(a) General requirement. Unless the Corporation approves an extension in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section—

(1) An individual may use an AmeriCorps education award or a Silver Scholar education award within seven years of the date on which the individual successfully completed a term of service in an approved AmeriCorps or Silver Scholar position;

(2) An individual may use a Summer of Service education award within ten years of the date on which the individual successfully completed a term of service in an approved Summer of Service position;

(3) A designated individual who receives a transferred education award in accordance with §2530.10 may use the transferred education award within ten years of the date on which the individual who transferred the award successfully completed the term of service in an approved AmeriCorps or Silver Scholar position that is the basis of the award.

(b) Extensions. In order to receive an extension of the period of availability specified in paragraph (a) of this section for using an education award, an individual must apply to the Corporation for an extension prior to the end of that time period. The Corporation may grant an application for an extension under the following circumstances:

(1) If the Corporation determines that an individual was performing another term of service in an approved AmeriCorps, Summer of Service, or Silver Scholar position during the original period of availability, the Corporation may grant an extension for a time period that is equivalent to the time period during which the individual was performing the other term of service.

(2) If the Corporation determines that an individual was unavoidably prevented from using the education award during the original period of availability, the Corporation may grant an extension for a period of time that the Corporation deems appropriate. An individual who is ineligible to use an education award as a result of the individual's conviction of the possession or sale of a controlled substance is not considered to be unavoidably prevented from using the education award for the purposes of this paragraph. In the case of a transferred award, an individual who is unable to use an education award as a result of being too young to enroll in an institution of higher education or other training establishment is not considered to be unavoidably prevented from using the education award.

[75 FR 51411, Aug. 20, 2010]