendance Requirement.— The Secretary may waive the full-time attendance requirements in this section in unusual circumstances. (i) Failure To Meet Eligibility Requirements.— In the event that the student fails to meet the requirements of this section, the student’s eligibility to receive further scholarships (or scholarship proceeds) under this section shall be suspended in accordance with the regulations of the Secretary. (j) Reinstatement of Eligibility.— The Secretary shall determine circumstances under which eligibility of a scholarship recipient under this section could be reinstated if the recipient seeks to re-enter school after an interruption of schooling for personal reasons, including, but not limited to, pregnancy, child-rearing, and other family responsibilities. 104 STAT. 2906 (k) Notification of Schools.— The Secretary shall notify all institutions of higher education in the United States annually of the availability of scholarships under this section. (l) Scholarship Amount.— (1) Amount of award.— Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amount of a scholarship awarded under this section for any academic year shall be $5,000. (2) Relation to cost of attendance.— Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the amount of a scholarship awarded under this section shall be reduced by the amount that the scholarship exceeds the student’s cost of attendance, as defined in section 472 of the Higher Education Act of 1965. A scholarship awarded under this section shall not be reduced on the basis of the student’s receipt of other forms of Federal student financial assistance, but shall be taken into account in determining the eligibility of the student for those other forms of Federal student financial assistance. (m) Service Requirement.— (1) Teaching obligation.— Each recipient of an award under this section shall, as a condition of the receipt of such award, agree to complete, within 6 years after graduation from the baccalaureate degree program for which the award was made or within 6 years after completion of the additional period of scholarship support, if applicable, at least 2 years of service as an elementary or secondary mathematics or science teacher for each year of scholarship support under this section, except that such requirement shall not exceed a total of 4 years. Service required under this paragraph shall be performed at a school receiving assistance under chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.). (2) Repayment alternative.— As part of the agreement required under paragraph (1), each recipient shall agree, in the event of failure to complete the service obligation described in paragraph (1), to repay an amount equal to— (A) the total amount of awards received by such individual under this section; plus (B) the interest on such amounts which would be payable if at the time the amounts were received they were loans bearing interest at the maximum legal prevailing rate, as determined by the Treasurer of the United States, except that such payment shall be reduced, for each year of service that the individual has successfully completed, by a fraction equal to 1 divided by the number of years of service the student is obligated to perform. Such repayment shall be made within 1 year after the recipient has ceased to perform the service obligation described in paragraph (1). (3) Exceptions.— The Secretary may provide for the partial or total waiver or suspension of any service obligation or payment by an individual under this section in the same manner as is permitted under section 558 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 with respect to scholarships under subpart 1 of part D of title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, except that pregnancy, child-rearing, or comparable family responsibilities shall also be grounds for deferral. (n) Authorization of Appropriations.— There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation, for transfer to the Department of Education, $2,500,000 for fiscal year 1991,104 STAT. 2907 $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1992, and $7,500,000 for fiscal year 1993, to carry out the provisions of this part.