(a) Initial loan. To be eligible for a forgivable loan under this program, an individual must:
  (1) be recognized as an outstanding rural scholar;
  (2) have the sponsor's commitment to provide 50% of the student's costs of attendance;
  (3) not have defaulted on nor owe a refund on any state or federal aid; and
  (4) be enrolled or intend to enroll in a health care degree or program at an eligible academic institution of higher education.
(b) Subsequent loan. A student who has received an initial loan shall have priority for subsequent loans provided the following requirements are satisfied:
  (1) the student maintains satisfactory academic progress in the chosen health care educational program;
  (2) the student files a degree plan complete with graduation date;
  (3) the student files a course plan, financial aid disclosure statement and grade report each academic term;
  (4) the student completes all credit hours and does not reduce the course load or number of credit hours for which the student enrolled at the beginning of each academic term, unless the student submits to the department documentation demonstrating that extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control necessitated a reduction of the credit load; and
  (5) funding is available to the department for forgivable loans.

Source Note: The provisions of this §30.144 adopted to be effective January 1, 2015, 39 TexReg 10395