685.300—Agreements between an eligible school and the Secretary for participation in the Direct Loan Program.
(a) General.
(1)
Participation of a school in the Direct Loan Program means that eligible students at the school may receive Direct Loans. To participate in the Direct Loan Program, a school shall—
(i)
Demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the school meets the requirements for eligibility under the Act and applicable regulations; and
(ii)
Enter into a written program participation agreement with the Secretary that identifies the loan program or programs in which the school chooses to participate.
(2)
The chief executive officer of the school shall sign the program participation agreement on behalf of the school.
(b) Program participation agreement.
In the program participation agreement, the school shall promise to comply with the Act and applicable regulations and shall agree to—
(1)
Identify eligible students who seek student financial assistance at the institution in accordance with section 484 of the Act;
(2)
Estimate the need of each of these students as required by part F of the Act for an academic year. For purposes of estimating need, a Direct Unsubsidized Loan, a Direct PLUS Loan, or any loan obtained under any State-sponsored or private loan program may be used to offset the expected family contribution of the student for that year;
(3)
Certify that the amount of the loan for any student under part D of the Act is not in excess of the annual limit applicable for that loan program and that the amount of the loan, in combination with previous loans received by the borrower, is not in excess of the aggregate limit for that loan program;
(4)
Set forth a schedule for disbursement of the proceeds of the loan in installments, consistent with the requirements of section 428G of the Act;
(5)
Provide timely and accurate information to the Secretary for the servicing and collecting of loans—
(i)
Concerning the status of student borrowers (and students on whose behalf parents borrow) while these students are in attendance at the school;
(ii)
Upon request by the Secretary, concerning any new information of which the school becomes aware for these students (or their parents) after the student leaves the school; and
(iii)
Concerning student eligibility and need, for the alternative origination of loans to eligible students and parents in accordance with part D of the Act;
(6)
Provide assurances that the school will comply with requirements established by the Secretary relating to student loan information with respect to loans made under the Direct Loan Program;
(7)
Provide that the school will accept responsibility and financial liability stemming from its failure to perform its functions pursuant to the agreement;
(8)
Provide that eligible students at the school and their parents may participate in the programs under part B of the Act at the discretion of the Secretary for the period during which the school participates in the Direct Loan Program under part D of the Act, except that—
(i)
A student may not receive a Direct Subsidized Loan and/or a Direct Unsubsidized Loan under part D of the Act and a subsidized and/or unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan under part B of the Act for the same period of enrollment;
(ii)
A graduate or professional student or a parent borrowing for the same dependent student may not receive a Direct PLUS Loan under part D of the Act and a Federal PLUS Loan under part B of the Act for the same period of enrollment;
(9)
Provide for the implementation of a quality assurance system, as established by the Secretary and developed in consultation with the school, to ensure that the school is complying with program requirements and meeting program objectives;
(10)
Provide that the school will not charge any fees of any kind, however described, to student or parent borrowers for origination activities or the provision of any information necessary for a student or parent to receive a loan under part D of the Act or any benefits associated with such a loan; and
(11)
Comply with other provisions that the Secretary determines are necessary to protect the interests of the United States and to promote the purposes of part D of the Act.
(c) Origination.
(1)
If a school or consortium originates loans in the Direct Loan Program, it shall enter into a supplemental agreement that—
(i)
Provides that the school or consortium will originate loans to eligible students and parents in accordance with part D of the Act; and
(2)
The chief executive officer of the school shall sign the supplemental agreement on behalf of the school.