---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 12655i"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "12655i"
heading: "Age and citizenship criteria for enrollment"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/12655i"
units:
  - "Chapter 129 — National and Community Service"
  - "Subchapter I — National and Community Service State Grant Program"
  - "Division I — American Conservation and Youth Service Corps"
---

# §12655i. Age and citizenship criteria for enrollment

- (a) **Age and citizenship—** Enrollment in [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) that receive assistance under this division shall be limited to individuals who, at the time of enrollment, are—
  - (1) not less than 16 years nor more than 25 years of age, except that summer [programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) may include individuals not less than 14 years nor more than 21 years of age at the time of the enrollment of such individuals; and
  - (2) citizens or nationals of the United States or lawful permanent resident aliens of the United States.
- (b) **Participation of disadvantaged youth—** [Programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) that receive assistance under this division shall ensure that educationally and economically disadvantaged youth, including youth in foster care who are becoming too old for foster care, youth with disabilities, youth with limited English proficiency, youth with limited basic skills or learning disabilities and homeless youth, are offered opportunities to enroll.
- (c) **Special corps members—** Notwithstanding [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1), [program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) may enroll a limited number of special [corps members](/usc/42/12626.md?p=5) over age 25 so that the [corps](/usc/42/12626.md?p=3) may draw on their special skills to fulfill the purposes of this chapter. [Programs](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) are encouraged to consider senior citizens as special [corps members](/usc/42/12626.md?p=5).
- (d) **Joint projects with senior citizens organizations—** [Program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) shall use not more than 2 percent of amounts received under this division to conduct joint [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) with senior citizens organizations to enable senior citizens to serve as mentors for youth participants.
- (e) **Construction—** Nothing in [subsection (a)](#a) shall be construed to prohibit any [program](/usc/42/12626.md?p=8) [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) from limiting enrollment to any age subgroup within the range specified in [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–610, title I, § 199I, formerly § 130, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3146; Pub. L. 102–384, § 6, Oct. 5, 1992, 106 Stat. 1456; renumbered § 199J, renumbered § 199I, Pub. L. 103–82, title I, § 101(a), (e)(8)(B), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 788, 816.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 101–610, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3127, known as the National and Community Service Act of 1990, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 12501 of this title and Tables.

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 12550 of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 103–82, § 101(a).

### Amendments

1992—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 102–384 substituted “14” for “15”.