Virginia Law

Article 7. Senior Citizens Higher Education Act of 1974.

A. As used in this article, "senior citizen" means any individual who, before the beginning of any academic term, semester, or quarter in which he claims entitlement to the benefits of this article, has reached the age of 60 and has been legally domiciled in the Commonwealth for at least one year.

B. Nothing in this section shall be construed to exclude any other rules and requirements made by any public institution of higher education for all other students besides senior citizens with respect to domicile in the Commonwealth.

1974, c. 463, § 23-38.55; 1976, c. 19; 1977, c. 281; 2002, c. 521; 2003, c. 700; 2016, c. 588.

A. Any senior citizen may, subject to any regulations prescribed by the Council:

1. Register for and enroll in courses for academic credit as a full-time or part-time student if he had a taxable individual income not exceeding $23,850 for Virginia income tax purposes for the year preceding the award year;

2. Register for and audit up to three courses offered for academic credit in any one academic term, quarter, or semester for an unlimited number of academic terms, quarters, or semesters; and

3. Register for and enroll in up to three courses not offered for academic credit in any one academic term, quarter, or semester for an unlimited number of academic terms, quarters, or semesters.

B. No senior citizen who enrolls in or audits courses pursuant to subsection A shall pay tuition or fees except fees established for the purpose of paying for course materials such as laboratory fees.

C. Senior citizens are subject to the admission requirements of the institution and a determination by the institution of its ability to offer the course for which the senior citizen registers.

D. The Council shall establish procedures to ensure that tuition-paying students are accommodated in courses before senior citizens enroll in or audit courses pursuant to subsection A. However, public institutions of higher education may make individual exceptions to these procedures for any senior citizen who has completed 75 percent of the requirements for a degree.

1974, c. 463, §§ 23-38.56, 23-38.58; 1977, c. 281; 1982, c. 677; 1984, c. 371; 1988, c. 90; 1989, c. 101; 1999, c. 381; 2002, c. 521; 2015, c. 146; 2016, c. 588.

Each public institution of higher education shall prominently include in its course catalog a statement of the benefits provided by this article for senior citizens.

1974, c. 463, § 23-38.59; 1977, c. 281; 2016, c. 588.

The registrar or other admissions officer of each public institution of higher education shall determine whether an individual is a senior citizen pursuant to the provisions of this article and may require senior citizens to execute appropriate forms to request the benefits provided by this article.

1974, c. 463, § 23-38.60; 2016, c. 588.