Public Law 119-102 (07/12/2026)

20 U.S.C. § 1070d–33

Scholarships authorized

Section text and notes

(a)

Program authority

The Secretary is authorized, in accordance with the provisions of this subpart, to make grants to States to enable the States to award scholarships to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and who show promise of continued academic achievement.

(b)

Period of award

Scholarships under this section shall be awarded for a period of not less than 1 or more than 4 years during the first 4 years of study at any institution of higher education eligible to participate in any programs assisted under this subchapter. The State educational agency administering the program in a State shall have discretion to determine the period of the award (within the limits specified in the preceding sentence), except that—
(1)
section 1070d–34(b) of this title if the amount appropriated for this subpart for any fiscal year exceeds the amount appropriated for this subpart for fiscal year 1993, the Secretary shall identify to each State educational agency the number of scholarships available to that State under that are attributable to such excess; and
(2)
the State educational agency shall award not less than that number of scholarships for a period of 4 years.
(c)

Use at any institution permitted

A student awarded a scholarship under this subpart may attend any institution of higher education.

(d)

Byrd Scholars

Individuals awarded scholarships under this subpart shall be known as “Byrd Scholars”.

Pub. L. 89–329, title IV, § 419CPub. L. 99–498, title IV, § 401(a)100 Stat. 1344 Pub. L. 102–325, title IV, § 406(b)106 Stat. 508 Pub. L. 103–208, § 2(b)(28)107 Stat. 2459 Pub. L. 111–39, title IV, § 401(a)(7)123 Stat. 1939 (, as added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Pub. L. 89–329, title IV, § 419CPub. L. 98–558, title VIII, § 801(a)98 Stat. 2900 Pub. L. 99–145, title XVI, § 1627(b)99 Stat. 779 Pub. L. 99–498A prior section 1070d–33, , as added , , ; amended , , , authorized the award of scholarships under Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program, prior to the general revision of this part by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 111–392009—Subsec. (b)(1). inserted “and” after semicolon at end.

Pub. L. 103–2081993—Subsec. (b). substituted “for a period of not less than 1 or more than 4 years during the first 4 years of study” for “for a period of not more than 4 years for the first 4 years of study” and inserted at end “The State educational agency administering the program in a State shall have discretion to determine the period of the award (within the limits specified in the preceding sentence), except that—

section 1070d–34(b) of this title“(1) if the amount appropriated for this subpart for any fiscal year exceeds the amount appropriated for this subpart for fiscal year 1993, the Secretary shall identify to each State educational agency the number of scholarships available to that State under that are attributable to such excess;

“(2) the State educational agency shall award not less than that number of scholarships for a period of 4 years.”

Pub. L. 102–3251992—Subsec. (b). amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “Scholarships under this section shall be awarded for a period of one academic year for the first year of study at an institution of higher education.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2009 Amendment

Pub. L. 111–39Pub. L. 110–315section 3 of Pub. L. 111–39section 1001 of this titleAmendment by effective as if enacted on the date of enactment of (), see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1993 Amendment

Pub. L. 103–208section 5(b)(2) of Pub. L. 103–208section 1051 of this titleAmendment by effective on and after , see , set out as a note under .