691.2—Definitions.
(a)
The following definitions used in this part are in the regulations for Institutional Eligibility under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 34 CFR part 600 :
Award year
Clock hour
Correspondence course
Credit hour
Eligible institution
Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Programs
Regular student
Secretary
State
Title IV, HEA program
(b)
The following definitions used in this part are in subpart A of the Student Assistance General Provisions, 34 CFR part 668 :
Academic year
Enrolled
Expected family contribution
Federal Pell Grant Program
Full-time student
Half-time student
HEA
Payment period
Three-quarter time student
Undergraduate student
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program
Local educational agency (LEA)
State educational agency (SEA)
ACG Scheduled Award: The maximum amount of an ACG that would be paid to a full-time first-year student or a full-time second-year student for the applicable year.
Annual award: The maximum ACG or National SMART Grant amount a student would receive for enrolling as a full-time, three-quarter-time, or half-time student and remaining in that enrollment status for one year.
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP): A taxonomy of instructional program classifications and descriptions developed by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics used to identify eligible majors for the National SMART Grant Program. Further information on CIP can be found at http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2002165.
Eligible major: A major, as identified by the Secretary under § 691.17(a), in one of the physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering, or a critical foreign language as defined in section 103(3) of the HEA; or a qualifying liberal arts curriculum as identified by the Secretary under § 691.17(b).
Eligible program: An eligible program as defined in 34 CFR 668.8 that—
(i)
Is an undergraduate program of at least one academic year, but less than two academic years, in length that leads to a certificate at a two- or four-year degree-granting institution of higher education;
(ii)
Is an undergraduate program of at least two academic years in length that leads to a certificate at a two- or four-year degree-granting institution of higher education;
(iv)
Is at least a two-academic-year program acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor's degree; or
(i)
Leads to a bachelor's degree in an eligible major or is a graduate degree program in an eligible major that includes at least three years of undergraduate education; and
(A)
Requires at least five full undergraduate years to complete, as certified by an appropriate institutional official in accordance with the institution's policies and procedures and documented in the institution's records;
(B)
Contains not less than 24 semester hours, 36 quarter credits, or 900 clock hours in each year of the program, including the fifth year; and
(C)
Is not a program that is a qualifying liberal arts curriculum identified as an eligible major under § 691.17(b).
(3)
For purposes of paragraph (2)(ii)(A) of this definition, the appropriate official of an institution is the chief executive officer, provost, dean, academic department chairman, or other official with responsibility for setting a degree program's coursework.
Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR): An electronic record that the Secretary transmits to an institution that includes an applicant's—
National SMART Grant Scheduled Award: The maximum amount of a National SMART Grant that would be paid to a full-time third-year, fourth-year, or fifth-year student for the applicable year.
Payment Data: An electronic record that is provided to the Secretary by an institution showing student disbursement information.
Student Aid Report (SAR): A report provided to an applicant by the Secretary showing the amount of his or her expected family contribution.
Valid Institutional Student Information Record (valid ISIR): An ISIR on which all the information used in calculating the applicant's expected family contribution is accurate and complete as of the date the application is signed.
Valid Student Aid Report (valid SAR): A Student Aid Report on which all of the information used in calculating the applicant's expected family contribution is accurate and complete as of the date the application is signed.
(e)
(1)
As used in this part, the terms “first-year,” “second-year,” “third-year,” “fourth-year,” and “fifth-year” refer to a student's grade level in the student's eligible program as determined by the institution for all students in the eligible program.
(2)
A student's grade level for purposes of the ACG and National SMART Grant programs must be the same grade level as used for determining annual loan limits under the FFEL and Direct Loan programs ( 34 CFR parts 682 and 685 ).