§ 674. Regents veterans with war service scholarships. 1. Number and certification. Six hundred regents veterans with war service scholarships shall be awarded for study beginning with the college year nineteen hundred seventy-five--nineteen hundred seventy-six, to eligible students certified to the president by the commissioner.

2. Residence. Notwithstanding any provision of this article to the contrary, for such scholarship the only residence requirement for eligibility is that an applicant must have been a legal resident of New York state at the time of entry into the armed forces and must currently be a legal resident.

3. Duration. Each such scholarship shall entitle the recipient thereto to an annual award for each of four academic years of full-time or part-time study, as defined by the commissioner pursuant to article thirteen, at a college or at a business, professional, vocational, technical or trade school licensed or approved by the regents. If all of a scholarship holder's attendance is less than full-time, as so defined, payments may be made for a total period not to exceed five academic years.

4. Amount. Notwithstanding any provisions of this article to the contrary, the president shall make academic year awards in the amounts provided in this subdivision. The recipient shall be entitled to a maximum award of three hundred fifty dollars for each semester or term of full-time or part-time study, but not to exceed the cost of tuition and educational fees for such study. However, the aggregate award for a single academic year shall not exceed three hundred fifty dollars, or five hundred twenty-five dollars if the recipient is in continuous attendance during the entire academic year, including the summer term, and the total aggregate payment under this subdivision shall in no case exceed one thousand four hundred dollars.

5. Leave of absence. Notwithstanding any provision of the article to the contrary, if an award is paid the recipient under this subdivision for any semester, quarter or term of attendance during an academic year, then a leave of absence shall not be required for non-attendance during any part of the balance of such academic year.