(110 ILCS 930/2) (from Ch. 144, par. 2302)
    Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:
    "Academic year" means the period of time beginning with the fall term in one calendar year and running through the end of the summer term in the following calendar year.
    "Board" means the Board of Higher Education.
    "DFI" means the Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Program of financial assistance. The program shall assist successful applicants in pursuing a graduate or professional degree and shall also assist program graduates to find employment at an Illinois institution of higher education, including a community college, in a faculty or staff position.
    "Illinois resident" means any United States citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States who meets at least one of the following requirements:
        (1) has earned a degree from an institution of higher
    
education authorized to operate in this State; or
        (2) is a registered voter in this State and has lived
    
in this State for a period of at least 3 years prior to applying for a grant under this Act.
    The status of Illinois residency of a student at the time of initial matriculation in the DFI shall hold for his or her entire time in his or her graduate or professional study at the DFI institution.
    "Institutional representative" means the designated individual who is responsible for coordinating DFI activities at each qualified institution of higher education.
    "Program Board" means the entity created to administer the grant program authorized by this Act.
    "Qualified institution of higher education" means a qualifying publicly operated educational institution located within Illinois (i) that offers instruction leading toward or prerequisite to an academic or professional degree beyond the baccalaureate degree, excluding theological schools, (ii) that is authorized to operate in the State of Illinois, and (iii) in which at least 45% of students receive federal Pell Grants, which shall be based on the 3-year average proportion of federal Pell Grant recipients at Illinois public universities using the most recent data available to the Board.
(Source: P.A. 104-437, eff. 11-21-25.)