[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 34, Volume 3]
[Revised as of July 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 34CFR682.207]

[Page 667-669]
 
                           TITLE 34--EDUCATION
 
                         DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 
PART 682--FEDERAL FAMILY EDUCATION LOAN (FFEL) PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart B--General Provisions
 
Sec. 682.207  Due diligence in disbursing a loan.

    (a)(1) This section prescribes procedures for lenders to follow in 
disbursing Stafford and PLUS loans. This section does not prescribe 
procedures for a refinanced SLS or PLUS Program loan made under 
Sec. 682.209 (e) or (f). With respect to FISL and Federal PLUS loans, 
references to the ``guaranty agency'' in this section shall be 
understood to refer to the ``Secretary.''
    (2) The requirements of paragraphs (b)(1) (ii) and (v) of this 
section must be satisfied either by the lender or by an escrow agent 
with which the lender has an agreement pursuant to Sec. 682.408. The 
lender shall comply with paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section whether 
or not it disburses to an escrow agent.
    (b)(1) In disbursing a loan, a lender--
    (i)(A) May not disburse loan proceeds prior to the issuance of the 
guarantee commitment for the loan by the guaranty agency, except with 
the agency's prior approval; and
    (B) Must disburse a Stafford or PLUS loan in accordance with the 
disbursement schedule provided by the school or any request made by the 
school modifying that schedule.
    (ii) Shall disburse loan proceeds by--
    (A) A check that is made payable to the borrower, or that is made 
co-payable to the borrower and the school for attendance at which the 
loan is intended, and requires the personal endorsement or other written 
certification of the borrower in order to be cashed or deposited in an 
account of the borrower at a financial institution;

[[Page 668]]

    (B) If authorized by the guarantor, electronic funds transfer to an 
account maintained in accordance with Sec. 668.163 by the school as 
trustee for the lender, the guaranty agency, the Secretary, and the 
borrower, that requires the approval of the borrower. A disbursement 
made by electronic funds transfer must be accompanied by a list of the 
names, social security numbers, and loan amounts of the borrowers who 
are receiving a portion of the disbursement; or
    (C) If the school and the lender agree, a master check from the 
lender to the institution of higher education to a account maintained in 
accordance with Sec. 688.163 by the school as trustee for the lender. A 
disbursement made by a master check must be accompanied by a list of the 
names, social security numbers, and loan amounts of the borrowers who 
are receiving a portion of the disbursement;
    (iii) May not disburse loan proceeds earlier than is reasonably 
necessary to meet the student's cost of attendance for the period for 
which the loan is made, and, in no case without the Secretary's prior 
approval, disburse loan proceeds earlier than 30 days prior to the date 
on which the student is scheduled to enroll;
    (vi) Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, may not 
disburse a second or subsequent disbursement of a Federal Stafford loan 
to a student who has ceased to be enrolled; and
    (v) Shall disburse--
    (A) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(1)(v) (C)(1) and (D) of this 
section, directly to the school;
    (B) In the case of a Federal PLUS loan--
    (1) By electronic funds transfer or master check from the lender in 
accordance with the disbursement schedule provided by the school to a 
account maintained in accordance with Sec. 688.163 by the school as 
trustee for the lender. A disbursement made by electronic funds transfer 
or master check must be accompanied by a list of the names, social 
security numbers, and loan amounts of the borrowers who are receiving a 
portion of the disbursement and the names and social security numbers of 
the students on whose behalf the parents are borrowing.
    (2) By a check from the lender that is made co-payable to the 
institution and the parent borrower directly to the institution of 
higher education.
    (3) In the case of a student enrolled in a foreign institution, a 
check from the lender that is made co-payable to the institution and 
sent directly to either the parent or the institution of higher 
education.
    (C) In the case of a student enrolled in a study-abroad program 
approved for credit at the home institution in which the student is 
enrolled, if the student requests--
    (1) Directly to the student; or
    (2) To the home institution if the borrower provides a power-of-
attorney to an individual not affiliated with the institution to endorse 
the check or complete an electronic funds transfer authorization.
    (D) In the case of a student enrolled in an eligible foreign school, 
if the student requests--
    (1) Directly to the student; or
    (2) To the institution if the borrower provides a power-of-attorney 
to an individual not affiliated with the institution to endorse the 
check or complete an electronic funds transfer authorization.
    (E) If a lender disburses a loan directly to the borrower for 
attendance at an eligible foreign school, as provided in paragraph 
(b)(1)(v)(D)(1) of this section, the lender must, at the time of 
disbursement, notify the school of--
    (1) The name and social security number of the student;
    (2) The name and social security number of the parent borrower, if 
the loan disbursed is a PLUS loan;
    (3) The type of loan;
    (4) The amount of the disbursement, including the amount of any fees 
assessed the borrower;
    (5) The date of the disbursement; and
    (6) The name, address, telephone and fax number or electronic 
address of the lender, servicer, or guaranty agency to which any 
inquiries should be addressed.
    (vi) Except as provided in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, may not 
disburse a second or subsequent disbursement of a Federal Stafford loan 
to a student who has ceased to be enrolled; and

[[Page 669]]

    (vii) May disburse a second or subsequent disbursement of an FFEL 
loan, at the request of the school, even if the borrower or the school 
returned the prior disbursement, unless the lender has information that 
the student is no longer enrolled.
    (c) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, a lender 
must disburse any Stafford or PLUS loan in accordance with the 
disbursement schedule provided by the school as follows:
    (1) Disbursement must be in two or more installments.
    (2) No installment may exceed one-half of the loan.
    (3) Disbursement must be made on a payment period basis in 
accordance with the disbursement schedule provided by the school or any 
request made by the school modifying that schedule.
    (d) If one or more scheduled disbursements have elapsed before a 
lender makes a disbursement and the student is still enrolled, the 
lender may include in the disbursement loan proceeds for previously 
scheduled, but unmade, disbursements.
    (e) A lender must disburse the loan in one installment if the school 
submits a schedule for disbursement of loan proceeds in one installment 
as authorized by Sec. 682.604(c)(10).
    (f) A lender may disburse loan proceeds after the student has ceased 
to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis only if--
    (1) The school certified the borrower's loan eligibility before the 
date the student became ineligible and the loan funds will be used to 
pay educational costs that the school determines the student incurred 
for the period in which the student was enrolled and eligible;
    (2) The student completed the first 30 days of his or her program of 
study if the student was a first-year, first-time borrower as described 
in Sec. 682.604(c)(5); and
    (3) In the case of a second or subsequent disbursement, the student 
graduated or successfully completed the period of enrollment for which 
the loan was intended.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 
1845-0022)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1077, 1078, 1078-1, 1078-2, 1078-3, 1079, 1080, 
1082, 1085)

[57 FR 60323, Dec. 18, 1992, as amended at 59 FR 25746, May 17, 1994; 59 
FR 33352, June 28, 1994; 59 FR 61215, Nov. 29, 1994; 59 FR 61427, Nov. 
30, 1994; 60 FR 61756, Dec. 1, 1995; 61 FR 16718, Apr. 17, 1996; 61 FR 
60609, Nov. 29, 1996; 64 FR 18976, Apr. 16, 1999; 64 FR 58626, Oct. 29, 
1999; 64 FR 58957, 59043, Nov. 1, 1999; 65 FR 65619, Nov. 1, 2000; 66 FR 
34763, June 29, 2001]