Section 2741.30 Program Procedures
a) All
applicants must complete and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) for the purpose of determining the Expected Family Contribution (EFC),
which is used as a selection criterion for this award. (See Section 483 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 USCA 1070a).)
b) A
completed ISAC application for the Optometric Education Scholarship Program
must be postmarked on or before March 1 immediately preceding the academic year
for which the scholarship is being requested in order to receive priority
consideration for an award.
c) A
total of 10 scholarships shall be awarded each year; 2 each for eligible
applicants in their first year, second year, third year, and fourth year; the
remaining 2 shall be awarded to students in any academic level.
d) If in
any year the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of scholarships
to be awarded, priority will be given to students demonstrating exceptional
merit and who are in financial need based on a combination of the following
criteria:
1) cumulative
grade point averages, prioritized from the highest to the lowest. All grade
point averages will be converted to a four-point scale; and
2) EFC, from the lowest to
the highest; and
3) recipients
of assistance under the Optometric Education Scholarship Program during the
previous academic year shall receive first priority consideration provided the
student:
A) maintains
a qualified applicant status;
B) maintains
satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution; and
C) submits an application
on a timely basis.
e) If
all other criteria are equal, priority consideration will be given to the
qualified applicant who submitted a completed application on the earliest date.
f) A
recipient may receive the equivalent of 8 semesters/12 quarters of scholarship
assistance under this Part.
g) Scholarship
funds are applicable toward 2 semesters/3 quarters of full-time study within an
academic year.
h) The
total number of scholarships awarded in a given fiscal year is contingent upon
available funding.
i) To
the extent necessary to administer this program within the limits of the State
appropriation, the Commission may adjust the priority consideration factors
established by this Section.
j) ISAC
shall publish guidelines for the awarding of Optometric Education Scholarships.
k) Each
qualified applicant who is selected to receive an Optometric Education
Scholarship shall be notified.
l) Prior
to receiving scholarship assistance for any academic year, the qualified
applicant must sign a Practice Agreement/Promissory Note that is submitted to
ISAC. The Practice Agreement/Promissory Note shall include the following
stipulations:
1) the
recipient pledges to practice in Illinois as a licensed optometrist under the
Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987 for a period of not less than one year
for each year of scholarship assistance awarded under this Part;
2) the
recipient shall begin practicing optometry in Illinois within one year
following completion of the academic program for which the recipient was
awarded a scholarship, and shall practice on a continuous basis for the
required period of time;
3) if
the recipient does not fulfill the requirement to practice optometry in
Illinois, the scholarship converts to a loan and the recipient must repay the entire
amount of the scholarships prorated according to the fraction of the obligation
not completed, plus interest at a rate of 5% and, if applicable, reasonable
collection fees;
4) the
recipient agrees to provide ISAC with evidence of compliance with program
requirements;
5) the
recipient promises to use the proceeds of the scholarship for educational
expenses.
m) A
recipient of a scholarship awarded under this Part shall not be in violation of
the agreement entered into pursuant to Section 2741.30(l) during periods in
which the recipient:
1) serves,
for not more than 3 years, as a member of the United States Armed Forces;
2) is
enrolled full-time in a residency program at an approved institution for one
continuous period of time, not to exceed one year, following graduation;
3) is
temporarily totally disabled for not more than 3 years, as established by the
sworn affidavit of a qualified physician;
4) cannot
fulfill the practice obligation due to the recipient's death, verified by a
certified copy of a death certificate; or
5) cannot
fulfill the practice obligation due to the recipient's disability or incompetency,
as established by sworn affidavit of a qualified physician.
n) No
claim for repayment may be filed against the estate of a decedent or
incompetent.
o) If a
recipient is required to repay any portion of the scholarship, the repayment
period shall be completed within 10 years after the scholarship converts to a
loan. This 10-year period may be extended if the recipient:
1) serves,
for not more than 3 years, as a member of the United States Armed Forces;
2) is
enrolled full-time in a residency program at an approved institution for one
continuous period of time, not to exceed one year, following graduation; or
3) is
temporarily disabled, for not more than 3 years, as established by the sworn
affidavit of a licensed physician.
p) A recipient shall enter
repayment status on the earliest of the following dates:
1) the
first day of the first calendar month after the recipient has ceased to pursue
a course of study leading to certification as an optometrist;
2) the
date the recipient informs ISAC that the recipient does not plan to fulfill the
practice obligation; or
3) the
day after the latest date upon which the recipient must have begun practicing
as an optometrist after completing the education for which the scholarship was
awarded.
q) A
recipient shall not be required to repay the amount of the scholarships
received if the recipient becomes permanently totally disabled, as established
by the sworn affidavit of a licensed physician (see, e.g., 34 CFR
653.42(k)(1)), or if the recipient's representative provides ISAC with a
certified death certificate.
(Source:
Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 8461, effective July 1, 2021)
