(a) A Tennessee HOPE scholarship student who has an approved medical or personal leave of absence from an eligible postsecondary institution may continue to receive the scholarship upon resuming the student’s education at an eligible postsecondary institution so long as the student continues to meet all applicable eligibility requirements. The student shall be eligible for the scholarship until the first of the following events:
(1) The student has earned a baccalaureate degree; or(2) The sum of the number of years the student attended a postsecondary institution prior to the leave of absence and the number of years of attendance after the leave of absence equals five (5) years.(b) [Deleted by 2020 amendment.](c) Except for approved medical or personal leaves of absence, a Tennessee HOPE scholarship student, including a part-time student, shall be enrolled continuously as a student at an eligible postsecondary institution.(d)(1)TSAC shall promulgate rules and regulations for approval of medical or personal leave and the grounds for which the leave may be granted. The rules and regulations shall be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.(2) TSAC shall promulgate rules designating pregnancy as an approved medical or personal leave of absence for purposes of the Tennessee HOPE scholarship. The rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act.
