---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 288–4"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "288–4"
heading: "Undergraduate scholarship program regarding professions needed by National Research Institutes"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/288-4"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter III — National Research Institutes"
  - "Part G — Awards and Training"
---

# §288–4. Undergraduate scholarship program regarding professions needed by National Research Institutes

- (a) **Establishment of program—**
  - (1) **In general—** Subject to [section 288(a)(1)(C) of this title](/usc/42/288.md?p=a-1-C), the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c), acting through the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH, may carry out a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) of entering into contracts with individuals described in [paragraph (2)](#a-2) under which—
    - (A) the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH agrees to provide to the individuals scholarships for pursuing, as undergraduates at accredited institutions of higher education, academic [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) appropriate for careers in professions needed by the National Institutes of Health; and
    - (B) the individuals agree to serve as [employees](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) of the National Institutes of Health, for the period described in [subsection (c)](#c), in positions that are needed by the National Institutes of Health and for which the individuals are qualified.
  - (2) **Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds—** The individuals referred to in [paragraph (1)](#a-1) are individuals who—
    - (A) are enrolled or accepted for enrollment as full-time undergraduates at accredited institutions of higher education; and
    - (B) are from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- (b) **Facilitation of interest of students in careers at National Institutes of Health—** In providing employment to individuals pursuant to contracts under [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1), the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH shall carry out activities to facilitate the interest of the individuals in pursuing careers as [employees](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) of the National Institutes of Health.
- (c) **Period of obligated service—**
  - (1) **Duration of service—** For purposes of [subparagraph (B)](#a-1-B) of subsection (a)(1), the period of [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) for which an individual is obligated to serve as an [employee](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) of the National Institutes of Health is, subject to [paragraph (2)(A)](#c-2-A), 12 months for each academic year for which the scholarship under such subsection is provided.
  - (2) **Schedule for service—**
    - (A) Subject to [subparagraph (B)](#c-2-B), the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH may not provide a scholarship under [subsection (a)](#a) unless the individual applying for the scholarship agrees that—
      - (i) the individual will serve as an [employee](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) of the National Institutes of Health full-time for not less than 10 consecutive weeks of each year during which the individual is attending the educational institution involved and receiving such a scholarship;
      - (ii) the period of [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) as such an [employee](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) that the individual is obligated to provide under [clause (i)](#c-2-A-i) is in addition to the period of [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) as such an [employee](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) that the individual is obligated to provide under [subsection (a)(1)(B)](#a-1-B); and
      - (iii) not later than 60 days after obtaining the educational degree involved, the individual will begin serving full-time as such an [employee](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) in satisfaction of the period of [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) that the individual is obligated to provide under [subsection (a)(1)(B)](#a-1-B).
    - (B) The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH may defer the obligation of an individual to provide a period of [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) under [subsection (a)(1)(B)](#a-1-B), if the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) determines that such a deferral is appropriate.
  - (3) **Applicability of certain provisions relating to appointment and compensation—** For any period in which an individual provides [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) as an [employee](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) of the National Institutes of Health in satisfaction of the obligation of the individual under [subsection (a)(1)(B)](#a-1-B) or [paragraph (2)(A)(i)](#c-2-A-i), the individual may be appointed as such an [employee](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-5) without regard to the provisions of [title 5](/usc/5.md) relating to appointment and compensation.
- (d) **Provisions regarding scholarship—**
  - (1) **Approval of academic program—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH may not provide a scholarship under [subsection (a)](#a) for an academic year unless—
    - (A) the individual applying for the scholarship has submitted to the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) a proposed academic [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for the year and the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) has approved the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4); and
    - (B) the individual agrees that the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) will not be altered without the approval of the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5).
  - (2) **Academic standing—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH may not provide a scholarship under [subsection (a)](#a) for an academic year unless the individual applying for the scholarship agrees to maintain an acceptable level of academic standing, as determined by the educational institution involved in accordance with [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d) issued by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c).
  - (3) **Limitation on amount—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH may not provide a scholarship under [subsection (a)](#a) for an academic year in an amount exceeding $20,000.
  - (4) **Authorized uses—** A scholarship provided under [subsection (a)](#a) may be expended only for tuition expenses, other reasonable educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses incurred in attending the [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) involved.
  - (5) **Contract regarding direct payments to institution—** In the case of an [institution of higher education](/usc/42/11851.md?p=7) with respect to which a scholarship under [subsection (a)](#a) is provided, the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH may enter into a contract with the institution under which the amounts provided in the scholarship for tuition and other educational expenses are paid directly to the institution.
- (e) **Penalties for breach of scholarship contract—** The provisions of [section 254o](/usc/42/254o.md) of this title shall apply to the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) established in [subsection (a)](#a) to the same extent and in the same manner as such provisions apply to the National Health [Service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) Corps Loan Repayment [Program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) established in [section 254l–1](/usc/42/254l–1.md) of this title.
- (f) **Requirement of application—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of NIH may not provide a scholarship under [subsection (a)](#a) unless an application for the scholarship is submitted to the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) and the application is in such form, is made in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and information as the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) determines to be necessary to carry out this section.
- (g) **Availability of authorization of appropriations—** Amounts appropriated for a fiscal year for scholarships under this section shall remain available until the expiration of the second fiscal year beginning after the fiscal year for which the amounts were appropriated.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IV, § 487D, as added Pub. L. 103–43, title XVI, § 1631, June 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 183.)