88-9a-1. Definitions.
Each of the following terms, when used in this article of the board of regents’ regulations in reference to the Kansas promise scholarship act, shall have the meaning specified in this regulation:
(a) "Academic year" means the period of time beginning with July 1 of one calendar year and ending with June 30 of the next calendar year.
(b) “Associate degree transfer program” means a program that meets the requirements in K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 74-32,272(d)(1)(A) or 74-32,272(d)(1)(B) and amendments thereto. Associate degree transfer programs typically include the associate of arts, associate of science, associate of general studies, and associate of fine arts, each of which provides the academic knowledge and skills necessary to prepare the student for continuation of the student’s postsecondary education at an institution that offers four-year baccalaureate degree programs.
(c) “Award date” means the scholarship recipient’s first day of class in the semester, trimester, or other academic period for which any part of the student’s tuition, fees, books, or supplies are first funded by the Kansas promise scholarship.
(d) “Complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA)” means that the student has a completed FAFSA application on file with the institution at which the student is applying for a promise scholarship. A completed FAFSA application is one that has produced a valid institutional student information record (ISIR) and is free of error codes that would render the student ineligible for federal student financial aid. A valid ISIR is one that has not been rejected and has been assigned an expected family contribution (EFC) or student aid index (SAI).
(e) “Continuously enrolled” means successfully completing at least six credit hours per academic year in successive academic years.
(f) “Full-time student” means that the student is enrolled in 12 or more credit hours in each semester in which the student is enrolled.
(g) "Kansas resident" means domiciliary resident, as defined in K.S.A. 71-407 and amendments thereto.
(h) “Last dollar scholarship” means a scholarship award that can be applied toward a student’s tuition, fees, or required books and materials only after all of the student’s other financial aid awards have been applied. Other financial aid awards shall include any grant, scholarship, or financial assistance that does not require repayment and is not earned through a work study program. Military financial educational benefits and any family postsecondary savings account or other qualified tuition program established pursuant to section 529 of the internal revenue code of 1986 shall not be considered other financial aid awards.
(i) “Maintain satisfactory academic progress in the courses of the promise-eligible program” means that the student’s academic work in the courses for which the student received a promise scholarship is satisfactory, as determined by the promise-eligible institution at which the student is enrolled based on the institution’s general academic policies.
(j) “Prerequisite course” means a course or other requirement that is not part of the student’s promise-eligible program but that the student must successfully complete before enrolling in a required course that is part of the student’s promise-eligible program.
(k) “Promise-eligible institution” means any of the following “eligible postsecondary educational institutions,” as defined in K.S.A. 74-32,271 and amendments thereto:
(1) Each community college and technical college established under the laws of Kansas that has a recognized service area, as defined in K.S.A. 74-32,433 and amendments thereto;
(2) the Washburn institute of technology; or
(3) each institution named in K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 74-32,164, and amendments thereto, that offers a promise-eligible program.
(l) “Promise-eligible program” means each program that meets the following conditions:
(1) Is offered by a promise-eligible institution;
(2) is a two-year associate degree program, a career and technical education certificate program, or a stand-alone parent program;
(3) is included in the board of regents’ program inventory or, for a private institution as defined in paragraph (k)(3), has been approved as a promise-eligible program by the Kansas postsecondary technical education authority and the board of regents;
(4) is identified by the board of regents as corresponding to a high-wage, high-demand, or critical-need occupation; and
(5)(A) Is identified by the board of regents as being in one of the following fields of study:
(i) Information technology and security;
(ii) mental and physical healthcare;
(iii) advanced manufacturing and building trades; or
(iv) early childhood education and development; or
(B) is identified by the board of regents as being in one of the following fields of study and the field of study is currently offered, maintained, and designated by a promise-eligible institution pursuant to K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 74-32,273, and amendments thereto:
(i) Agriculture;
(ii) food and natural resources;
(iii) education and training;
(iv) law, public safety, corrections, and security; or
(v) distribution and logistics.
(m) “Promise scholarship” means the award of student financial aid under the Kansas promise scholarship act, K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 74-32,271 et seq. and amendments thereto. The promise scholarship is a last dollar scholarship and a service scholarship.
(n) “Required materials” means those educational materials that are required by the promise-eligible institution, as a condition of enrollment, for every student in each course within the promise-eligible program and not deemed required for only students who are awarded a promise scholarship.
(o) “Service scholarship” means a type of student financial aid that requires the student to perform a service in return for the award. If the service is performed in accordance with the service agreement, the student will be released from any further obligations. If the service is not performed and is not formally waived, the student will be required to repay the scholarship. For purposes of the promise scholarship, the required service consists of living and working in Kansas for two consecutive years upon completion of the promise-eligible program.
(p) “Stand-alone program” means a promise-eligible program that meets the following requirements:
(1) Is less than 16 credit hours;
(2) leads to an industry recognized credential, license, or certification; and
(3) has been identified as a stand-alone program by the board of regents’ vice president of workforce development or, for a private institution as defined in paragraph (k)(3), the institution’s governing board.
(q) “Two-year associate degree program” means an academic program that consists of at least 60 semester undergraduate level credit hours that is an associate degree transfer program or that enables a student to qualify for immediate employment. The governing boards of institutions identified in paragraph (k)(3) may authorize one or more two-year associate degree programs at less than 60 undergraduate-level semester credit hours. The two-year associate degree program that qualifies a student for immediate employment is the associate of applied science.
(r) “Work in Kansas” means any type of employment that is physically performed in Kansas or that is performed for an employer that is physically located in Kansas, or for which the employee is issued a W-2, 1099, or other wage and tax statement showing Kansas withholding or estimated tax to the state of Kansas. Work performed during any period when the scholarship recipient is enrolled in any postsecondary educational institution in accordance with K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 74-32,276, and amendments thereto, shall not count toward the two-year service requirement. Work in Kansas shall include the following:
(1) Full-time salaried or hourly employment;
(2) part-time salaried or hourly employment for any number of hours; and
(3) self-employment. (Authorized by K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 74-32,272, as amended by L. 2022, ch. 94, sec. 29; implementing K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 74-32,271, 74-32,272, 74-32,273, 74-32,274, 74-32,275, and 74-32,276, as amended by L. 2022, ch. 94, secs. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33; effective March 17, 2023.)