19-9-503. Requirements for educational assistance; assistance payments.

(a) Subject to legislative appropriation and in accordance with the provisions of this article, the adjutant general or his designee, may authorize the payment of higher education tuition and mandatory fees for active members of the Wyoming national guard. To be eligible to participate in the plan members shall:

(i) Have completed basic military training or officer training unless waived by the adjutant general for good cause shown;

(ii) Meet the standards for satisfactory participation in the active Wyoming national guard at the beginning of and throughout the entire academic term for which assistance is received;

(iii) Be committed through an enlistment contract or other written agreement to membership in the active Wyoming national guard for not less than six (6) years, including initial enlistment and any previous contract or contracts;

(iv) Agree in writing to serve in the active Wyoming national guard for two (2) years after the last day of the last academic term for which assistance is received under the plan. This two (2) year period of service may be within the six (6) year commitment period required by paragraph (iii) of this subsection;

(v) Have declared an academic major or educational objective; and

(vi) Meet the academic standards specified in this paragraph and otherwise be in good standing as determined by the institution of higher education pursuant to a published policy. Any member receiving educational assistance under the plan who fails to earn a cumulative grade point average at least equivalent to 2.0 on a 4.0 scale shall be ineligible for educational assistance under the plan until the member attains that cumulative grade point average, unless the adjutant general for cause and pursuant to rule and regulation waives the grade point average requirement.

(b) Members meeting the requirements of subsection (a) of this section may receive educational assistance benefit payments as follows:

(i) For authorized courses at a Wyoming public institution of higher education, payment may be made for up to the full cost of tuition and mandatory fees;

(ii) For authorized courses at a Wyoming private institution of higher education, payment may be made for the lesser of the actual costs of tuition and mandatory fees or an amount equal to the average resident tuition and mandatory fee charges of all Wyoming public institutions of higher education for an undergraduate student enrolled for twelve (12) semester hours;

(iii) Eligible members who are not Wyoming residents may receive benefits as provided in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this subsection, but the benefit payment shall not exceed the amount of tuition and mandatory fees which would have been charged if the member were a Wyoming resident;

(iv) Payment shall be made directly to the institution after the institution officially certifies that the member has registered;

(v) Payments under the plan together with any federal tuition assistance received by the member shall not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the tuition and mandatory fees charged.