The following words and terms, when used in chapter 24, shall have the following meanings, unless otherwise defined in a particular subchapter:

1. (1) Alternative Educator Certification Program--An approved educator preparation program, delivered by entities approved by the State Board for Educator Certification under the provisions of part 7, chapter 228 of this title (relating to Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs), specifically designed as an alternative to a traditional undergraduate certification program, for individuals already holding at least a baccalaureate degree.
2. (2) Board--The governing body of the agency known as the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
3. (3) Borrower--An individual who signs a student loan promissory note and thereby assumes liability for the debt and all fees associated with the note and who uses the proceeds of the loan to finance the individual's postsecondary education.
4. (4) Certificate Program--As defined in §2.3 of this title (relating to Definitions).
5. (5) Commissioner--The Texas Commissioner of Higher Education.
6. (6) Coordinating Board--The agency known as the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, including agency staff.
7. (7) Cosigner--An individual who signs a student loan promissory note and thereby assumes liability for the debt and all fees and expenses associated with the note but who is not a direct beneficiary of the proceeds of the loan.
8. (8) Cost of Attendance--An institution's estimate of the expenses incurred by a typical financial aid recipient in attending a particular institution of higher education. It includes direct educational costs (tuition and fees) as well as indirect costs (room and board, books and supplies, transportation, personal expenses, and other allowable costs for financial aid purposes).
9. (9) Degree Program--As defined in §2.3 of this title.

10. (10) Favorable Credit Report Evaluation--A determination made by the Coordinating Board regarding a prospective borrower or cosigner's creditworthiness. For the purposes of this chapter, a borrower or cosigner is considered to have a favorable credit report evaluation if the person:

    1. (A) Has a VantageScore of 650 or higher;
    2. (B) Does not have public records that demonstrate credit concerns such as tax liens or bankruptcy proceedings;
    3. (C) Has a minimum of four credit trade lines, excluding student loans or authorized user accounts; and
    4. (D) Has not defaulted on any federal, state, or private education loans.
11. (11) Fund--The Texas Opportunity Plan Fund as created by the Constitution of the State of Texas, Article III, 50b; the Student Loan Revenue Bond Fund authorized in the Texas Education Code, chapter 56, subchapter H; and/or the Student Loan Auxiliary Fund, authorized in the Texas Education Code, chapter 52, subchapter F.
12. (12) Half-Time--For undergraduates, enrollment or expected enrollment for the equivalent of at least six but fewer than nine semester credit hours per regular semester. For graduate students, enrollment or expected enrollment for the equivalent of 50 percent of the normal full-time course load of the student's program of study as defined by the institution.
13. (13) Institution of Higher Education--As defined in Texas Education Code, §61.003.
14. (14) Insufficient Resources to Finance Education--A requirement for a student to be eligible for certain loan programs. For the purposes of this chapter, a student is considered to have insufficient resources to finance his or her education if the student's cost of attendance is greater than the total amount of financial aid offered to the student. The amount of federal Direct Loans for which the student is eligible must be included in the calculation of the financial aid offered, regardless of whether the student receives the loans.
15. (15) Manageable Debt--A student's level of aggregated student loan debt from all sources (including federal, state, and private student loans) such that the student's estimated monthly payment (for all loans) five years after graduation is less than 10 percent of the student's projected income, assembled using wage data from the Texas Workforce Commission based on the student's course of study. Not later than the final day of January of each odd-numbered year, the Coordinating Board shall publish updated manageable debt levels.
16. (16) Private or Independent Institution of Higher Education--As defined in Texas Education Code, §61.003.
17. (17) Program Officer--The individual named by each participating institution's chief executive officer to serve as agent for the Coordinating Board. The Program Officer has primary responsibility for all ministerial acts required by the program, including the determination of student eligibility, selection of recipients, maintenance of all records, and preparation and submission of reports reflecting program transactions. Unless otherwise indicated by the institution's chief executive officer, the director of student financial aid shall serve as Program Officer.
18. (18) Repayment Period--The length of time during which a borrower is expected to fully repay the borrower's loan(s). The repayment period is used to determine the number of payments required to repay the loan(s) and therefore the borrower's minimum monthly payment.
19. (19) Student Loan--A loan incurred by a student to assist in covering the student's cost of education.
20. (20) Student Loan Debt--The outstanding balance of principal, interest, and fees associated with an individual's education or student loans.
21. (21) Semester Credit Hour--A unit of measure of instruction, represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement, that reasonably approximates one hour of classroom instruction or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out of class student work for each week over a 15-week period in a semester system or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time. An institution is responsible for determining the appropriate number of semester credit hours awarded for its programs in accordance with Federal definitions, requirements of the institution's accreditor, and commonly accepted practices in higher education.

Source Note:The provisions of this §24.1 adopted to be effective November 13, 2025, 50 TexReg 7275; amended to be effective May 13, 2026, 51 TexReg 3112.