10 U.S.C. § 16401 — Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class: college tuition assistance program

(a) Authority: The Secretary of the Navy may give financial assistance to an eligible Marine Corps Reserve member for expenses while the member studies full-time at a college or university, in an approved program leading to either a bachelor's degree in under five academic years, or a law degree (J.D. or LL.B.) in no more than four academic years.

(b) Eligibility: To get this assistance, a member of the Marine Corps Reserve must: be part of the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class program and have completed at least one six-week (or longer) block of that program's required military training; be enrolled full-time in an approved degree program at any institution of higher education; and sign a written agreement with the Secretary. In that agreement, the member agrees to accept a commission as a Marine Corps officer^* if the President offers one, to serve at least five years on active duty^*, and — under terms the Secretary sets — to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve until the eighth anniversary of that appointment.

(c) Covered Expenses: The assistance can pay^* for tuition and fees, the cost of books, and — for a program leading to a bachelor's degree — laboratory expenses.

(d) Amount: The Secretary sets each member's assistance amount, but it can't exceed $13,800 per academic year.

(e) Limitations: A member can receive this assistance for at most three consecutive academic years. No more than 450 members total may take part in the program in any one academic year.

(f) Failure To Complete Program: If a member fails to complete the program, there are consequences. An enlisted member^* who received assistance may be ordered to active duty in an appropriate enlisted grade^*, for up to four years; a commissioned officer^* who received assistance is instead subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) or 373 of title 37. This applies if the member: completes the military and academic requirements but refuses a Marine Corps officer commission when offered, or — if already a commissioned officer — refuses an active-duty assignment when offered; fails to complete the program's military or academic requirements; or is disenrolled from the program for losing eligibility for an original officer appointment under section 532. Any required repayment is administered under the regulations issued for section 303a(e) or 373 of title 37. The Secretary of the Navy may waive these repayment or active-duty consequences for someone who: becomes unqualified for active duty as an officer due to circumstances outside their control; is found not physically qualified for an officer appointment under section 532, and is later found by the Secretary, under section 505, unqualified even as an enlisted member due to a physical or medical condition not caused by misconduct or gross negligence; or fails to complete the program's requirements due to circumstances outside their control.

(g) Institution of Higher Education Defined: In this section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning given in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.