---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 C.F.R. § 362.302"
title: "5"
number: "362.302"
heading: "Eligibility."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/5/362.302"
---

# §362.302. Eligibility.

- (a) A Recent Graduate is an individual who obtained a qualifying associate's, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational, technical degree or a certificate from a qualifying educational institution or completed a qualifying career or technical education program within the previous 2 years or other applicable period provided in [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section.
- (b)
  - (1) Except as provided in [paragraph (b)(2)](#b-2) of this section, an individual may apply for a position in the Recent Graduates Program only if the individual's application is received not later than 2 years after the date the individual completed all requirements of an academic course of study leading to a qualifying associate, bachelor's, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution or completed a qualifying career or technical education program.
  - (2) A veteran, as defined in [5 U.S.C. 2108](/usc/5/2108.md), who, due to a military service obligation, was precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described in [paragraph (b)(1)](#b-1) of this section shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon his or her release or discharge from active duty. In no event, however, may the individual's eligibility period extend beyond 6 years from the date on which the individual completed the requirements of an academic course of study or a qualifying career or technical education program.

## Notes

### Amendments

[89 FR 25773, Apr. 12, 2024]

### Authority

Authority: E.O. 13562, 75 FR 82585, 3 CFR, 2010 Comp., p. 291, as amended by E.O. 14217, 90 FR 10577.

### Source

Source: 77 FR 28215, May 11, 2012, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[89 FR 25773, Apr. 12, 2024]