The chancellor of higher education shall establish and administer the choose Ohio first scholarship program. Under the program, the chancellor, subject to approval by the controlling board, shall make awards to state universities or colleges for programs and initiatives that recruit students and provide work-based learning opportunities in the fields of science, including health professions, technology, engineering, and mathematics to state universities or colleges, in order to enhance regional educational and economic strengths and meet the needs of the state’s regional economies. Awards may be granted for programs and initiatives to be implemented by a state university or college alone or in collaboration with other state institutions of higher education, nonpublic Ohio universities and colleges, or other public or private Ohio entities. If the chancellor makes an award to a program or initiative that is intended to be implemented by a state university or college in collaboration with other state institutions of higher education or nonpublic Ohio universities or colleges, the chancellor may provide that some portion of the award be received directly by the collaborating universities or colleges consistent with all terms of the choose Ohio first scholarship program.

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The choose Ohio first scholarship program shall assign a number of scholarships to state universities and colleges to recruit Ohio residents as undergraduate or graduate students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, education. The chancellor also may assign a number of choose Ohio first scholarships to state universities and colleges to recruit Ohio residents to enroll in certificate programs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Choose Ohio first scholarships shall be awarded to each participating eligible student as a grant to the state university or college the student is attending and shall be reflected on the student’s tuition bill. Choose Ohio first scholarships are student-centered grants from the state to students to use to attend a university or college and are not grants from the state to universities or colleges.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or sections 3333.62 to 3333.69 of the Revised Code, a nonpublic four-year Ohio institution of higher education may submit a proposal for choose Ohio first scholarships. If the chancellor awards a nonpublic institution scholarships, the nonpublic institution shall comply with all requirements of this section, sections 3333.62 to 3333.69 of the Revised Code, and the rules adopted under this section that apply to state universities or colleges awarded choose Ohio first scholarships.

The chancellor shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code to administer the program.