34 C.F.R. § 682.200
(a)
(1) The definitions of the following terms used in this part are set forth in the Student Assistance General Provisions, 34 CFR part 668:
Academic year Campus-based programs Dependent student Eligible program Eligible student Enrolled Expected family contribution (EFC) Federal Consolidation Loan Program Federal Pell Grant Program Federal Perkins Loan Program Federal PLUS Program Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program Full-time student Half-time student Independent student National of the United States (Referred to as U.S. Citizen or National in 34 CFR 668.2) Payment period Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program TEACH Grant Undergraduate student
(2) The following definitions are set forth in the regulations for Institutional Eligibility under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 34 CFR part 600:
Accredited Clock hour Correspondence course Credit hour Educational program Federal Family Education Loan Program (formerly known as the Guaranteed Student Loan (GSL) Program) Foreign institution Institution of higher education (§ 600.4) Nationally recognized accrediting agency Postsecondary Vocational Institution Preaccredited Secretary State
(b) The following definitions also apply to this part:
Act. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1071 et seq.
Actual interest rate. The annual interest rate a lender charges on a loan, which may be equal to or less than the applicable interest rate on that loan.
Applicable interest rate. The maximum annual interest rate that a lender may charge under the Act on a loan.
Authority. Any private non-profit or public entity that may issue tax-exempt obligations to obtain funds to be used for the purchase of FFEL loans. The term “Authority” also includes any agency, including a State postsecondary institution or any other instrumentality of a State or local governmental unit, regardless of the designation or primary purpose of that agency, that may issue tax-exempt obligations, any party authorized to issue those obligations on behalf of a governmental agency, and any non-profit organization authorized by law to issue tax-exempt obligations.
Borrower. An individual to whom a FFEL Program loan was made.
Co-Maker: One of two married individuals who jointly borrow a Consolidation loan, each of whom are eligible and who are jointly and severally liable for repayment of the loan. The term co-maker also includes one of two parents who are joint borrowers as previously authorized in the PLUS Program.
Default. The failure of a borrower and endorser, if any, or joint borrowers on a PLUS or Consolidation loan, to make an installment payment when due, or to meet other terms of the promissory note, the Act, or regulations as applicable, if the Secretary or guaranty agency finds it reasonable to conclude that the borrower and endorser, if any, no longer intend to honor the obligation to repay, provided that this failure persists for—
(2) 330 days for a loan repayable in less frequent installments.
Disbursement. The transfer of loan proceeds by a lender to a holder, in the case of a Consolidation loan, or to a borrower, a school, or an escrow agent by issuance of an individual check, a master check or by electronic funds transfer that may represent loan amounts for borrowers.
Disposable income. That part of an individual's compensation from an employer and other income from any source, including spousal income, that remains after the deduction of any amounts required by law to be withheld, or any child support or alimony payments that are made under a court order or legally enforceable written agreement. Amounts required by law to be withheld include, but are not limited, to Federal, State, and local taxes, Social Security contributions, and wage garnishment payments.
Endorser. An individual who signs a promissory note and agrees to repay the loan in the event that the borrower does not.
Escrow agent. Any guaranty agency or other eligible lender that receives the proceeds of a FFEL program loan as an agent of an eligible lender for the purpose of transmitting those proceeds to the borrower or the borrower's school.
Estimated financial assistance. (1) The estimated amount of assistance for a period of enrollment that a student (or a parent on behalf of a student) will receive from Federal, State, institutional, or other sources, such as, scholarships, grants, the net earnings from need-based employment, or loans, including but not limited to—
(2) Estimated financial assistance does not include—
(vii) Federal veterans' education benefits paid under—
(viii) Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants made under section 420R of the HEA.
Federal GSL programs. The Federal Insured Student Loan Program, the Federal Supplemental Loans for Students Program, the Federal PLUS Program, and the Federal Consolidation Loan Program.
Federal Insured Student Loan Program. The loan program authorized by title IV-B of the Act under which the Secretary directly insures lenders against losses.
Grace period. The period that begins on the day after a Stafford loan borrower ceases to be enrolled as at least a half-time student at an institution of higher education and ends on the day before the repayment period begins. See also “Post-deferment grace period.” For an SLS borrower who also has a Federal Stafford loan on which the borrower has not yet entered repayment, the grace period is an equivalent period after the borrower ceases to be enrolled as at least a half-time student at an institution of higher education.
Guaranty agency. A State or private nonprofit organization that has an agreement with the Secretary under which it will administer a loan guarantee program under the Act.
Holder. An eligible lender owning an FFEL Program loan including a Federal or State agency or an organization or corporation acting on behalf of such an agency and acting as a conservator, liquidator, or receiver of an eligible lender.
Legal guardian. An individual appointed by a court to be a “guardian” of a person and specifically required by the court to use his or her financial resources for the support of that person.
Lender. (1) The term “eligible lender” is defined in section 435(d) of the Act, and in paragraphs (2)-(5) of this definition.
(2) With respect to a National or State chartered bank, a mutual savings bank, a savings and loan association, a stock savings bank, or a credit union—
(5)
(i) The term eligible lender does not include any lender that the Secretary determines, after notice and opportunity for a hearing before a designated Department official, has, directly or through an agent or contractor—
(A) Except as provided in paragraph (5)(ii) of this definition, offered, directly or indirectly, points, premiums, payments (including payments for referrals, finder fees or processing fees), or other inducements to any school, any employee of a school, or any individual or entity in order to secure applications for FFEL loans or FFEL loan volume. This includes but is not limited to—
(1) Payments or offerings of other benefits, including prizes or additional financial aid funds, to a prospective borrower or to a school or school employee in exchange for applying for or accepting a FFEL loan from the lender;
(2) Payments or other benefits, including payments of stock or other securities, tuition payments or reimbursements, to a school, a school employee, any school-affiliated organization, or to any other individual in exchange for FFEL loan applications, application referrals, or a specified volume or dollar amount of loans made, or placement on a school's list of recommended or suggested lenders;
(3) Payments or other benefits provided to a student at a school who acts as the lender's representative to secure FFEL loan applications from individual prospective borrowers, unless the student is also employed by the lender for other purposes and discloses that employment to school administrators and to prospective borrowers;
(4) Payments or other benefits to a loan solicitor or sales representative of a lender who visits schools to solicit individual prospective borrowers to apply for FFEL loans from the lender;
(5) Payment to another lender or any other party, including a school, a school employee, or a school-affiliated organization or its employees, of referral fees, finder fees or processing fees, except those processing fees necessary to comply with Federal or State law;
(6) Compensation to an employee of a school's financial aid office or other employee who has responsibilities with respect to student loans or other financial aid provided by the school or compensation to a school-affiliated organization or its employees, to serve on a lender's advisory board, commission or other group established by the lender, except that the lender may reimburse the employee for reasonable expenses incurred in providing the service;
(7) Payment of conference or training registration, travel, and lodging costs for an employee of a school or school-affiliated organization;
(8) Payment of entertainment expenses, including expenses for private hospitality suites, tickets to shows or sporting events, meals, alcoholic beverages, and any lodging, rental, transportation, and other gratuities related to lender-sponsored activities for employees of a school or a school-affiliated organization;
(9) Philanthropic activities, including providing scholarships, grants, restricted gifts, or financial contributions in exchange for FFEL loan applications or application referrals, or a specified volume or dollar amount of FFEL loans made, or placement on a school's list of recommended or suggested lenders;
(10) Performance of, or payment to another third party to perform, any school function required under title IV, except that the lender may perform entrance counseling and, as provided in § 682.604(a), exit counseling, and may provide services to participating foreign schools at the direction of the Secretary, as a third-party servicer; and
(11) Any type of consulting arrangement or other contract with an employee of a financial aid office at a school, or an employee of a school who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to student loans or other financial aid provided by the school under which the employee would provide services to the lender.
(ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (5)(i) of this definition, a lender, in carrying out its role in the FFEL program and in attempting to provide better service, may provide—
(iii) For the purposes of this paragraph (5)—
(6) The term eligible lender does not include any lender that—
(7) An eligible lender may not make or hold a loan as trustee for a school, or for a school-affiliated organization as defined in this section, unless on or before September 30, 2006—
(8) As of January 1, 2007, and for loans first disbursed on or after that date under a trustee arrangement, an eligible lender operating as a trustee under a contract entered into on or before September 30, 2006, and which continues in effect with a school or a school-affiliated organization—
(i) Must not—
(iii) Must, for any fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2006 in which the school engages in activities as an eligible lender, submit an annual compliance audit that satisfies the following requirements:
(C) With regard to any school, the audit must include a determination that—
(1) The school used all payments and proceeds (i.e., special allowance and interest payments from borrowers, interest subsidy payments, proceeds from the sale or other disposition of loans) from the loans for need-based grant programs;
(2) Those need-based grants supplemented, rather than supplanted, the institution's use of non-Federal funds for such grants; and
(3) The school used no more than a reasonable portion of payments and proceeds from the loans for direct administrative expenses.
Master Promissory Note (MPN). A promissory note under which the borrower may receive loans for a single period of enrollment or multiple periods of enrollment.
Nationwide consumer reporting agency. A consumer reporting agency that compiles and maintains files on consumers on a nationwide basis and as defined in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(p).
Nonsubsidized Stafford loan. A Stafford loan made prior to October 1, 1992 that does not qualify for interest benefits under § 682.301(b) or special allowance payments under § 682.302.
Origination relationship. A special business relationship between a school and a lender in which the lender delegates to the school, or to an entity or individual affiliated with the school, substantial functions or responsibilities normally performed by lenders before making FFEL program loans. In this situation, the school is considered to have “originated” a loan made by the lender.
Origination fee. A fee that the lender is required to pay the Secretary to help defray the Secretary's costs of subsidizing the loan. The lender may pass this fee on to the Stafford loan borrower. The lender must pass this fee on to the SLS or PLUS borrower.
Participating school. A school that has in effect a current agreement with the Secretary under § 682.600.
Period of enrollment. The period for which a Stafford, SLS, or PLUS loan is intended. The period of enrollment must coincide with one or more bona fide academic terms established by the school for which institutional charges are generally assessed (e.g., a semester, trimester, or quarter in weeks of instructional time, an academic year, or the length of the student's program of study in weeks of instructional time). The period of enrollment is also referred to as the loan period.
Post-deferment grace period. For a loan made prior to October 1, 1981, a single period of six consecutive months beginning on the day following the last day of an authorized deferment period.
Repayment period. (1) For a Stafford loan, the period beginning on the date following the expiration of the grace period and ending no later than 10 years, or 25 years under an extended repayment schedule, from the date the first payment of principal is due from the borrower, exclusive of any period of deferment or forbearance.
(5) For Federal Consolidation loans, the period that begins on the date the loan is disbursed and ends no later than 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, or 30 years from that date depending upon the sum of the amount of the Consolidation loan, and the unpaid balance on other student loans, exclusive of any period of deferment or forbearance.
Satisfactory repayment arrangement. (1) For purposes of regaining eligibility under the title IV student financial assistance programs, the making of six consecutive, on-time, voluntary full monthly payments on a defaulted loan. A borrower may only obtain the benefit of this paragraph with respect to renewed eligibility once.
(3) A borrower has not used the one opportunity to renew eligibility for title IV assistance if the borrower makes six consecutive, on-time, voluntary, full monthly payments under an agreement to rehabilitate a defaulted loan but does not receive additional title IV assistance prior to defaulting on that loan again.
School. (1) An “institution of higher education” as that term is defined in 34 CFR 600.4.
(2) For purposes of an in-school deferment, the term includes an institution of higher education, whether or not it participates in any title IV program or has lost its eligibility to participate in the FFEL program because of a high default rate.
School-affiliated organization. A school-affiliated organization is any organization that is directly or indirectly related to a school and includes, but is not limited to, alumni organizations, foundations, athletic organizations, and social, academic, and professional organizations.
School lender. A school, other than a correspondence school, that has entered into a contract of guarantee under this part with the Secretary or, a similar agreement with a guaranty agency.
Stafford Loan Program. The loan program authorized by Title IV-B of the Act which encourages the making of subsidized and unsubsidized loans to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and is one of the Federal Family Education Loan programs.
State lender. In any State, a single State agency or private nonprofit agency designated by the State that has entered into a contract of guarantee under this part with the Secretary, or a similar agreement with a guaranty agency.
Subsidized Stafford Loan: A Stafford loan that qualifies for interest benefits under § 682.301(b) and special allowance under § 682.302.
Substantial gainful activity. A level of work performed for pay or profit that involves doing significant physical or mental activities, or a combination of both.
Temporarily totally disabled. The condition of an individual who, though not totally and permanently disabled, is unable to work and earn money or attend school, during a period of at least 60 days needed to recover from injury or illness. With regard to a disabled dependent of a borrower, this term means a spouse or other dependent who, during a period of injury or illness, requires continuous nursing or similar services for a period of at least 90 days.
Third-party servicer. Any State or private, profit or nonprofit organization or any individual that enters into a contract with a lender or guaranty agency to administer, through either manual or automated processing, any aspect of the lender's or guaranty agency's FFEL programs required by any statutory provision of or applicable to Title IV of the HEA, any regulatory provision prescribed under that statutory authority, or any applicable special arrangement, agreement, or limitation entered into under the authority of statutes applicable to Title IV of the HEA that governs the FFEL programs, including, any applicable function described in the definition of third-party servicer in 34 CFR part 668; originating, guaranteeing, monitoring, processing, servicing, or collecting loans; claims submission; or billing for interest benefits and special allowance.
Totally and permanently disabled. The condition of an individual who—
(1) Is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that—
(2) Has been determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to be unemployable due to a service-connected disability.
Unsubsidized Stafford loan. A loan made after October 1, 1992, authorized under section 428H of the Act for borrowers who do not qualify for interest benefits under § 682.301(b) but do qualify for special allowance under § 682.302.
Write-off. Cessation of collection activity on a defaulted FFEL loan due to a determination in accordance with applicable standards that no further collection activity is warranted.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1845-0020)
(Authority: 8 U.S.C. 1101; 20 U.S.C. 1070 to 1087-2, 1088-1098, 1141; E.O. 12549 (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., p. 189), E.O. 12689 (3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235))
Editorial Note:For Federal Register citations affecting § 682.200, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.
[57 FR 60323, Dec. 18, 1992]