dkrause on DSKHT7XVN1PROD with PUBLAWS PUBLIC LAW 113–274—DEC. 18, 2014 128 STAT. 2983 (d) POST-AWARD EMPLOYMENT OBLIGATIONS.—Each scholarship recipient, as a condition of receiving a scholarship under the program, shall enter into an agreement under which the recipient agrees to work in the cybersecurity mission of a Federal, State, local, or tribal agency for a period equal to the length of the scholarship following receipt of the student’s degree. (e) HIRING AUTHORITY.— (1) APPOINTMENT IN EXCEPTED SERVICE.—Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service, an agency shall appoint in the excepted service an individual who has completed the eligible degree program for which a scholarship was awarded. (2) NONCOMPETITIVE CONVERSION.—Except as provided in paragraph (4), upon fulfillment of the service term, an employee appointed under paragraph (1) may be converted noncompetitively to term, career-conditional or career appointment. (3) TIMING OF CONVERSION.—An agency may noncompetitively convert a term employee appointed under paragraph (2) to a career-conditional or career appointment before the term appointment expires. (4) AUTHORITY TO DECLINE CONVERSION.—An agency may decline to make the noncompetitive conversion or appointment under paragraph (2) for cause. (f) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a scholarship under this section, an individual shall— (1) be a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States; (2) demonstrate a commitment to a career in improving the security of information technology; (3) have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in mathematics, engineering, or computer sciences; (4) be a full-time student in an eligible degree program at a qualified institution of higher education, as determined by the Director of the National Science Foundation; and (5) accept the terms of a scholarship under this section. (g) CONDITIONS OF SUPPORT.— (1) IN GENERAL.—As a condition of receiving a scholarship under this section, a recipient shall agree to provide the qualified institution of higher education with annual verifiable documentation of post-award employment and up-to-date contact information. (2) TERMS.—A scholarship recipient under this section shall be liable to the United States as provided in subsection (i) if the individual— (A) fails to maintain an acceptable level of academic standing at the applicable institution of higher education, as determined by the Director of the National Science Foundation; (B) is dismissed from the applicable institution of higher education for disciplinary reasons; (C) withdraws from the eligible degree program before completing the program; (D) declares that the individual does not intend to fulfill the post-award employment obligation under this section; or VerDate Mar 15 2010 07:01 Mar 03, 2015 Jkt 049139 PO 00274 Frm 00013 Fmt 6580 Sfmt 6581 E:\PUBLAW\PUBL274.113 PUBL274