34 C.F.R. Subpart A—Scope, Purpose and General Definitions


Title 34 - Education


Title 34: Education
PART 690—FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM

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Subpart A—Scope, Purpose and General Definitions

Source:  50 FR 10717, Mar. 15, 1985, unless otherwise noted.

§ 690.1   Scope and purpose.

The Federal Pell Grant Program awards grants to help financially needy students meet the cost of their postsecondary education.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a)

[50 FR 10717, Mar. 15, 1985, as amended at 59 FR 54730, Nov. 1, 1994]

§ 690.2   Definitions.

(a) The following definitions are contained 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

Secretary

State

(b) The following definitions are contained in subpart A of the Student Assistance General Provisions, 34 CFR part 668:

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) Program

Academic year

Dependent student

Eligible program

Enrolled

Expected family contribution

Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program

Federal Pell Grant Program

Federal Perkins Loan Program

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program

Federal Work-Study Program

Full-time student

HEA

Independent student

National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) Program

Parent

Payment period

William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

(c) Other terms used in this part are:

Annual award: The Federal Pell Grant award amount a full-time student would receive under the Payment Schedule for a full academic year in an award year, and the amount a three-quarter-time, half-time, and less-than-half-time student would receive under the appropriate Disbursement Schedule for being enrolled in that enrollment status for a full academic year in an award year.

Central processor: An organization under contract with the Secretary that calculates an applicant's expected family contribution based on the applicant's application information, transmits an ISIR to each institution designated by the applicant, and submits reports to the Secretary on the correctness of its computations of the expected family contribution amounts and the accuracy of the answers to questions on application forms for the previous award year cycle.

Disbursement Schedule: A table showing the annual awards that three-quarter, half-time, and less-than-half-time students at term-based institutions using credit hours would receive for an academic year. This table is published annually by the Secretary and is based on—

(1) A student's expected family contribution, as determined in accordance with title IV, part F of the HEA; and

(2) A student's attendance costs as defined in title IV, part F of the HEA.

(3) The amount of funds available for making Federal Pell Grants.

Electronic Data Exchange: An electronic exchange system between the central processor and an institution under which—

(1) A student is able to transmit his or her application information to the central processor through his or her institution and an ISIR is transmitted back to the institution;

(2) A student through his or her institution is able to transmit any changes in application information to the central processor; and

(3) An institution is able to receive an ISIR from the central processor for a student.

Eligible student: An eligible student as described in 34 CFR part 668, subpart C.

Enrollment status: Full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time, or less-than-half-time depending on a student's credit-hour work load per academic term at an institution using semesters, trimesters, quarters, or other academic terms and measuring progress by credit hours.

Half-time student: (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), an enrolled student who is carrying a half-time academic work load—as determined by the institution—which amounts to at least half the work load of the appropriate minimum requirement outlined in the definition of a full-time student.

(2) A student enrolled solely in a program of study by correspondence who is carrying a work load of at least 12 hours of work per week, or is earning at least 6 credit hours per semester, trimester or quarter. However, regardless of the work, no student enrolled solely in correspondence study is considered more than a half-time student.

Institution of higher education (Institution). An institution of higher education, or a proprietary institution of higher education, or a postsecondary vocational institution as defined in 34 CFR part 600.

Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR): An electronic record that the Secretary transmits to an institution that includes an applicant's—

(1) Personal identification information;

(2) Application data used to calculate the applicant's EFC; and

(3) EFC.

Less-than-half-time student: An enrolled student who is carrying less than half the work load of the appropriate minimum requirement outlined in the institution's definition of a full-time student.

Payment Data: An electronic record that is provided to the Secretary by an institution showing student disbursement information.

Payment Schedule: A table showing a full-time student's Scheduled Federal Pell Grant for an academic year. This table, published annually by the Secretary, is based on—

(1) The student's EFC; and

(2) The student's cost of attendance as defined in part F of title IV of the HEA.

Scheduled Federal Pell Grant: The amount of a Federal Pell Grant which would be paid to a full-time student for a full academic year.

Student Aid Report (SAR): A report provided to an applicant by the Secretary showing the amount of his or her expected family contribution.

Three-quarter-time student: An enrolled student who is carrying a three-quarter-time academic work load—as determined by the institution—which amounts to at least three quarters of the work of the appropriate minimum requirement outlined in the definition of a “full-time student” as defined in 34 CFR part 668.

Undergraduate student: A student enrolled in an undergraduate course of study at an institution of higher education who—

(1) Has not earned a baccalaureate or first professional degree; and

(2) Is in an undergraduate course of study which usually does not exceed 4 academic years, or is enrolled in a 4 to 5 academic year program designed to lead to a first degree. A student enrolled in a program of any other length is considered an undergraduate student for only the first 4 academic years of that program.

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: 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.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a)

[50 FR 10717, Mar. 15, 1985, as amended at 51 FR 41926, Nov. 19, 1986; 51 FR 43161, Nov. 28, 1986; 52 FR 38207, Oct. 14, 1987; 52 FR 45735, Dec. 1, 1987; 56 FR 56916, Nov. 6, 1991; 59 FR 54730, Nov. 1, 1994; 60 FR 61816, Dec. 1, 1995; 61 FR 60396, Nov. 27, 1996; 61 FR 60610, Nov. 29, 1996; 69 FR 12276, Mar. 16, 2004; 71 FR 38004, July 3, 2006]

§§ 690.3-690.5   [Reserved]

§ 690.6   Duration of student eligibility—undergraduate course of study and eligible postbaccalaureate program.

(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, a student is eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant for the period of time required to complete his or her first undergraduate baccalaureate course of study.

(b) An institution shall determine when the student has completed the academic curriculum requirements for that first undergraduate baccalaureate course of study. Any noncredit or remedial course taken by a student, including a course in English language instruction, is not included in the institution's determination of that student's period of Federal Pell Grant eligibility.

(c) An otherwise eligible student who has a baccalaureate degree and is enrolled in a postbaccalaureate program is eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant for the period of time necessary to complete the program if—

(1) The postbaccalaureate program consists of courses that are required by a State for the student to receive a professional certification or licensing credential that is required for employment as a teacher in an elementary or secondary school in that State;

(2) The postbaccalaureate program does not lead to a graduate degree;

(3) The institution offering the postbaccalaureate program does not also offer a baccalaureate degree in education;

(4) The student is enrolled as at least a half-time student; and

(5) The student is pursuing an initial teacher certification or licensing credential within a State.

(d) An institution must treat a student who receives a Federal Pell Grant under paragraph (c) of this section as an undergraduate student enrolled in an undergraduate program for title IV purposes.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a)

[52 FR 38207, Oct. 14, 1987, as amended at 59 FR 54730-54731, Nov. 1, 1994; 64 FR 58294, Oct. 28, 1999]

§ 690.7   Institutional participation.

(a) An institution may not participate in the Federal Pell Grant Program if the institution—

(1) Offers at least one eligible program for purposes of the ACG Program, as defined in 34 CFR 691.2(d), but does not participate in the ACG Program; or

(2) Offers at least one eligible program for purposes of the National SMART Grant Program, as defined in 34 CFR 691.2(d), but does not participate in the National SMART Grant Program.

(b) If an institution begins participation in the Federal Pell Grant Program during an award year, a student enrolled and attending that institution is eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant for the payment period during which the institution enters into a program participation agreement with the Secretary and any subsequent payment period.

(c) If an institution becomes ineligible to participate in the Federal Pell Grant Program during an award year, an eligible student who was attending the institution and who submitted a valid SAR to the institution, or for whom the institution obtained a valid ISIR, before the date the institution became ineligible is paid a Federal Pell Grant for that award year for—

(1) The payment periods that the student completed before the institution became ineligible; and

(2) The payment period in which the institution became ineligible.

(d)(1) If an institution loses its eligibility to participate in the FFEL or Direct Loan program under the provisions of subpart M of 34 CFR part 668, it also loses its eligibility to participate in the Federal Pell Grant Program for the same period of time.

(2) That loss of eligibility must be in accordance with the provisions of 34 CFR 668.187.

(e) An institution which becomes ineligible shall, within 45 days after the effective date of loss of eligibility, provide to the Secretary—

(1) The name and enrollment status of each eligible student who, during the award year, submitted a valid SAR to the institution before it became ineligible;

(2) The amount of funds paid to each Federal Pell Grant recipient for that award year;

(3) The amount due each student eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant through the end of the payment period during which the institution became ineligible; and

(4) An accounting of the Federal Pell Grant expenditures for that award year to the date of termination.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a)

[50 FR 10717, Mar. 15, 1985, as amended at 51 FR 43161, Nov. 28, 1986; 56 FR 56916, Nov. 6, 1991; 59 FR 54730, Nov. 1, 1994; 60 FR 61816, Dec. 1, 1995; 64 FR 58294, Oct. 28, 1999; 65 FR 65651, Nov. 1, 2000; 69 FR 12277, Mar. 16, 2004; 71 FR 38004, July 3, 2006]

§ 690.8   Enrollment status for students taking regular and correspondence courses.

(a) If, in addition to regular coursework, a student takes correspondence courses from either his or her own institution or another institution having an agreement for this purpose with the student's institution, the correspondence work may be included in determining the student's enrollment status to the extent permitted under paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) Except as noted in paragraph (c) of this section, the correspondence work that may be included in determining a student's enrollment status is that amount of work which—

(1) Applies toward a student's degree or certificate or is remedial work taken by the student to help in his or her course of study;

(2) Is completed within the period of time required for regular course work; and

(3) Does not exceed the amount of a student's regular course work for the payment period for which the student's enrollment status is being calculated.

(c)(1) Notwithstanding the limitation in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, a student who would be a half-time student based solely on his or her correspondence work is considered a half-time student unless the calculation in paragraph (b) of this section produces an enrollment status greater than half-time.

(2) A student who would be a less-than-half-time student based solely on his or her correspondence work or a combination of correspondence work and regular course work is considered a less-than-half-time student.

(d) The following chart provides examples of the rules set forth in this section. It assumes that the institution defines full-time enrollment as 12 credits per term, making the half-time enrollment equal to 6 credits per term.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                     Total course                                                                    load in credit                                    No. of credit   No. of credit      hours to        Under § 690.8          hours regular       hours          determine          Enrollment status                                        work       correspondence     enrollment                                                                        status----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(b)(3)...........................               3               3                 6  Half-time.(b)(3)...........................               3               6                 6  Half-time.(b)(3)...........................               3               9                 6  Half-time.(b)(3)...........................               6               3                 9  Three-quarter-time.(b)(3)...........................               6               6                12  Full-time.(b)(3) and (c)...................               2               6                 6  Half-time.(c) \1\..........................  ..............  ..............  ................  Less-than-half-time.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\1\ Any combination of regular and correspondence work that is greater than 0, but less than 6 hours.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a)

[52 FR 45735, Dec. 1, 1987, as amended at 59 FR 54731, Nov. 1, 1994; 71 FR 38004, July 3, 2006]

§ 690.10   Administrative cost allowance to participating schools.

(a) Subject to available appropriations, the Secretary pays to each participating institution $5.00 for each student who receives a Federal Pell Grant at that institution for an award year.

(b) All funds an institution receives under this section must be used solely to pay the institution's cost of administering the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant programs.

(c) If an institution enrolls a significant number of students who are attending less-than-full-time or are independent students, the institution shall use a reasonable proportion of these funds to make financial aid services available during times and in places that will most effectively accommodate the needs of those students.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1096)

[50 FR 10717, Mar. 15, 1985, as amended at 52 FR 45736, Dec. 1, 1987; 59 FR 54730, 54732, Nov. 1, 1994; 61 FR 60397, Nov. 27, 1996]

§ 690.11   Federal Pell Grant payments from more than one institution.

A student is not entitled to receive Federal Pell Grant payments concurrently from more than one institution or from the Secretary and an institution.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a)

[50 FR 10717, Mar. 15, 1985, as amended at 59 FR 54730, Nov. 1, 1994]

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