---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 1015f"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "1015f"
heading: "State commitment to affordable college education"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/1015f"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Higher Education Resources and Student Assistance"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
  - "Part C — Cost of Higher Education"
---

# §1015f. State commitment to affordable college education

- (a) **Maintenance of effort required—** A [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) shall provide—
  - (1) for public institutions of higher education in such [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) for any [academic year](/usc/20/1088.md?p=a-2-A) beginning on or after July 1, 2008, an amount which is equal to or greater than the average amount provided for non-capital and non-direct research and development expenses or costs by such [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) to such institutions of higher education during the five most recent preceding [academic years](/usc/20/1088.md?p=a-2-A) for which satisfactory data are available; and
  - (2) for private institutions of higher education in such [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) for any [academic year](/usc/20/1088.md?p=a-2-A) beginning on or after July 1, 2008, an amount which is equal to or greater than the average amount provided for student financial aid for paying costs associated with postsecondary education by such [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) to such institutions during the five most recent preceding [academic years](/usc/20/1088.md?p=a-2-A) for which satisfactory data are available.
- (b) **Adjustments for biennial appropriations—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall take into consideration any adjustments to the calculations under [subsection (a)](#a) that may be required to accurately reflect [funding](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=4) levels for postsecondary education in [States](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) with biennial appropriation cycles.
- (c) **Waiver—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall waive the requirements of [subsection (a)](#a), if the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) determines that such a waiver would be equitable due to exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances, such as a natural disaster or a precipitous and unforseen[^1] decline in the financial resources of a [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) or [State educational agency](/usc/20/1003.md?p=20), as appropriate.
- (d) **Violation of maintenance of effort—** Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall withhold from any [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) that violates [subsection (a)](#a) and does not receive a waiver pursuant to [subsection (c)](#c) any amount that would otherwise be available to the [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) under [section 1141 of this title](/usc/20/1141.md) until such [State](/usc/20/1003.md?p=21-A) has made significant efforts to correct such violation.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “unforeseen”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–329, title I, § 137, as added Pub. L. 110–315, title I, § 116, Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3113.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 1016, Pub. L. 89–329, title I, § 121, as added Pub. L. 99–498, title I, § 101, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1285, related to adult learning research, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–325.

Another prior section 1016, Pub. L. 89–329, title I, § 116, as added Pub. L. 96–374, title I, § 101(a), Oct. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 1381, provided for Federal discretionary grants, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 99–498.

A prior section 1016a, Pub. L. 89–329, title I, § 122, as added Pub. L. 99–498, title I, § 101, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1286, limited funds authorized to be appropriated, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–325.

A prior section 1017, Pub. L. 89–329, title I, § 131, as added Pub. L. 99–498, title I, § 101, Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1286; Pub. L. 102–54, § 13(g)(1)(A), June 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 275, related to National Advisory Council on Continuing Education, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–325.

Another prior section 1017, Pub. L. 89–329, title I, § 117, as added Pub. L. 96–374, title I, § 101(a), Oct. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 1382; amended Pub. L. 99–386, title I, § 103(a), Aug. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 821, related to establishment and administration of the National Advisory Council on Continuing Education, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 99–498.