---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 1135"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "1135"
heading: "Grants to academic departments and programs of institutions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/1135"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Higher Education Resources and Student Assistance"
  - "Subchapter VII — Graduate and Postsecondary Improvement Programs"
  - "Part A — Graduate Education Programs"
  - "Subpart 2 — graduate assistance in areas of national need"
---

# §1135. Grants to academic departments and programs of institutions

- (a) **Grant authority—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall make grants to academic [departments](/usc/20/1003.md?p=4), programs and other academic units of institutions of higher education that provide courses of study leading to a [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) degree, including a master’s or doctoral degree, in order to enable such institutions to provide assistance to [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) students in accordance with this subpart.
  - (2) **Additional grants—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) may also make grants to such [departments](/usc/20/1003.md?p=4), programs and other academic units of institutions of higher education granting [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) degrees which submit joint proposals involving nondegree granting institutions which have formal arrangements for the support of doctoral dissertation research with degree-granting institutions. Nondegree granting institutions eligible for awards as part of such joint proposals include any organization which—
    - (A) is described in [section 501(c)(3) of title 26](/usc/26/501.md?p=c-3), and is exempt from tax under [section 501(a)](/usc/26/501.md?p=a) of such title;
    - (B) is organized and operated substantially to conduct scientific and cultural research and [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) training programs;
    - (C) is not a private foundation;
    - (D) has academic personnel for instruction and counseling who meet the standards of the [institution of higher education](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a) in which the students are enrolled; and
    - (E) has necessary research resources not otherwise readily available in such institutions to such students.
- (b) **Award and duration of grants—**
  - (1) **Awards—** The principal criterion for the award of grants shall be the relative quality of the [graduate](/usc/20/1061.md?p=1) programs presented in competing applications. Consistent with an allocation of awards based on quality of competing applications, the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall, in awarding such grants, promote an equitable geographic distribution among eligible public and private institutions of higher education.
  - (2) **Duration and amount—**
    - (A) **Duration—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall award a grant under this subpart for a period of 3 years.
    - (B) **Amount—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall award a grant to an academic [department](/usc/20/1003.md?p=4), program or unit of an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a) under this subpart for a fiscal year in an amount that is not less than $100,000 and not greater than $750,000.
  - (3) **Reallotment—** Whenever the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) determines that an academic [department](/usc/20/1003.md?p=4), program or unit of an [institution of higher education](/usc/20/1001.md?p=a) is unable to use all of the amounts available to the [department](/usc/20/1003.md?p=4), program or unit under this subpart, the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall, on such dates during each fiscal year as the [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) may fix, reallot the amounts not needed to academic [departments](/usc/20/1003.md?p=4), programs and units of institutions which can use the grants authorized by this subpart.
- (c) **Preference to continuing grant recipients—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/1003.md?p=17) shall make new grant awards under this subpart only to the extent that each previous grant recipient under this subpart has received continued [funding](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=4) in accordance with [subsection (b)(2)(A)](#b-2-A).
  - (2) **Ratable reduction—** To the extent that appropriations under this subpart are insufficient to comply with [paragraph (1)](#c-1), available funds shall be distributed by ratably reducing the amounts required to be awarded under [subsection (b)(2)(A)](#b-2-A).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–329, title VII, § 711, as added Pub. L. 105–244, title VII, § 701, Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1790; amended Pub. L. 110–315, title VII, § 703(e)(1), Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3347.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to this section were contained in section 1134m of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–244.

A prior section 1135, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1001, as added Pub. L. 96–374, title X, § 1001(a), Oct. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 1489; amended Pub. L. 102–325, title X, § 1001, July 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 778, related to Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–244, § 3, title VII, § 702, Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1585, 1803, effective Oct. 1, 1998. See section 1138 of this title.

Another prior section 1135, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1001, as added Pub. L. 92–318, title I, § 186(a)(1), June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 312; amended Pub. L. 93–380, title VIII, § 837, Aug. 21, 1974, 88 Stat. 606; Pub. L. 94–482, title I, § 176(a)(3)–(5), title V, § 501(a)(20), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2165, 2236; Pub. L. 95–180, § 1(c), Nov. 15, 1977, 91 Stat. 1372; Pub. L. 96–49, § 53(a), Aug. 13, 1979, 93 Stat. 354, related to development plans for expansion or improvement of postsecondary education programs in community colleges, prior to repeal by section 1001(a) of Pub. L. 96–374.

Another prior section 1135, Pub. L. 89–329, title X, § 1001, as added Pub. L. 90–575, title II, § 271, Oct. 16, 1968, 82 Stat. 1047, contained Congressional statement of purpose respecting improvement of graduate programs, prior to the general amendment of subchapter X of this chapter by Pub. L. 92–318.

A prior section 711 of Pub. L. 89–329 was classified to section 1132b of this title, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 105–244.

Another prior section 711 of Pub. L. 89–329 was classified to section 1132b of this title, prior to the general amendment of part A of this subchapter by Pub. L. 102–325.

Another prior section 711 of Pub. L. 89–329 was classified to section 1132b of this title, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 99–498.

### Amendments

2008—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 110–315 inserted “, including a master’s or doctoral degree,” after “leading to a graduate degree”.