§ 600.51 Purpose and scope.

(a) A foreign institution is eligible to apply to participate in the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) programs if it is comparable to an eligible institution of higher education located in the United States and has been approved by the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of this subpart.

(b) This subpart E contains the procedures and criteria under which a foreign institution may be deemed eligible to apply to participate in the FFEL programs.

(c) Applicability of other title IV, HEA program regulations.

(1) A foreign institution must comply with all requirements for eligible and participating institutions except when made inapplicable by the HEA or when the Secretary, through publication in the Federal Register, identifies specific provisions as inapplicable to foreign institutions.

(2)

(i) A public or nonprofit foreign institution that meets the requirements of this subpart, and that also meets the requirements of this part except as provided in §§ 600.51(c)(1) and 600.54(a), is considered an “institution of higher education” for purposes of the title IV, HEA program regulations; and

(ii) A for-profit foreign institution that meets the requirements of this subpart, and that also meets the requirements of this Part, except as provided in §§ 600.51(c)(1) and 600.54(a), is considered a “proprietary institution” for purposes of title IV, HEA program regulations.

(d)

(1) A program offered by a foreign school through any use of a telecommunications course, correspondence course, or direct assessment program is not an eligible program;

(2) Correspondence course has the meaning given in § 600.2;

(3) Direct assessment program has the meaning given in § 668.10(a)(1) of this chapter;

(4) Telecommunications course is a course offered through any one or a combination of the technologies listed in the definition of telecommunications course in § 600.2, except that telecommunications technologies may be used to supplement and support instruction that is offered in a classroom located in the foreign country where the students and instructor are physically present.

[59 FR 22063, Apr. 28, 1994, as amended at 71 FR 45692, Aug. 9, 2006; 75 FR 67193, Nov. 1, 2010]