HIGH ED-FIREFIGHTER GRANT

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that any person who has served at least 3 years as an active volunteer, paid on-call, or full-time firefighter with a fire department in a municipality with a population of less than 5,000 shall be awarded a grant to a public university or community college in this State, consisting of exemption from tuition and fees for not more than the equivalent of 4 years of full-time enrollment while he or she serves as an active volunteer, paid on-call, or full-time firefighter with that department. Allows the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to reimburse higher education institutions for the grants, subject to appropriation. Requires a grant recipient to sign an agreement under which the recipient pledges that he or she shall remain an active volunteer, paid on-call, or full-time firefighter with the fire department for a period of not less than one year for each year of grant assistance that he or she receives. Provides for repayment of the grant assistance if the recipient fails to fulfill this obligation.