Award Amount

(1) Subject to the amounts appropriated by the general assembly and any provision of law relating to a shortfall in funds available for postsecondary financial assistance from the net proceeds of the state lottery, a Tennessee Rural Health Loan shall not exceed twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) per academic year or the cost of tuition, mandatory fees, books, and equipment for the program of study, whichever is less. TENNESSEE RURAL HEALTH LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM CHAPTER 1640-01-21 (2) No more than twenty-five (25) students shall be awarded a scholarship in the 2008- 2009 academic year and no more than fifty (50) students shall be awarded a scholarship in the 2009-2010 academic year. (3) After consultation with the appropriate state agencies as required by the Act, TSAC has determined that the M.D. and D.O. programs shall have a combined ten (10) awards for the first and fifth years of the program. The remaining three programs of study shall each receive an equal number of awards in the first and fifth years of the program. In the event of an insufficient number of applications for a particular program of study, those awards will be made to the greatest shortage area according to the Department of Health, Office of Rural Health. (4) For the second, third, and fourth years of the program, the M.D. and D.O. programs shall have a combined twenty (20) awards per academic year. The remaining three programs of study shall each receive an equal number of awards in the second, third, and fourth years of the program. In the event TSAC receives an insufficient number of applications for a particular program of study, those awards will be made to the greatest shortage area according to the Department of Health, Office of Rural Health. (5) If an insufficient number of applications for all academic programs are received for the academic year, all applicants, regardless of program of study, will be awarded provided they meet eligibility requirements and provide evidence of commitment to the program. (6) TSAC shall disburse the Tennessee Rural Health Loan funds directly to eligible postsecondary institutions, which shall in turn credit the scholarship recipient’s account or disburse funds to the eligible scholarship recipient with payment at the beginning of each academic year.