20 U.S.C. § 1085
Definitions for student loan insurance program
United States · Title 20 — EDUCATION · Status: effective
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- 20 U.S.C. § 1085, Definitions for student loan insurance program, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/452121
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As used in this part:
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the term “eligible institution” means an institution of higher education, as defined in section 1002 of this title, except that, for the purposes of sections 1077(a)(2)(C)(i) and 1078(b)(1)(M)(i) of this title, an eligible institution includes any institution that is within this definition without regard to whether such institution is participating in any program under this subchapter and includes any institution ineligible for participation in any program under this part pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection.
An institution whose cohort default rate is equal to or greater than the threshold percentage specified in subparagraph (B) for each of the three most recent fiscal years for which data are available shall not be eligible to participate in a program under this part for the fiscal year for which the determination is made and for the two succeeding fiscal years, unless, within 30 days of receiving notification from the Secretary of the loss of eligibility under this paragraph, the institution appeals the loss of its eligibility to the Secretary. The Secretary shall issue a decision on any such appeal within 45 days after its submission. Such decision may permit the institution to continue to participate in a program under this part if—
For purposes of determinations under subparagraph (A), the threshold percentage is—
Until July 1, 1999, this paragraph shall not apply to any institution that is—
Notwithstanding the first sentence of subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall restore the eligibility to participate in a program under subpart 1 of part A, part B, or part E of an institution that did not appeal its loss of eligibility within 30 days of receiving notification if the Secretary determines, on a case-by-case basis, that the institution’s failure to appeal was substantially justified under the circumstances, and that—
An institution whose cohort default rate, calculated in accordance with subsection (m), is equal to or greater than the threshold percentage specified in paragraph (2)(B)(iv) for any two consecutive fiscal years may, not later than 30 days after the date the institution receives notification from the Secretary, file an appeal demonstrating exceptional mitigating circumstances, as defined in paragraph (5). The Secretary shall issue a decision on any such appeal not later than 45 days after the date of submission of the appeal. If the Secretary determines that the institution demonstrates exceptional mitigating circumstances, the Secretary may not subject the institution to provisional certification based solely on the institution’s cohort default rate.
An institution that—
For purposes of this subsection, an institution of higher education shall be treated as having exceptional mitigating circumstances that make application of paragraph (2) inequitable, and that provide for regulatory relief under paragraph (3), if such institution, in the opinion of an independent auditor, meets the following criteria:
For a 12-month period that ended during the 6 months immediately preceding the fiscal year for which the cohort of borrowers used to calculate the institution’s cohort default rate is determined, at least two-thirds of the students enrolled on at least a half-time basis at the institution—
In the case of an institution of higher education that offers an associate, baccalaureate, graduate or professional degree, 70 percent or more of the institution’s regular students who were initially enrolled on a full-time basis and were scheduled to complete their programs during the same 12-month period described in clause (i)—
In the case of an institution of higher education that does not award a degree described in clause (ii), had a placement rate of 44 percent or more with respect to the institution’s former regular students who—
The placement rate is calculated by determining the percentage of all those former regular students who—
After July 1, 1999, any institution that has a cohort default rate that equals or exceeds 25 percent for each of the three most recent fiscal years for which data are available and that relies on the exception in subparagraph (B) to continue to be an eligible institution shall—
Notwithstanding the expiration of the exception in paragraph (2)(C), the Secretary may, in the Secretary’s discretion, continue to treat an institution described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph as an eligible institution for each of the 1-year periods beginning on July 1 of 1999 through 2003, only if the institution submits by the beginning of such period evidence satisfactory to the Secretary that—
An institution whose cohort default rate is equal to or greater than the threshold percentage specified in paragraph (2)(B)(iv) in any fiscal year shall establish a default prevention task force to prepare a plan to—
Each institution subject to this subparagraph shall submit the plan under clause (i) to the Secretary, who shall review the plan and offer technical assistance to the institution to promote improved student loan repayment.
An institution whose cohort default rate is equal to or greater than the threshold percentage specified in paragraph (2)(B)(iv) for two consecutive fiscal years, shall require the institution’s default prevention task force established under subparagraph (A) to review and revise the plan required under such subparagraph, and shall submit such revised plan to the Secretary.
The Secretary shall review each revised plan submitted in accordance with this subparagraph, and may direct that such plan be amended to include actions, with measurable objectives, that the Secretary determines, based on available data and analyses of student loan defaults, will promote student loan repayment.
An institution that demonstrates to the Secretary that the institution’s participation rate index is equal to or less than 0.0625 for any of the 3 most recent fiscal years for which data is available shall not be subject to paragraph (2). The participation rate index shall be determined by multiplying the institution’s cohort default rate for loans under this part or part D, or weighted average cohort default rate for loans under this part and part D, by the percentage of the institution’s regular students, enrolled on at least a half-time basis, who received a loan made under this part or part D for a 12-month period ending during the 6 months immediately preceding the fiscal year for which the cohort of borrowers used to calculate the institution’s cohort default rate is determined.
An institution shall provide the Secretary with sufficient data to determine the institution’s participation rate index within 30 days after receiving an initial notification of the institution’s draft cohort default rate.
Prior to publication of a final cohort default rate for an institution that provides the data described in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall notify the institution of the institution’s compliance or noncompliance with subparagraph (A).
Except as provided in paragraphs (2) through (6), the term “eligible lender” means—
a National or State chartered bank, a mutual savings bank, a savings and loan association, a stock savings bank, or a credit union which—
To be an eligible lender under this part, an eligible institution—
shall not—
An eligible lender under subparagraph (A) shall be permitted to use a portion of the proceeds described in subparagraph (A)(viii) for reasonable and direct administrative expenses.
An eligible lender under subparagraph (A) shall ensure that the proceeds described in subparagraph (A)(viii) are used to supplement, and not to supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be used for need-based grant programs.
The term “eligible lender” does not include any eligible institution in any fiscal year immediately after the fiscal year in which the Secretary determines, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, that for each of 2 consecutive years, 15 percent or more of the total amount of such loans as are described in section 1078(a)(1) of this title made by the institution with respect to students at that institution and repayable in each such year, are in default, as defined in subsection (m).
Whenever the Secretary determines that—
The term “eligible lender” does not include any lender that the Secretary determines, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, has—
provided payments or other benefits to a student at an institution of higher education to act as the lender’s representative to secure applications under this subchapter from individual prospective borrowers, unless such student—
To be an eligible lender under this part, an eligible lender shall pay rebate fees in accordance with section 1078–3(f) of this title.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, an eligible lender may not make or hold a loan under this part as trustee for an institution of higher education, or for an organization affiliated with an institution of higher education, unless—
the institution or organization, and the eligible lender, with respect to its duties as trustee, each comply on and after January 1, 2007, with the requirements of paragraph (2), except that—
in the case of an organization affiliated with an institution—
Each institution serving as an eligible lender under paragraph (1)(E), and each eligible lender serving as a trustee for an institution of higher education or an organization affiliated with an institution of higher education, shall annually complete and submit to the Secretary a compliance audit to determine whether—
The term “line of credit” means an arrangement or agreement between the lender and the borrower whereby a loan is paid out by the lender to the borrower in annual installments, or whereby the lender agrees to make, in addition to the initial loan, additional loans in subsequent years.
The term “due diligence” requires the utilization by a lender, in the servicing and collection of loans insured under this part, of servicing and collection practices at least as extensive and forceful as those generally practiced by financial institutions for the collection of consumer loans.
The term “holder” means an eligible lender who owns a loan.
The term “guaranty agency” means any State or nonprofit private institution or organization with which the Secretary has an agreement under section 1078(b) of this title.
The term “insurance beneficiary” means the insured or its authorized representative assigned in accordance with section 1079(d) of this title.
Except as provided in subsection (m), the term “default” includes only such defaults as have existed for (1) 270 days in the case of a loan which is repayable in monthly installments, or (2) 330 days in the case of a loan which is repayable in less frequent installments.
The Secretary shall prescribe regulations designed to prevent an institution from evading the application to that institution of a default rate determination under this subsection through the use of such measures as branching, consolidation, change of ownership or control, or any similar device.
For purposes of this part and part E, a borrower shall be considered to have an economic hardship if—
such borrower is working full-time and is earning an amount which does not exceed the greater of—
In establishing criteria for purposes of paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall consider the borrower’s income and debt-to-income ratio as primary factors.
Subject to the limitations in paragraph (2) and the prohibition in paragraph (3), the term “eligible not-for-profit holder” means an eligible lender under subsection (d) (except for an eligible lender described in subsection (d)(1)(E)) that requests a special allowance payment under section 1087–1(b)(2)(I)(vi)(II) of this title or a payment under section 1141 of this title and that is—
An eligible lender shall not be an eligible not-for-profit holder under this chapter unless such lender—
Notwithstanding clause (i), a State may elect, in accordance with regulations of the Secretary, to waive the requirements of this subparagraph for a new not-for-profit holder determined by the State to be necessary to carry out a public purpose of such State, except that a State may not make such election with respect the 22 So in original. Probably should be “with respect to the”. requirements of clause (i)(II).
No State, political subdivision, authority, agency, instrumentality, or other entity described in paragraph (1)(A), (B), or (C) shall be an eligible not-for-profit holder under this chapter if such State, political subdivision, authority, agency, instrumentality, or other entity is owned or controlled, in whole or in part, by a for-profit entity.
A trustee described in paragraph (1)(D) shall not be an eligible not-for-profit holder under this chapter with respect to a State, political subdivision, authority, agency, instrumentality, or other entity described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1), regardless of whether such State, political subdivision, authority, agency, instrumentality, or other entity is an eligible lender under subsection (d), if such State, political subdivision, authority, agency, instrumentality, or other entity is owned or controlled, in whole or in part, by a for-profit entity.
No State, political subdivision, authority, agency, instrumentality, trustee, or other entity described in paragraph (1)(A), (B), (C), or (D) shall be an eligible not-for-profit holder under this chapter with respect to any loan, or income from any loan, unless—
A trustee described in paragraph (1)(D) shall not receive compensation as consideration for acting as an eligible lender on behalf of a State, political subdivision, authority, agency, instrumentality, or other entity described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1), regardless of whether such State, political subdivision, authority, agency, instrumentality, or other entity is an eligible lender under subsection (d), in excess of reasonable and customary fees.
For purposes of subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of this paragraph, a State, political subdivision, authority, agency, instrumentality, or other entity described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1), regardless of whether such State, political subdivision, authority, agency, instrumentality, or other entity is an eligible lender under subsection (d), shall not—
In the case of a loan for which the special allowance payment is calculated under section 1087–1(b)(2)(I)(vi)(II) of this title and that is sold by the eligible not-for-profit holder holding the loan to an entity that is not an eligible not-for-profit holder under this chapter, the special allowance payment for such loan shall, beginning on the date of the sale, no longer be calculated under section 1087–1(b)(2)(I)(vi)(II) of this title and shall be calculated under section 1087–1(b)(2)(I)(vi)(I) of this title instead.
Not later than 1 year after September 27, 2007, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations in accordance with the provisions of this subsection.
Legislative history
The public laws that enacted or amended this section. Tallies are for the whole bill as it passed each chamber — often an omnibus covering far more than this provision — not a vote on this section alone. The law that originally enacted this section predates the public laws loaded here, so only later amendments are listed.
- Higher Education Amendments of 1986House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Higher Education Technical Amendments Act of 1987House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989House: no recorded tallySenate: 87–7
- Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990
- Student Right-To-Know and Campus Security ActHouse: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1991House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Higher Education Amendments of 1992
- Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993
- Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1993House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- A bill to extend until July 1, 1998, the exemption from ineligibility based on a high default rate for certain institutions of higher education.House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Improving America's Schools Act of 1994
- Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997
- Higher Education Amendments of 1998
- Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001
- Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
- Third Higher Education Extension Act of 2006House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- College Cost Reduction and Access Act
- Third Higher Education Extension Act of 2007House: no recorded tallySenate: no recorded tally
- Higher Education Opportunity Act
- To make technical corrections to the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes.House: 411–0Senate: no recorded tally
- Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010