Section 20-3-486. Grants to eligible students

   (a) There is granted to each eligible student under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of Code Section 20-3-485 attending an approved school a Georgia HERO Scholarship grant for a maximum of four award years in the sum of $2,000.00 per award year. No person shall be eligible to receive grant assistance provided under this subsection in excess of $8,000.00. Applications for grants under this subsection must be made before July 1, 2010, or within two years after the date the student becomes eligible, whichever is later, and grant eligibility shall terminate eight years after the date the student becomes eligible.

(b) There is granted to each eligible student under subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of Code Section 20-3-485 attending an approved school a Georgia HERO Scholarship grant in the sum of $2,000.00 per award year. Such student shall be eligible for one award year for each period of 181 cumulative days that his or her parent was deployed overseas on active service on or after February 1, 2003, to a location or locations outside of the United States and its territories designated by the United States Department of Defense as a combat zone; provided, however, that a student whose parent was killed or received a 100 percent disability as a result of injuries received in such combat zone shall receive up to a maximum of four award years regardless of the time such student's parent was on active service in such combat zone. No person shall be eligible to receive grant assistance provided under this subsection in excess of $8,000.00. Applications for grants under this subsection must be made before July 1, 2010, or within two years after the student becomes eligible, whichever is later, and grant eligibility shall terminate eight years after the student becomes eligible.

(c) There is granted to each eligible student under subparagraph (C) or (D) of paragraph (2) of Code Section 20-3-485 attending an approved school a Georgia HERO Scholarship grant in the sum of $2,000.00 per award year. Such student shall be eligible for four award years. No person shall be eligible to receive grant assistance provided under this subsection in excess of $8,000.00. Applications for the initial grant under this subsection must be made before July 1, 2010, or not later than two years following the death of the spouse, whichever is later, and no grant shall be issued later than six years after the initial grant is issued.

(d) Grant assistance to eligible students under this subpart shall be payable on a pro rata basis based upon whether the student is enrolled full time or part time and the number of semesters or quarters of enrollment. The payment of grants to eligible students under this subpart shall be contingent upon the appropriation of funds by the General Assembly for the purposes of this subpart in annual appropriations Acts of the General Assembly.

Code 1981, § 20-3-486, enacted by Ga. L. 2005, p. 1036, § 1/SB 43; Ga. L. 2007, p. 705, § 2/HB 131; Ga. L. 2008, p. 799, § 2/HB 311.