1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; establishing a postsecondary study abroad grant 
1.3 	program; appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
1.4 	Statutes, chapter 136A.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [136A.89] STUDY ABROAD GRANTS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Definition; eligible institution. For the purposes of this section, an 
1.8 	"eligible institution" is a public or private not-for-profit postsecondary institution that 
1.9 	awards baccalaureate, graduate, or professional degrees. Institutions participating in the 
1.10 	program must provide documentation that they are engaged in the active recruitment of 
1.11 	foreign students to their campus as one component of their efforts to internationalize 
1.12 	education. Institutions participating in the program must:
1.13 	(1) award academic credits for the study abroad experience of grant recipients; 
1.14 	(2) require recipients to participate in local language study while in the host country; 
1.15 	and
1.16 	(3) require recipients to participate in the formal study of the customs and culture 
1.17 	of the host country.
1.18 		Subd. 2.Application process. The director of the Office of Higher Education shall 
1.19 	develop a grant application process and a process for allocating money to institutions 
1.20 	participating in the program. The director also shall consult with individuals at institutions 
1.21 	offering study abroad programs in the development of the study abroad grant program.
1.22 		Subd. 3.Grants. The director of the Office of Higher Education shall award grants 
1.23 	to facilitate the participation of students in study abroad programs approved by the 
2.1 	institution at which the student is enrolled. In selecting grant recipients, priority shall be 
2.2 	given to students who meet one or more of the following criteria:
2.3 	(1) are majoring in mathematics, engineering, computer science, or education degree 
2.4 	programs, which are traditionally underrepresented in study abroad programs;
2.5 	(2) commit to studying in a historically underrepresented study abroad destination;
2.6 	(3) commit to intensive language study in a language other than English while 
2.7 	abroad; and
2.8 	(4) are a member of a group traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary 
2.9 	education study abroad programs.
2.10 	Students who graduated from a high school and meet one or more of the priorities 
2.11 	cited above shall be given preference in the awards under this section. The maximum 
2.12 	grant amount is $10,000 per student.
2.13 		Subd. 4.Report. By January 15 of each odd-numbered year, the Office of Higher 
2.14 	Education shall submit a report to the committees of the legislature with jurisdiction over 
2.15 	higher education finance, including, at least, the following data:
2.16 	(1) the countries in which students participating in the grant program are studying;
2.17 	(2) the number of students participating in study abroad programs;
2.18 	(3) the majors of students participating in the grant program;
2.19 	(4) a description of the types of learning experiences in which grant recipients 
2.20 	participated;
2.21 	(5) a description of the types of activities the institution at which the grant recipient 
2.22 	is enrolled is engaged in, to internationalize the education of students at their institution;
2.23 	(6) changes in the number of students participating in study abroad programs; and
2.24 	(7) the revenue sources used to support study abroad program participants.

2.25 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.26 	$10,000,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the Office of Higher Education 
2.27 	for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2009, for the purposes of section 1.