((a)) ** Living allowances** The Secretary shall provide each participant in the Public Lands Corps and each resource assistant with a living allowance in an amount established by the Secretary.

((b)) ** Educational credit** The Secretary may provide a Corps participant with an educational credit that may be applied toward a program of postsecondary education at an institution of higher education that agrees to award the credit for participation in the Corps.

((c)) ** Terms of service**

((1)) ** In general** Each participant in the Corps and each resource assistant shall agree to participate in the Corps or serve as a resource assistant, as the case may be, for such term of service as may be established by the Secretary enrolling or selecting the individual.

((2)) ** Indian Youth Service Corps** With respect to the Indian Youth Service Corps established under , the Secretary shall establish the term of service of participants in consultation with the affected Indian tribe.section 1727b of this title

((d)) ** Hiring**

((1)) ** In general** The Secretary may—

((A)) grant to a member of the Public Lands Corps credit for time served with the Public Lands Corps, which may be used toward future Federal hiring; and

((B)) provide to a former member of the Public Lands Corps noncompetitive hiring status for a period of not more than 2 years after the date on which the member’s service with the Public Lands Corps is complete.

((2)) ** Time-limited appointment** For purposes of , a former member of the Corps hired by the Secretary under paragraph (1)(B) for a time-limited appointment shall be considered to be appointed initially under open, competitive examination.section 9602 of title 5

((e)) ** Applicability to qualified youth or conservation corps** The hiring and compensation standards described in this section shall apply to any individual participating in an appropriate conservation project through a qualified youth or conservation corps, including an individual placed through a contract or cooperative agreement, as approved by the Secretary.