§2603. Acceptance of fellowships, scholarships, or grants

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a fellowship, scholarship, or grant may, under regulations to be prescribed by the President (or an individual designated by the President), be made by a corporation, fund, foundation, or educational institution that is organized and operated primarily for scientific, literary, or educational purposes to any member of the armed forces, and the benefits thereof may be accepted by the member-

(1) in recognition of outstanding performance in the field of the member;

(2) to undertake a project that may be of value to the United States; or

(3) for development of the recognized potential for future career service of the member.

However, the benefits of such a fellowship, scholarship, or grant may be accepted by the member in addition to the member's pay and allowances only to the extent that those benefits would be conferred upon the member if the education or training contemplated by that fellowship, scholarship, or grant were provided at the expense of the United States. In addition, if such a benefit, in cash or in kind, is for travel, subsistence, or other expenses, an appropriate reduction shall be made from any payment that is made for the same purpose to the member by the United States incident to the member's acceptance of the fellowship, scholarship, or grant.

(b) Each member of the armed forces who accepts a fellowship, scholarship, or grant in accordance with subsection (a) shall, before he is permitted to undertake the education or training contemplated by that fellowship, scholarship, or grant, agree in writing that, after he completes the education or training, he will serve on active duty for a period three times the length of the period of the education or training.

(Added Pub. L. 87–555, §1(1), July 27, 1962, 76 Stat. 244 ; amended Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title X, §1075(b)(39), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4371 ; Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title V, §523, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2571 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2022-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–263, §523(b)(1), (4), in introductory provisions, substituted "(or an individual designated by the President)" for "or his designee" and "the member-" for "him-", and, in concluding provisions, substituted "the member's" for "his" in two places and "the member" for "him".

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 117–263, §523(b)(2), substituted "the field of the member" for "his field".

Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 117–263, §523(b)(3), substituted "the recognized potential for future career service of the member" for "his recognized potential for future career service".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–263, §523(a), struck out "at least" before "three times".

2011-Pub. L. 111–383 substituted "armed forces" for "Armed Forces" in two places.

Executive Documents

Ex. Ord. No. 11079. Regulations for Acceptance of Fellowships, Scholarships, or Grants

Ex. Ord. No. 11079, Jan. 25, 1963, 28 F.R. 819, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 11382, Nov. 28, 1967, 32 F.R. 16247; Ex. Ord. No. 12608, Sept. 9, 1987, 52 F.R. 34617; Ex. Ord. No. 13286, §69, Feb. 28, 2003, 68 F.R. 10630, provided:

By virtue of the authority vested in me by section 2603 of Title 10, United States Code [this section], I hereby designate the Secretary of Defense, with respect to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, the Secretary of Homeland Security, with respect to members of the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, with respect to commissioned officers of the Public Health Service, to prescribe regulations under which members of the Armed Forces and commissioned officers of the Public Health Service may accept fellowships, scholarships, or grants from corporations, funds, foundations, or educational institutions organized and operated primarily for scientific, literary, or educational purposes. To the extent practicable, such regulations shall be uniform.