(a) In general

As a condition of receiving a national service education award under division D, a participant in an approved national service position shall be required to perform full- or part-time national service for at least one term of service specified in subsection (b).

(b) Term of service

(1) Full-time service

An individual performing full-time national service in an approved national service position shall agree to participate in the program sponsoring the position for not less than 1,700 hours during a period of not more than 1 year.

(2) Part-time service

Except as provided in paragraph (3), an individual performing part-time national service in an approved national service position shall agree to participate in the program sponsoring the position for not less than 900 hours during a period of not more than 2 years.

(3) Reduction in hours of part-time service

The Corporation may reduce the number of hours required to be served to successfully complete part-time national service to a level determined by the Corporation, except that any reduction in the required term of service shall include a corresponding reduction in the amount of any national service educational award that may be available under division D with regard to that service.

(4) Extension of term for disaster purposes

(A) Extension

An individual in an approved national service position performing service directly related to disaster relief efforts may continue in a term of service for a period of 90 days beyond the period otherwise specified in, as appropriate, this subsection or section 12613(d) of this title or in section 4954 of this title.

(B) Single term of service

A period of service performed by an individual in an originally-agreed to ¹ term of service and service performed under this paragraph shall constitute a single term of service for purposes of subsections (b)(1) and (c) of section 12602 of this title.

(C) Benefits

An individual performing service under this paragraph may continue to receive a living allowance and other benefits under section 12594 of this title but may not receive an additional national service educational award under section 12595 of this title.

(c) Release from completing term of service

(1) Release authorized

A recipient of assistance under section 12571 of this title or a program sponsoring an approved national service position may release a participant from completing a term of service in the position—

(A) for compelling personal circumstances as determined by the organization responsible for granting the release, if the participant has otherwise performed satisfactorily and has completed at least 15 percent of the term of service; or

(B) for cause.

(2) Effect of release for compelling circumstances

If a participant eligible for release under paragraph (1)(A) is serving in an approved national service position, the recipient of assistance under section 12571 of this title or a program sponsoring an approved national service position may elect—

(A) to grant such release and certify the participant’s eligibility for that portion of the national service educational award corresponding to the portion of the term of service actually completed, as provided in section 12603(c) of this title; or

(B) to permit the participant to temporarily suspend performance of the term of service for a period of up to 2 years (and such additional period as the Corporation may allow for extenuating circumstances) and, upon completion of such period, to complete the remainder of the term of service and obtain the entire national service educational award.

(3) Effect of release for cause

A participant released for cause may not receive any portion of the national service educational award.