Authorized by the Higher Education Act of 1965, the Federal Robert C. Byrd
Honors Scholarship Program is intended to promote student excellence and
achievement. The program offers scholarships of up to $1,500 a year to eligible
applicants who have demonstrated such achievement and who show promise of
continued excellence. Eligibility is restricted to New York State residents
who will receive their high school or GED diploma during the academic year
in which the competition occurs and who are citizens, nationals of the United
States, permanent residents of Palau, or eligible non-citizens under the
Immigration Reform Act of 1986. Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships, which
may be used at any approved postsecondary institution in the United States,
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Island, Palau, the Federal States of Micronesia,
or the Marshall Islands, may be renewed for an additional three years if
the student is making satisfactory academic progress in an approved baccalaureate
program. Acceptance of the scholarship entails no service obligation. Application
process on hold until Federal Budget is approved.
To apply for a scholarship, a student follows the application procedures
established by the New York State Education Department. The state board
of education is primarily responsible for the supervision of public elementary
and secondary schools. Under current program regulations, a student who
is attending a secondary school outside of his or her state of residency
must apply for a Byrd Scholarship through the SEA of his or her state
of residency. This would include a student who was attending a U.S. Department
of Defense overseas school or an out-of-state boarding school.
A scholar is deemed to be "pursuing a course of study" if
he or she is enrolled as a full-time student, as determined by the school
he or she is attending under standards applicable to all students enrolled
in the same course of study. A scholar may attend any public or private
nonprofit institution of higher education, proprietary institution of
higher education, or postsecondary vocational institution.
Byrd Scholarships are awarded for a period of not more than four years
for the first four years of study. If the Byrd Scholar completes his
or her undergraduate course of study in three years, that scholar is
eligible to receive scholarship funds for only those three years of undergraduate
study.
Byrd Scholars must be enrolled full time for the first year of study.
A full-time student is one who is enrolled at an institution of higher
education and who is carrying a full-time academic workload as determined
by the school under standards applicable to all students enrolled in
the same program. If, after the first year of study, the NYS Education
Department determines that unusual circumstances justify waiving the
full-time attendance requirement, the scholar may enroll part time and
continue to receive a scholarship payment. The NYS Education Department
must prorate any payment for a scholar enrolled part time according to
the scholar's enrollment status for the academic period during which
he or she continues to be enrolled part time, and remains otherwise eligible
for the award.
To receive a Byrd Scholarship, each student must meet the criteria listed
below during the same secondary academic year in which the student submits
the scholarship application. The student must
- graduate from a public or private secondary school or receive the
recognized equivalent of a high school diploma as recognized by the
state in which
the student resides, and
- have applied or been accepted for enrollment at an institution of
higher education as a full-time student.
Note that the "recognized equivalent of a high school diploma" means
- a General Education Development (GED) Certificate, or
- a state certificate received by a student after the student has passed
a state-authorized examination that the state recognizes as the equivalent
of a high school diploma.
In addition, a student is eligible to be selected as a scholar if he
or she
- is a legal resident of the state to which he or she is applying for
a scholarship;
- is a U.S. citizen or national or provides evidence from the U.S.
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) that he or a permanent
resident of the
United States; or
- in the United States for other than a temporary purpose and has the
intention of becoming a citizen or permanent resident;
- is a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic
of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau;
- is not ineligible to receive assistance as a result of default on
a federal student loan or other obligation, in accordance with the
Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (34 CFR Part 75.60);
- is registered with the Selective Service if required in accordance
with the Student Assistance General Provisions regulations (34 CFR
Part 668);
and
- is planning to pursue a course of study at an institution of higher
education.
A scholar continues to be eligible for scholarship funds as long as
he or she continues to
- meet the citizenship/permanent resident requirements listed on the
previous page,
- be enrolled as a full-time student at an institution of higher education,
and
- maintain the satisfactory academic progress standards of the school
in accordance with the Student Assistance General Provisions.
The NYS Educaiton Department may permit a scholar to postpone or interrupt
his or her enrollment at a postsecondary school for up to 12 months,
beginning on the date the scholar otherwise would have enrolled in the
school after the NYS Education Department awarded him or her the scholarship
or on the date the scholar interrupts enrollment.
The NYS Education Department establishes standards to determine when
it will approve a period of postponement or interruption for a scholar.
If the NYS Education Department does approve the postponement or interruption,
it must document the scholar's subsequent enrollment. A scholar who postpones
or interrupts his or her enrollment is not eligible to receive scholarship
funds during the period of postponement or interruption. Upon enrollment
or re-enrollment at an institution of higher education, the scholar resumes
eligibility to receive scholarship payments. Note that these periods
of postponement or interruption are not considered in calculating the
scholar's period of suspension. Thus, any period of postponement or interruption
will not be counted against the scholar in calculating the 12 months
of suspension.
Note that a Byrd Scholar may not use his or her scholarship to attend
a foreign school. However, a scholar who is studying abroad through an
institution (home school) that meets the definition of higher education
and is located in a state (as described in the previous paragraph) is
considered to be eligible to receive funds as long as he or she is enrolled
at the home school; and receives credit from the home school.
Under Byrd regulations that took effect in September 1993, the SEA must
ensure that the total amount of federal financial aid awarded to the
Byrd Scholar does not exceed the scholar's total cost of attendance.
If any federal loans are part of the scholar's financial aid package,
they must be reduced prior to reducing the Byrd Scholarship. If the scholar
is receiving a Pell Grant, though, the Byrd Scholarship must be reduced
prior to reducing the Pell Grant.
New York Contact
Douglas P. Mercado, Chief
Bureau of Higher Education Opportunity Programs
Scholarship Unit, Room 1071 EBA
State Education Department
111 Education Building
Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234
(518) 474-5313
- Resources
- New York State Education Website, Higher Education
Section
- SFA Handbooks, Award Year: 1998-1999
(Chapter: 9 - State Grant Programs Pages 13-20; Section: 2 - Robert
C. Byrd Honors Scholarship
Program)
