An eligible applicant is one who:

(1) Is currently employed as a Washington classified public school K-12 employee covered by chapter 41.56 RCW or was an employee during the 1999-2000 school year.

(2) Plans to enroll in an accredited Washington institution of higher education within three months of the time of notification of the conditional scholarship award. Applicants who are unsure they can meet this three-month expectation will be encouraged to apply and to indicate their circumstances on the application.

(3) Plans to be employed as a teacher in a Washington public K-12 school after completion of the initial teacher certification.

(4) Will not be pursuing a degree in theology.

(5) Submits an application to the board by the requested deadline.