PUBLIC LAW 94-482—OCT. 12, 1976 ents of such fellowships shall be individuals who have been admitted or who are enrolled in graduate or professional programs approved by the Commissioner and who are pursuing, a course of study leading to a degree of doctor of philosophy, doctor of arts, or an equivalent degree. The Commissioner shall approve a graduate program of an institution of higher education only upon his finding that the application contains satisfactory assurance that the institution will provide special orientations and practical experiences designed to prepare its fellowship recipients (1) for academic careers at some level of education beyond the high school, or (2) for other than academic careers in professional career fields of importance to the national interest, as determined by the Commissioner. "(b) In determining priorities and procedures for the award of fellowships under this section the Commissioner shall— "(1) take into account present and projected needs for highly trained individuals in all areas of education beyond high school, "(2) take into account present and projected needs for highly trained individuals in other than academic career fields of high national priority, "(3) consider the need to prepare a larger number of individuals from minority groups, especially from among such groups who have been traditionally underrepresented in colleges and universities, but nothing contained in this clause shall be interpreted to require any educational institution to grant preference or disparate treatment to the members of one minority group on account of an imbalance which may exist with respect to the total number or percentage of individuals of that group participating in or receiving the benefits of this program, in comparison with the total number or percentage of individuals of that group in any community. State, section, or other area, "(4) assure that consideration in awarding fellowships under this part is given (A) to individuals who have demonstrated their competence outside of a higher education setting for at least two years subsequent to the completion of their undergraduate studies, or (B) to individuals with varied backgrounds and experiences who have acquired such backgrounds and experiences in other than academic settings, "(5) seek to achieve a reasonably equitable geographical distribution of graduate programs approved under this section, based upon such factors as student enrollments in institutions of higher education and population. "(c) No fellowship shall be awarded under this part for study at a school or department of divinity.
90 STAT. 2161
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u FELLOWSHIP STIPENDS
"SEC. 924. (a) The Commissioner shall pay to individuals awarded fellowships under this part such stipends (including such allowances for subsistence and other expenses for such persons and their dependents) as he may determine to be consistent with prevailing practices under comparalale federally supported programs. "(b) The Commissioner shall (in addition to the stipends paid to individuals under subsection (a)) pay to the institution of higher education at which such person is pursuing his course of study such amounts as the Commissioner may determine to be consistent with prevailing practices under comparable federally supported programs, except that such amount charged to a fellowship recipient and col-
20 USC 1134g.
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