R434-40-7. Scholarship Grant Administration

  (1) The Department may award scholarship grant funds to an applicant for a maximum of four years or until earning the nursing postgraduate degree. The Department may consider committee recommendations in awarding scholarship grants.

  (2) The Department may pay tuition and fees directly to the school and determine the amount and frequency of direct payments to the student.

  (3) The scholarship grant recipient may not enter into a scholarship agreement other than with the program established in Section 26-46-1 until the service obligation agreed upon in the grant agreement with the Department is satisfied.

  (4) A scholarship grant recipient must work full-time, as defined by the scholarship grant recipient's employer and as specified in his grant agreement with the Department.

  (5) A scholarship grant recipient must serve one year of service obligation for each year he received a scholarship grant under this program, with a minimum of two years required.

  (6) The Department may cancel a scholarship grant at any time if it finds that the scholarship grant recipient has voluntarily or involuntarily terminated his schooling, postgraduate training, or if it appears to be a reasonable certainty that the scholarship grant recipient does not intend to practice as required by statute, rules, and grant agreement in an underserved area in the state.

  (7) Upon completion of schooling and required postgraduate training, the scholarship grant recipient is responsible for finding employment at an approved site.

  (8) A scholarship grant recipient must obtain approval from the Department prior to beginning service obligation at an approved site.

  (9) A scholarship grant recipient must obtain approval from the Department prior to changing the approved site where he fulfills his service obligation.

  (10) A scholarship grant recipient must obtain an unrestricted license to practice in the state and begin practicing for the agreed upon period of time at an approved site within three months of completion of postgraduate training.

  (11) If there is no available approved site upon a scholarship grant recipient's graduation, the recipient shall repay the scholarship grant amount as negotiated in the scholarship grant agreement.