Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 20 : Section 1091b


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 1091b. Institutional refunds

    (a) Return of title IV funds
      (1) In general
        If a recipient of assistance under this subchapter and part C
      of subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42 withdraws from an
      institution during a payment period or period of enrollment in
      which the recipient began attendance, the amount of grant or loan
      assistance (other than assistance received under part C of
      subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42) to be returned to the
      title IV programs is calculated according to paragraph (3) and
      returned in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.
      (2) Leave of absence
        (A) Leave not treated as withdrawal
          In the case of a student who takes a leave of absence from an
        institution for not more than a total of 180 days in any
        12-month period, the institution may consider the student as
        not having withdrawn from the institution during the leave of
        absence, and not calculate the amount of grant and loan
        assistance provided under this subchapter and part C of
        subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42 that is to be returned
        in accordance with this section if - 
            (i) the institution has a formal policy regarding leaves of
          absence;
            (ii) the student followed the institution's policy in
          requesting a leave of absence; and
            (iii) the institution approved the student's request in
          accordance with the institution's policy.
        (B) Consequences of failure to return
          If a student does not return to the institution at the
        expiration of an approved leave of absence that meets the
        requirements of subparagraph (A), the institution shall
        calculate the amount of grant and loan assistance provided
        under this subchapter and part C of subchapter I of chapter 34
        of title 42 that is to be returned in accordance with this
        section based on the day the student withdrew (as determined
        under subsection (c) of this section).
      (3) Calculation of amount of title IV assistance earned
        (A) In general
          The amount of grant or loan assistance under this subchapter
        and part C of subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42 that is
        earned by the recipient for purposes of this section is
        calculated by - 
            (i) determining the percentage of grant and loan assistance
          under this subchapter and part C of subchapter I of chapter
          34 of title 42 that has been earned by the student, as
          described in subparagraph (B); and
            (ii) applying such percentage to the total amount of such
          grant and loan assistance that was disbursed (and that could
          have been disbursed) to the student, or on the student's
          behalf, for the payment period or period of enrollment for
          which the assistance was awarded, as of the day the student
          withdrew.
        (B) Percentage earned
          For purposes of subparagraph (A)(i), the percentage of grant
        or loan assistance under this subchapter and part C of
        subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42 that has been earned by
        the student is - 
            (i) equal to the percentage of the payment period or period
          of enrollment for which assistance was awarded that was
          completed (as determined in accordance with subsection (d) of
          this section) as of the day the student withdrew, provided
          that such date occurs on or before the completion of 60
          percent of the payment period or period of enrollment; or
            (ii) 100 percent, if the day the student withdrew occurs
          after the student has completed 60 percent of the payment
          period or period of enrollment.
        (C) Percentage and amount not earned
          For purposes of subsection (b) of this section, the amount of
        grant and loan assistance awarded under this subchapter and
        part C of subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42 that has not
        been earned by the student shall be calculated by - 
            (i) determining the complement of the percentage of grant
          or loan assistance under this subchapter and part C of
          subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42 that has been earned
          by the student described in subparagraph (B); and
            (ii) applying the percentage determined under clause (i) to
          the total amount of such grant and loan assistance that was
          disbursed (and that could have been disbursed) to the
          student, or on the student's behalf, for the payment period
          or period of enrollment, as of the day the student withdrew.
      (4) Differences between amounts earned and amounts received
        (A) In general
          If the student has received less grant or loan assistance
        than the amount earned as calculated under subparagraph (A) of
        paragraph (3), the institution of higher education shall comply
        with the procedures for late disbursement specified by the
        Secretary in regulations.
        (B) Return
          If the student has received more grant or loan assistance
        than the amount earned as calculated under paragraph (3)(A),
        the unearned funds shall be returned by the institution or the
        student, or both, as may be required under paragraphs (1) and
        (2) of subsection (b) of this section, to the programs under
        this subchapter and part C of subchapter I of chapter 34 of
        title 42 in the order specified in subsection (b)(3) of this
        section.
    (b) Return of title IV program funds
      (1) Responsibility of the institution
        The institution shall return, in the order specified in
      paragraph (3), the lesser of - 
          (A) the amount of grant and loan assistance awarded under
        this subchapter and part C of subchapter I of chapter 34 of
        title 42 that has not been earned by the student, as calculated
        under subsection (a)(3)(C) of this section; or
          (B) an amount equal to - 
            (i) the total institutional charges incurred by the student
          for the payment period or period of enrollment for which such
          assistance was awarded; multiplied by
            (ii) the percentage of grant and loan assistance awarded
          under this subchapter and part C of subchapter I of chapter
          34 of title 42 that has not been earned by the student, as
          described in subsection (a)(3)(C)(i) of this section.
      (2) Responsibility of the student
        (A) In general
          The student shall return assistance that has not been earned
        by the student as described in subsection (a)(3)(C)(ii) of this
        section in the order specified in paragraph (3) minus the
        amount the institution is required to return under paragraph
        (1).
        (B) Special rule
          The student (or parent in the case of funds due to a loan
        borrowed by a parent under part B or C of this subchapter)
        shall return or repay, as appropriate, the amount determined
        under subparagraph (A) to - 
            (i) a loan program under this subchapter and part C of
          subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42 in accordance with the
          terms of the loan; and
            (ii) a grant program under this subchapter and part C of
          subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42, as an overpayment of
          such grant and shall be subject to - 
              (I) repayment arrangements satisfactory to the
            institution; or
              (II) overpayment collection procedures prescribed by the
            Secretary.
        (C) Requirement
          Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), a student shall
        not be required to return 50 percent of the grant assistance
        received by the student under this subchapter and part C of
        subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42, for a payment period or
        period of enrollment, that is the responsibility of the student
        to repay under this section.
      (3) Order of return of title IV funds
        (A) In general
          Excess funds returned by the institution or the student, as
        appropriate, in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2),
        respectively, shall be credited to outstanding balances on
        loans made under this subchapter and part C of subchapter I of
        chapter 34 of title 42 to the student or on behalf of the
        student for the payment period or period of enrollment for
        which a return of funds is required. Such excess funds shall be
        credited in the following order:
            (i) To outstanding balances on loans made under section
          1078-8 of this title for the payment period or period of
          enrollment for which a return of funds is required.
            (ii) To outstanding balances on loans made under section
          1078 of this title for the payment period or period of
          enrollment for which a return of funds is required.
            (iii) To outstanding balances on unsubsidized loans (other
          than parent loans) made under part C of this subchapter for
          the payment period or period of enrollment for which a return
          of funds is required.
            (iv) To outstanding balances on subsidized loans made under
          part C of this subchapter for the payment period or period of
          enrollment for which a return of funds is required.
            (v) To outstanding balances on loans made under part D of
          this subchapter for the payment period or period of
          enrollment for which a return of funds is required.
            (vi) To outstanding balances on loans made under section
          1078-2 of this title for the payment period or period of
          enrollment for which a return of funds is required.
            (vii) To outstanding balances on parent loans made under
          part C of this subchapter for the payment period or period of
          enrollment for which a return of funds is required.
        (B) Remaining excesses
          If excess funds remain after repaying all outstanding loan
        amounts, the remaining excess shall be credited in the
        following order:
            (i) To awards under subpart 1 of part A of this subchapter
          for the payment period or period of enrollment for which a
          return of funds is required.
            (ii) To awards under subpart 3 of part A of this subchapter
          for the payment period or period of enrollment for which a
          return of funds is required.
            (iii) To other assistance awarded under this subchapter and
          part C of subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42 for which a
          return of funds is required.
    (c) Withdrawal date
      (1) In general
        In this section, the term "day the student withdrew" - 
          (A) is the date that the institution determines - 
            (i) the student began the withdrawal process prescribed by
          the institution;
            (ii) the student otherwise provided official notification
          to the institution of the intent to withdraw; or
            (iii) in the case of a student who does not begin the
          withdrawal process or otherwise notify the institution of the
          intent to withdraw, the date that is the mid-point of the
          payment period for which assistance under this subchapter and
          part C of subchapter I of chapter 34 of title 42 was
          disbursed or a later date documented by the institution; or

          (B) for institutions required to take attendance, is
        determined by the institution from such attendance records.
      (2) Special rule
        Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if the institution determines
      that a student did not begin the withdrawal process, or otherwise
      notify the institution of the intent to withdraw, due to illness,
      accident, grievous personal loss, or other such circumstances
      beyond the student's control, the institution may determine the
      appropriate withdrawal date.
    (d) Percentage of the payment period or period of enrollment
      completed
      For purposes of subsection (a)(3)(B)(i) of this section, the
    percentage of the payment period or period of enrollment for which
    assistance was awarded that was completed, is determined - 
        (1) in the case of a program that is measured in credit hours,
      by dividing the total number of calendar days comprising the
      payment period or period of enrollment for which assistance is
      awarded into the number of calendar days completed in that period
      as of the day the student withdrew; and
        (2) in the case of a program that is measured in clock hours,
      by dividing the total number of clock hours comprising the
      payment period or period of enrollment for which assistance is
      awarded into the number of clock hours - 
          (A) completed by the student in that period as of the day the
        student withdrew; or
          (B) scheduled to be completed as of the day the student
        withdrew, if the clock hours completed in the period are not
        less than a percentage, to be determined by the Secretary in
        regulations, of the hours that were scheduled to be completed
        by the student in the period.
    (e) Effective date
      The provisions of this section shall take effect 2 years after
    October 7, 1998. An institution of higher education may choose to
    implement such provisions prior to that date.



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