GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP ACT CHANGES

SB 68 updates New Mexico's Graduate Scholarship Act to expand access for graduate students. It removes the requirement that recipients be U.S. citizens or hold permanent resident visas, lowers the minimum enrollment from full-time to six credit hours per semester, and adds a requirement of a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA or a paid faculty support position. Scholarships now cover up to 100% of tuition and fees (replacing a fixed $7,200 annual amount), while maintaining priority for New Mexico residents with financial need and those from underrepresented groups in graduate education. The bill applies to students enrolled in eligible New Mexico graduate programs at accredited state universities.