Current as of October 03, 2022 | Updated by FindLaw Staff
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(a) Initial eligibility application.
(1) An institution that wishes to establish its eligibility to participate in any HEA program must submit an application to the Secretary for a determination that it qualifies as an eligible institution under this part. The Secretary must ensure prompt action is taken by the Department on any materially complete application required under this section.
(2) If the institution also wishes to be certified to participate in the title IV, HEA programs, it must indicate that intent on the application, and submit all the documentation indicated on the application to enable the Secretary to determine that it satisfies the relevant certification requirements contained in 34 CFR part 668, subparts B and L.
(3) A freestanding foreign graduate medical school, or a foreign institution that includes a foreign graduate medical school, must include in its application to participate—
(i)(A) A list of all medical school educational sites and where they are located, including all sites at which its students receive clinical training, except those clinical training sites that are not used regularly, but instead are chosen by individual students who take no more than two electives at the location for no more than a total of eight weeks; and
(B) The type of clinical training (core, required clinical rotation, not required clinical rotation) offered at each site listed on the application in accordance with paragraph (a)(3)(i)(A) of this section; and
(ii) Whether the school offers—
(A) Only post-baccalaureate/equivalent medical programs, as defined in § 600.52;
(B) Other types of programs that lead to employment as a doctor of osteopathic medicine or doctor of medicine; or
(C) Both; and
(iii) Copies of the formal affiliation agreements with hospitals or clinics providing all or a portion of a clinical training program required under § 600.55(e)(1).
(b) Reapplication.
(1) A currently designated eligible institution that is not participating in the title IV, HEA programs must apply to the Secretary for a determination that the institution continues to meet the requirements in this part if the Secretary requests the institution to reapply. If the institution chooses to be certified to participate in the title IV, HEA programs, it must submit an application to the Secretary and must submit all the supporting documentation indicated on the application to enable the Secretary to determine that it satisfies the relevant certification requirements contained in subparts B and L of 34 CFR part 668.
(2)(i) A currently designated eligible institution that participates in the title IV, HEA programs must apply to the Secretary for a determination that the institution continues to meet the requirements in this part and in 34 CFR part 668 if the institution chooses to—
(A) Continue to participate in the title IV, HEA programs beyond the scheduled expiration of the institution's current eligibility and certification designation;
(B) Reestablish eligibility and certification as a private nonprofit, private for-profit, or public institution following a change in ownership that results in a change in control as described in § 600.31; or
(C) Reestablish eligibility and certification after the institution changes its status as a proprietary, nonprofit, or public institution.
(ii) The Secretary must ensure prompt action is taken by the Department on any materially complete application required under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section.
(3) A freestanding foreign graduate medical school, or a foreign institution that includes a foreign graduate medical school, must include in its reapplication to participate—
(i)(A) A list of all of the foreign graduate medical school's educational sites and where they are located, including all sites at which its students receive clinical training, except those clinical training sites that are not used regularly, but instead are chosen by individual students who take no more than two electives at the location for no more than a total of eight weeks; and
(B) The type of clinical training (core, required clinical rotation, not required clinical rotation) offered at each site listed on the application in accordance with paragraph (b)(3)(i)(A) of this section; and
(ii) Whether the school offers—
(A) Only post-baccalaureate/equivalent medical programs, as defined in § 600.52;
(B) Other types of programs that lead to employment as a doctor of osteopathic medicine or doctor of medicine; or
(C) Both; and
(iii) Copies of the formal affiliation agreements with hospitals or clinics providing all or a portion of a clinical training program required under § 600.55(e)(1).
(c) Application to expand eligibility. A currently designated eligible institution that wishes to expand the scope of its eligibility and certification and disburse title IV, HEA Program funds to students enrolled in that expanded scope must apply to the Secretary and wait for approval to—
(1) Add an educational program or a location at which the institution offers or will offer 50 percent or more of an educational program if one of the following conditions applies, otherwise it must report to the Secretary under § 600.21:
(i) The institution participates in the title IV, HEA programs under a provisional certification, as provided in 34 CFR 668.13.
(ii) The institution receives title IV, HEA program funds under the reimbursement or cash monitoring payment method, as provided in 34 CFR part 668, subpart K.
(iii) The institution acquires the assets of another institution that provided educational programs at that location during the preceding year and participated in the title IV, HEA programs during that year.
(iv) The institution would be subject to a loss of eligibility under 34 CFR 668.188 if it adds that location.
(v) The Secretary notifies, or has notified, the institution that it must apply for approval of an additional educational program or a location under § 600.10(c).
(2) Increase its level of program offering (e.g., adding graduate degree programs when it previously offered only baccalaureate degree programs);
(3) Add an educational program if the institution is required to apply to the Secretary for approval under § 600.10(c);
(4) Add a branch campus at a location that is not currently included in the institution's eligibility and certification designation;
(5) For a freestanding foreign graduate medical school, or a foreign institution that includes a foreign graduate medical school, add a location that offers all or a portion of the foreign graduate medical school's core clinical training or required clinical rotations, except for those locations that are included in the accreditation of a medical program accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA); or
(6) Convert an eligible location to a branch campus.
(d) Notice and application—
(1) Notice and application procedures.
(i) To satisfy the requirements of paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this section, an institution must notify the Secretary of its intent to offer an additional educational program, or provide an application to expand its eligibility, in a format prescribed by the Secretary and provide all the information and documentation requested by the Secretary to make a determination of its eligibility and certification.
(ii)(A) An institution that notifies the Secretary of its intent to offer an educational program under paragraph (c)(3) of this section must ensure that the Secretary receives the notice described in paragraph (d)(2) of this section at least 90 days before the first day of class of the educational program.
(B) If an institution does not provide timely notice in accordance with paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(A) of this section, the institution must obtain approval of the additional educational program from the Secretary for title IV, HEA program purposes.
(C) If an additional educational program is required to be approved by the Secretary for title IV, HEA program purposes under paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(B) of this section, the Secretary may grant approval, or request further information prior to making a determination of whether to approve or deny the additional educational program.
(D) When reviewing an application under paragraph (d)(1)(ii)(C) of this section, the Secretary will take into consideration the following:
(1) The institution's demonstrated financial responsibility and administrative capability in operating its existing programs.
(2) Whether the additional educational program is one of several new programs that will replace similar programs currently provided by the institution, as opposed to supplementing or expanding the current programs provided by the institution.
(3) Whether the number of additional educational programs being added is inconsistent with the institution's historic program offerings, growth, and operations.
(4) Whether the process and determination by the institution to offer an additional educational program that leads to gainful employment in a recognized occupation is sufficient.
(E)(1) If the Secretary denies an application from an institution to offer an additional educational program, the denial will be based on the factors described in paragraphs (d)(1)(ii)(D)(2) and (3) of this section, and the Secretary will explain in the denial how the institution failed to demonstrate that the program is likely to lead to gainful employment in a recognized occupation.
(2) If the Secretary denies the institution's application to add an additional educational program, the Secretary will permit the institution to respond to the reasons for the denial and request reconsideration of the denial.
(2) Notice format. An institution that notifies the Secretary of its intent to offer an additional educational program under paragraph (c)(3) of this section must at a minimum—
(i) Describe in the notice how the institution determined the need for the program and how the program was designed to meet local market needs, or for an online program, regional or national market needs. This description must contain any wage analysis the institution may have performed, including any consideration of Bureau of Labor Statistics data related to the program;
(ii) Describe in the notice how the program was reviewed or approved by, or developed in conjunction with, business advisory committees, program integrity boards, public or private oversight or regulatory agencies, and businesses that would likely employ graduates of the program;
(iii) Submit documentation that the program has been approved by its accrediting agency or is otherwise included in the institution's accreditation by its accrediting agency, or comparable documentation if the institution is a public postsecondary vocational institution approved by a recognized State agency for the approval of public postsecondary vocational education in lieu of accreditation; and
(iv) Provide the date of the first day of class of the new program.
(e) Secretary's response to applications.
(1) If the Secretary receives an application under paragraph (a) or (b)(1) of this section, the Secretary notifies the institution—
(i) Whether the applicant institution qualifies in whole or in part as an eligible institution under the appropriate provisions in §§ 600.4 through 600.7; and
(ii) Of the locations and educational programs that qualify as the eligible institution if only a portion of the applicant qualifies as an eligible institution.
(2) If the Secretary receives an application under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section and that institution applies to participate in the title IV, HEA programs, the Secretary notifies the institution—
(i) Whether the institution is certified to participate in those programs;
(ii) Of the title IV, HEA programs in which it is eligible to participate;
(iii) Of the title IV, HEA programs in which it is eligible to apply for funds;
(iv) Of the effective date of its eligibility to participate in those programs; and
(v) Of the conditions under which it may participate in those programs.
(3) If the Secretary receives an application under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the Secretary notifies the institution whether it continues to be certified, or whether it reestablished its eligibility and certification to participate in the title IV, HEA programs and the scope of such approval.
(4) If the Secretary receives an application under paragraph (c)(1) of this section for an additional location, the Secretary notifies the institution whether the location is eligible or ineligible to participate in the title IV, HEA programs, and the date of eligibility if the location is determined eligible.
(5) If the Secretary receives an application under paragraph (c)(2) of this section for an increase in the level of program offering, or for an additional educational program under paragraph (c)(3) of this section, the Secretary notifies the institution whether the program qualifies as an eligible program, and if the program qualifies, the date of eligibility.
(6) If the Secretary receives an application under paragraph (c)(4) or (5) of this section to have a branch campus certified to participate in the title IV, HEA programs as a branch campus, the Secretary notifies the institution whether that branch campus is certified to participate and the date that the branch campus is eligible to begin participation.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Code of Federal Regulations Title 34. Education § 34.600.20 Notice and application procedures for establishing, reestablishing, maintaining, or expanding institutional eligibility and certification - last updated October 03, 2022 | https://codes.findlaw.com/cfr/title-34-education/cfr-sect-34-600-20/
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