
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC288-4]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
                    CHAPTER 6A--PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
 
              SUBCHAPTER III--NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES
 
                       Part G--Awards and Training
 
Sec. 288-4. Undergraduate scholarship program regarding 
        professions needed by National Research Institutes
        

(a) Establishment of program

                           (1) In general

        Subject to section 288(a)(1)(C) of this title, the Secretary, 
    acting through the Director of NIH, may carry out a program of 
    entering into contracts with individuals described in paragraph (2) 
    under which--
            (A) the Director of NIH agrees to provide to the individuals 
        scholarships for pursuing, as undergraduates at accredited 
        institutions of higher education, academic programs appropriate 
        for careers in professions needed by the National Institutes of 
        Health; and
            (B) the individuals agree to serve as employees of the 
        National Institutes of Health, for the period described in 
        subsection (c) of this section, in positions that are needed by 
        the National Institutes of Health and for which the individuals 
        are qualified.

           (2) Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds

        The individuals referred to in paragraph (1) are individuals 
    who--
            (A) are enrolled or accepted for enrollment as full-time 
        undergraduates at accredited institutions of higher education; 
        and
            (B) are from disadvantaged backgrounds.

(b) Facilitation of interest of students in careers at National 
        Institutes of Health

    In providing employment to individuals pursuant to contracts under 
subsection (a)(1) of this section, the Director of NIH shall carry out 
activities to facilitate the interest of the individuals in pursuing 
careers as employees of the National Institutes of Health.

(c) Period of obligated service

                       (1) Duration of service

        For purposes of subparagraph (B) of subsection (a)(1) of this 
    section, the period of service for which an individual is obligated 
    to serve as an employee of the National Institutes of Health is, 
    subject to paragraph (2)(A), 12 months for each academic year for 
    which the scholarship under such subsection is provided.

                      (2) Schedule for service

        (A) Subject to subparagraph (B), the Director of NIH may not 
    provide a scholarship under subsection (a) of this section unless 
    the individual applying for the scholarship agrees that--
            (i) the individual will serve as an employee of the National 
        Institutes of Health full-time for not less than 10 consecutive 
        weeks of each year during which the individual is attending the 
        educational institution involved and receiving such a 
        scholarship;
            (ii) the period of service as such an employee that the 
        individual is obligated to provide under clause (i) is in 
        addition to the period of service as such an employee that the 
        individual is obligated to provide under subsection (a)(1)(B) of 
        this section; and
            (iii) not later than 60 days after obtaining the educational 
        degree involved, the individual will begin serving full-time as 
        such an employee in satisfaction of the period of service that 
        the individual is obligated to provide under subsection 
        (a)(1)(B) of this section.

        (B) The Director of NIH may defer the obligation of an 
    individual to provide a period of service under subsection (a)(1)(B) 
    of this section, if the Director determines that such a deferral is 
    appropriate.

        (3) Applicability of certain provisions relating to 
                        appointment and compensation

        For any period in which an individual provides service as an 
    employee of the National Institutes of Health in satisfaction of the 
    obligation of the individual under subsection (a)(1)(B) of this 
    section or paragraph (2)(A)(i), the individual may be appointed as 
    such an employee without regard to the provisions of title 5 
    relating to appointment and compensation.

(d) Provisions regarding scholarship

                  (1) Approval of academic program

        The Director of NIH may not provide a scholarship under 
    subsection (a) of this section for an academic year unless--
            (A) the individual applying for the scholarship has 
        submitted to the Director a proposed academic program for the 
        year and the Director has approved the program; and
            (B) the individual agrees that the program will not be 
        altered without the approval of the Director.

                        (2) Academic standing

        The Director of NIH may not provide a scholarship under 
    subsection (a) of this section for an academic year unless the 
    individual applying for the scholarship agrees to maintain an 
    acceptable level of academic standing, as determined by the 
    educational institution involved in accordance with regulations 
    issued by the Secretary.

                      (3) Limitation on amount

        The Director of NIH may not provide a scholarship under 
    subsection (a) of this section for an academic year in an amount 
    exceeding $20,000.

                         (4) Authorized uses

        A scholarship provided under subsection (a) of this section may 
    be expended only for tuition expenses, other reasonable educational 
    expenses, and reasonable living expenses incurred in attending the 
    school involved.

        (5) Contract regarding direct payments to institution

        In the case of an institution of higher education with respect 
    to which a scholarship under subsection (a) of this section is 
    provided, the Director of NIH may enter into a contract with the 
    institution under which the amounts provided in the scholarship for 
    tuition and other educational expenses are paid directly to the 
    institution.

(e) Penalties for breach of scholarship contract

    The provisions of section 254o of this title shall apply to the 
program established in subsection (a) of this section to the same extent 
and in the same manner as such provisions apply to the National Health 
Service Corps Loan Repayment Program established in section 254l-1 of 
this title.

(f) Requirement of application

    The Director of NIH may not provide a scholarship under subsection 
(a) of this section unless an application for the scholarship is 
submitted to the Director and the application is in such form, is made 
in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and 
information as the Director determines to be necessary to carry out this 
section.

(g) Availability of authorization of appropriations

    Amounts appropriated for a fiscal year for scholarships under this 
section shall remain available until the expiration of the second fiscal 
year beginning after the fiscal year for which the amounts were 
appropriated.

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IV, Sec. 487D, as added Pub. L. 103-43, 
title XVI, Sec. 1631, June 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 183.)

                       References in Text

    The provisions of title 5 relating to appointment and compensation, 
referred to in subsec. (c)(3), are classified generally to section 3301 
et seq. and section 5301 et seq., respectively, of Title 5, Government 
Organization and Employees.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 288 of this title.
