[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 34, Volume 3] [Revised as of July 1, 2005] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 34CFR682.207] [Page 654-656] TITLE 34--EDUCATION CHAPTER VI--OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY 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; (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; (iv) Shall require an escrow agent to disburse loan proceeds no later than 21 days after the agent receives the proceeds from the lender. (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 an 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 [[Page 655]] 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) 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 (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. (2) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(1)(v)(C)(2) of this section, neither a lender nor a school may obtain a borrower's power-of-attorney or other authorization to endorse or otherwise approve the cashing of a loan check or the release of funds disbursed by electronic funds transfer, nor may a borrower provide this power-of-attorney or authorization to anyone else. However, the school may present the loan check to a financial institution for deposit in an account of the borrower pursuant to the borrower's endorsement or written certification under paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(A) of this section. (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 [[Page 656]] 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; 68 FR 75428, Dec. 31, 2003]