(a) In the event of a hardship or for other good cause as determined by the Eligible Institution, the Program Officer at the institution may allow an otherwise eligible Research Scholar to receive a Scholarship:
  (1) while enrolled in fewer semester credit hours than required in §22.303 of this subchapter (related to Eligible Students);
  (2) If the Scholar fails to meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements of §22.303 of this subchapter; or
  (3) If the Scholar requires an extension of the limits found in §22.308(b) of this subchapter (relating to Discontinuation of Eligibility or Non-Eligibility) to complete his or her degree, provided that the total number of years the Scholar receives a scholarship under the program does not exceed four years.
(b) Hardship conditions may include, but are not limited to:
  (1) Documentation of a serious health condition that makes the Research Scholar unable to attend school or complete academic study;
  (2) Documentation that the Research Scholar is responsible for the care of a child, spouse, or parent who has a serious health condition, sick, injured, or and that the scholar's provision of care may affect his or her academic performance; or
  (3) The birth of a child or placement of a child with the student for adoption or foster care.
(c) A hardship under this section may extend for a period of no longer than one year.
(d) An institution must keep documentation of the hardship circumstances approved for a Research Scholar in the Research Scholar's files. An Eligible Institution must report each hardship extension it grants to a Research Scholar to the Coordinating Board, so the board may appropriately monitor each Research Scholar's period of eligibility.
(e) Eligible institutions shall adopt a hardship policy under this section, share such policy with Research Scholars and have the policy available in the financial aid office for public review upon request.

Source Note: The provisions of this §22.309 adopted to be effective May 16, 2024, 49 TexReg 3276