(a) Determination of eligibility.

(1) Applicants are eligible for consideration for a health professions student loan if they are:

(i) Residents of the United States and either a citizen or national of the United States, an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States, a citizen of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a citizen of the Republic of Palau, a citizen of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia;

(ii) Enrolled, or accepted for enrollment in the school as full-time students;

(iii) In need of the amount of the loan to pursue a full-time course of study at the school;

(iv) Of exceptional financial need in the case of students of medicine or osteopathic medicine. A student will be considered to demonstrate exceptional financial need if the school determines that his or her resources, as described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, do not exceed the lesser of $6,700 or one-half of the costs of attendance at the school. Summer earnings, educational loans, veterans (G.I.) benefits and earnings during the school year will not be considered as resources in determining whether an applicant meets the eligibility criteria for exceptional financial need, but will be considered in determining the amount of funds a student may receive; and

(v) In compliance with the requirement to register for the draft, if required to do so under section 3 of the Military Selective Service Act.

(2) An applicant who has previously attended an institution of higher education must submit a financial aid transcript which includes at least the following data:

(i) Applicant's name and social security number;

(ii) Amounts and sources of loans and grants previously received by the applicant for study at an institution of higher education;

(iii) Whether the applicant is in default on any of these loans, or owes a refund on any grants;

(iv) Certification from each institution previously attended by the applicant that the applicant has received no financial aid, if applicable; and

(v) From each institution previously attended, the signature of an official authorized by the institution to sign such transcripts on behalf of the institution.

(b) Selection of applicants. The school will select qualified applicants, including medical (M.D. and D.O.) applicants, and determine the amount of student loans by considering:

(1) The financial resources available to the student by using one of the national need analysis systems or any other procedure approved by the Secretary of Education in combination with other information which the school has regarding the student's financial status. The school must take into account, regardless of the tax status of the student, the expected contribution from parents, spouse, self or other family members; and

(2) The costs reasonably necessary for the student's attendance at the school, including any special needs and obligations which directly affect the student's ability to attend the school on a full-time basis. The school must document the criteria used for determining these costs.

(c) Selection of medical (M.D. and D.O.) student applicants. In addition to the factors in §57.206(b), the school must select medical (M.D. and D.O.) students graduating after June 30, 1979, based on the order of greatest need, taking into consideration the other resources available to the student through the school. For purposes of establishing priority for selecting medical (M.D. and D.O.) student applicants to receive health professions student loans, summer earnings, educational loans, veterans (G.I.) benefits, and earnings during the school year will be considered as financial resources.

(d) Verification of loan information. The school must verify, to the best of its ability, the information provided by the student on the loan application. To comply with this requirement, a school may require that a student provide, for example: Photocopies of the parents', student's, and spouse's Federal income tax forms with original signatures for the most recent tax year (or certification that no Federal income tax return was filed); tax returns that are certified as having been received by the Internal Revenue Service; or other documentation that the school considers necessary to help assure that information on the loan application is correct.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0915-0047)

[44 FR 32698, June 7, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 25069, June 3, 1983; 49 FR 38112, Sept. 27, 1984; 52 FR 20987, June 3, 1987; 53 FR 46549, Nov. 17, 1988; 56 FR 19293, Apr. 26, 1991; 61 FR 6123, Feb. 16, 1996]