§ 601. Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless otherwise specified:

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1. "President" shall mean the president of the New York state higher education services corporation.

2. "College" shall mean any institution of higher education, recognized and approved by the regents of the university of the state of New York, which provides a course of study leading to the granting of a post-secondary degree or diploma.

3. "Vocational institution" shall mean a business, trade, technical or other occupational school approved as such by the regents of the university of the state of New York or accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association accepted as such by the regents of the state of New York.

4. "Approved program", for the purpose of determining a student's eligibility for awards provided in articles thirteen and fourteen of this chapter and subject to specific modification by sections of such articles, shall mean the following programs of study approved by the commissioner pursuant to this article in accordance with rules of the board of regents and registered by the state education department in accordance with regulations of the commissioner or, where applicable, registered by the state department of health and forwarded to the state education department: (1) collegiate level programs leading to a degree, or programs leading to a diploma or certificate that are fully creditable towards a degree program in that institution; (2) study and training programs offered by a hospital school, a community college, a unit of the state university of New York, a unit of the city university of New York, or an institution chartered by the regents or by the legislature for the purpose of granting degrees, leading to licensure as a professional registered or practical nurse or to certification in an area of medical or health technology; and (3) two-year programs offered in a registered private business school.

5. "Children" as referenced in subdivision four of section six hundred four and sections six hundred eight, six hundred eight-a, six hundred sixty-eight-a, six hundred sixty-eight-b, six hundred sixty-eight-d and six hundred sixty-eight-e of this title shall mean: (a) birth children, adopted children, stepchildren who survive an individual, or children for whom an individual was a legal guardian, and (b) other children related by blood, adoption or marriage to an individual for whom such individual had assumed and was exercising custody and care as of the date of such individual's death.

6. "Impact area" as referenced in sections six hundred eight and six hundred sixty-eight-d of this title shall mean the secure zone established by the city of New York surrounding the world trade center and the crash sites during the period that disasters were declared or rescue and recovery efforts were underway.

7. "Financial dependent" as referenced in sections six hundred four, six hundred eight, six hundred eight-a, six hundred sixty-eight-b, six hundred sixty-eight-d and six hundred sixty-eight-e of this title shall mean a person who is dependent for his or her support upon an individual, other than one who was involved in, supported, or was responsible for the act or acts of terrorism or other intentional act or acts that caused such death, injury or illness, who has died or become severely and permanently disabled as described in such sections, provided that a person shall be considered a financial dependent and shall be eligible for awards pursuant to these sections upon a showing of unilateral dependence or mutual interdependence upon such individual, which may be evidenced by a nexus of factors, including but not limited to common ownership of property, common householding, shared budgeting and the length of the relationship between the financial dependent and such individual.