A. The spouses of military veterans tuition scholarship fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The Arizona board of regents shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. Subject to available monies, the Arizona board of regents shall use the monies in the fund to award tuition scholarships to any person who meets all of the following requirements:

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1. Enrolls in a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents or in a community college as defined in section 15-1401.

2. Is the spouse of an honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces of the United States. For the purposes of proving that the person’s spouse is an honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces of the United States as required by this paragraph:

(a) The person shall submit proof of the honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions of the person’s spouse.

(b) The Arizona department of veterans’ services shall verify that the person is the spouse of an honorably discharged veteran.

3. Is entitled to classification as an in-state student under section 15-1802.

4. Is a resident of this state at the time of applying for a tuition scholarship and continues to be a resident of this state while receiving a tuition scholarship under this section.

5. Completes and submits the free application for federal student aid for each year that the person receives a tuition scholarship under this section.

6. Complies with the standards of satisfactory academic progress as established by the university or community college in which the person enrolls.

7. Completes a family educational rights and privacy act of 1974 (P.L. 93-380; 88 Stat. 57) release form for each university or community college in which the person is enrolled to authorize the release of personally identifiable information required to determine continued tuition scholarship eligibility under this section.

B. A person who meets the requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section may apply to the Arizona board of regents for a tuition scholarship from the fund in a manner prescribed by the Arizona board of regents. Subject to available monies, the Arizona board of regents shall award an eligible person a tuition scholarship that is equal to the amount of tuition and mandatory fees charged by the university or community college in which the person is enrolled, reduced by the amount of any federal aid scholarships or public grants and any other financial gifts, grants or aid received by that person. The Arizona board of regents shall verify that the person satisfies the requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section before awarding a tuition scholarship. If the Arizona board of regents determines that a person no longer satisfies the requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section, the Arizona board of regents may not award a subsequent tuition scholarship from the fund until the person submits documentation showing that the person satisfies all requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section.

C. A tuition scholarship provided pursuant to this section shall be:

1. Limited to not more than four academic years or eight semesters.

2. Used only for a certificate, an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree.

3. Used only to pay tuition and mandatory fees at a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents or at a community college as defined in section 15-1401.

D. Tuition scholarships under this section shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If there are insufficient monies in the fund, the Arizona board of regents may not award a tuition scholarship to an eligible person under this section.

E. The Arizona board of regents may adopt rules for the purposes of administering this section.