Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and Freely Associated States college access

Part F of title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as added by section 101 and amended by section 201, is further amended by adding at the end the following: 3 College access for students in outlying areas 799. Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and Freely Associated States college access (a) Grants (1) Grant amounts (A) In general Beginning with award year 2026–2027, from amounts appropriated to carry out this section, the Secretary shall award grants to the Governors of each outlying area for such Governors to award grants to eligible institutions that enroll eligible students to pay the difference between the tuition and fees charged for in-State students and the tuition and fees charged for out-of-State students on behalf of each eligible student enrolled in the eligible institution. (B) Maximum student amounts The amount paid on behalf of an eligible student under this section shall be— (i) not more than $15,950 for any one award year (as defined in section 481(a)(1)); and (ii) not more than $79,750 in the aggregate. (C) Proration The Governor shall prorate payments under this section with respect to eligible students who attend an eligible institution on less than a full-time basis. (2) Agreement Each Governor desiring a grant under this section shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary for the purposes of administering the grant program. (b) No additional eligibility requirements No individual shall be determined, by a Governor, an eligible institution, or the Secretary, to be ineligible for benefits provided under this section except on the basis of eligibility requirements under this section. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible institution The term eligible institution means an institution that— (A) is a public 4-year institution of higher education located in 1 of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or an outlying area; (B) enters into an agreement with the Governor of an outlying area, or with 2 or more of such Governors (except that such institution may not enter into an agreement with the Governor of the outlying area in which such institution is located), to carry out the grant program under this section; and (C) submits an assurance to the Governor and to the Secretary that the institution shall use funds made available under this section to supplement, and not supplant, assistance that otherwise would be provided to eligible students from outlying areas. (2) Eligible student The term eligible student means a student who— (A) was domiciled in an outlying area for not less than 12 consecutive months preceding the commencement of the freshman year at an institution of higher education; (B) has not completed an undergraduate baccalaureate course of study; and (C) is enrolled as an undergraduate student in an eligible program (as defined in section 481(b)) on at least a half-time basis. (3) Governor The term Governor means the chief executive of an outlying area. (4) Outlying area The term outlying area means the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Freely Associated States..