### Application for Approval to Participate in Federal Student Financial Aid Programs U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Program Compliance, School Eligibility Channel, School Participation Management Division 

## Glossary For additional help in filling out th e Electronic Application, refer to the Help Document 

### Words and phrases used in the "Applicatio n for Approval to Participate in Federal Student Financial Aid Programs" [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]

## -AAbility-to-Benefit Student A student who has neither a high school diploma norits recognized equivale nt (such as a GED) but who passed an independently administered test approved by the U.S. Secretary of Education that indicates the student can benefit from postsecondary education or training. Academic Year If the program is offered in credit hours, a time period of at least 30 in structional weeks during which a full-time undergraduate stude nt is expected to complete:

 at least 24 semester or trimester credit hours or 36 quarter credit hours at an institution using those credit hours or If the program is offered in clock hours, a time period of at least 26 instructional weeks during which a full-time undergraduate stude nt is expected to complete:

 at least 900 clock hours of instruction at an institution using clock hours. Accrediting Agency An agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Educ ation as a reliable authority for evaluating the educational quality of programs of fered by postsecondary institutions. Administrative Capability A requirement an institution must meet to participate in federa l student financial aid programs. Administrative capability covers specific areas in an institution's management of its federal student financial aid programs. For fu rther information, refer to 34 CFR 668.16 Associate Degree A degree awarded by a postsecondary institution to a student who has successfully completed at least two years of academic study in an academic or occupational fi eld of study. Associate degrees include, but are not limited to, the following:

 Associate of Arts (A.A.),

 Applied Associate of Science (A.A.S.),

 Associate of Occupational Science (A.O.S), and

 Associate of Science (A.S.). Award Year The time period beginning July 1 of one calendar year through June 30 of the following calendar Page 1 of 8 Glossary for Application for Approval to Participate

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## -BBachelors Degree A degree awarded by a postsecondary institution to a student who has completed at least four academic years of college-level work in an academic or occupation- specific field of study. Bachelor's degrees include, but ar e not limited to, the following:

 Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and

 Bachelor of Science (BS).

## -CCEO Chief executive officer Certified English Translation An accurate translation acceptable to the U.S. Secretary of Education that is approved or authorized, in writing, by the President/CEO or other official of the school. CFR See Code of Federal Regulations. CIP Codes See Classification of Instruct ional Programs (CIP) Codes Classification of Inst ructional Programs (CIP) Codes A manual published by ED listing codes, titl es, and descriptions of educational programs that institutions and states us e for reporting and analyzing data. Clock Hour The period of time consisting of:

 a 50-minute to 60-minute class, lecture, or recitation in a 60-minute period; or

 a 50-minute to 60-minute faculty-supervised la boratory, shop training, or internship in a 60-minute period; or

 60 minutes of preparation in a program of study by correspondence. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) A compilation of published federal regulations that appeared in the Fede ral Register. Regulations implementing federal student financial aid programs ar e found in Title 34 CFR. Correspondence Course or Program A "home study" course provided by an institution to students who are not physic ally attending classes. If a program is part co rrespondence course and part residential, it is considered to be a correspondence course. Some correspondence programs require a pe riod of residential training. Credit Hour A semester, trimester, or quarter credit hour. 

## -D- "Dear Colleagues" letter (DCL) Page 2 of 8 Glossary for Application for Approval to Participate

8 / 28 / 201 3 http ://www.eli g cert.ed. g ov/ows-doc/ g lossary .ht mInformation and guidance provided to the student financial aid community by the U.S. Department of Education in a letter format. Direct Assessment A program that in lieu of credit hours or clock hours as a measure of stude nt learning, uses direct assessment of student learning or recognizes the direct assessmen t of student learning by others. For further information refer to the General Provisions 34 CFR 668.10. Doctoral Degree Any of numerous academic degrees awarded by universities and so me colleges on completion of advanced graduate or pr ofessional studies in the humanities, the social sc iences, the behavioral sciences, or the pure sciences beyond the master's level. Doctoral degrees include, but are not limited to, the following:

 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.),

 Doctor of Theology (Th.D.),

 Doctor of Engineering (Eng.D.), and

 Doctor Education (Ed.D.), See also Professional Degree
. Doing Business As The name, if different from the official name of an institution, under which an institution holds itself out to the public.

## -EED An abbreviated way of referring to the U.S. Department of Education. Educational Program A postsecondary course of study that generally leads to an academic or professional degree, vocational certificate, or other r ecognized educational credential. Th e U.S. Secretary of Education considers that a postsecondary institutions is not providing an "educational program" if the institution itself does not provide the program's instruction (inc luding a course of independent study) but merely gives credit for one or more of the following: instruction provided by other institutions or organizations, or other acco mplishments (such as "life experience"). English Translation See Certified English Translation. Equivalent Degree An educational credential that th e U.S. Secretary of Education dete rmines is the equivalent of an associate degree, bachelor's degr ee, or professional degree and that requires at leas t two academic years of study. Ext. An abbreviated way of referring to a telephone or fax extension.

## -FFederal Student Financial Aid Programs Page 3 of 8 Glossary for Application for Approval to Participate

8 / 28 / 201 3 http ://www.eli g cert.ed. g ov/ows-doc/ g lossary .ht mStudent financial aid pr ograms authorized under Title IV or the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). The programs include:

 the Federal Pell Grant Program,

 the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program,

 the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program,

 the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Program,

 the Federal College Work Study (FCWS) Program, and

 the Federal Perkins Loan Program. The last three programs are know n as "campus-based programs." Financial Responsibility Measures of an institution's fi nancial resources as shown in its financial statement audit. First Professional Degree See Professional Degree. Foreign Graduate Medical School A foreign institution listed as a medical school in the most current edition of the World Directory of Medical Schools published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Foreign Institution An institution not located in a state. See also State.

## -GN o entries


## -HHEA See Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) The statute that authorizes federal student financ ial aid programs and most of the other federal higher education programs that U.S. Department of Education administers. The statute's most current version is the official version of the law. See also Federal Student Financial Aid Programs.

## -IIncarcerated Student A student serving a criminal sentencein a federal, state, or local penitentiary, prison, jail, or other correctional facility. A student is not considered in carcerated if he or she is in a halfway house or home detention or sentenced to serve weekends only. Ineligible Institu tion An institution that has not been certified for participation in the Title IV programs. IRS Page 4 of 8 Glossary for Application for Approval to Participate

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## -J,K,LN o entries


## -MMaster's Degree A degree awarded by a graduate school or department to a person who has completed the fulltime equivalent of at least one but not more than two years of work beyond the baccalaureate level. Master's degrees include, but are not limited to, the following:

 Master of Arts (M.A.),

 Master of Science (M.S.), and

 Master of Social Work (M.S.W.),

## -NN o entries

## -OOPE ID See OPE Identification (OPE ID) Number. OPE Identification (OPE ID) Number An 8-digit identification number assigned by the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) within the U.S. Department of Education to an instituti on that has been approved to participate in federal student financial aid programs. Organization An entity that is not an institution of higher education. Our/We/Us Here this refers to the U.S. Department of Education (ED).

## -PPost-baccalaureate teacher certification program A post-baccalaureate teacher certification or licensure program that consists of the courses required by a state to receive a professional certification or licensing credential necessary for employment as a teacher in an elementary or secondary school in that state. Note : The school cannot also offer a bachelor’s degree in education and the student must be pur suing an initial teacher certificatio n or licensing credential within a state. Page 5 of 8 Glossary for Application for Approval to Participate

8 / 28 / 201 3 http ://www.eli g cert.ed. g ov/ows-doc/ g lossary .ht mPPA See Program Participation Agreement (PPA) Professional Degree A degree awarded by an institution to an entry-le vel professional in cert ain occupational fields. Although sometimes called doctoral degrees, profe ssional degrees differ from research doctorates in that they do not include a required component of original research or a demonstration of expertise in a field beyond what is required to qualify for basic licensing examinations. Professional degrees may be awarded in such fi elds a chiropractic, dentistry, divinity/ministry, law, medicine, optometry, oste opathic medicine, pharmacy, podi atry, rabbinical and talmudic studies, and veterinary medicine. Program Participation Agreement (PPA) The contract between an institution and ED that allows the institution to participate in federal student financial aid programs.

## -QQuarter Credit Hour A way of measuring credit in higher education inwhich one quarter cred it hour represents one hour of classroom instruction pe r week and two hours of outside preparation for that classroom hour during the course of a quarter academic te rm. A quarter academic term is usually 10 to 13 weeks long.

## -RRegular Student A person enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible program at an eligible postsecondary institution for the purpose of obtaining a degree or certificate offered by that institution.

## -SSatisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) A measure of whether a student is progressing adequately toward completion of his or her course of study. It is determined in terms of gr ade point average and course completions. Semester Credit Hour A way of measuring credit in which one semester credit hour represents one hour of classroom instruction per week and two hours of outside preparation for that classroom hour during the course of a semester academic term. A semester acade mic term usually is 13 to 17 weeks long. SSN Social Security number State A state of the union (of the United States of Am erica), American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of the Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Republic of Palau, the Re public of the Marshall Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. See also Foreign Institution
. Student See Regular Student. Page 6 of 8 Glossary for Application for Approval to Participate

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## -TTIN See Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Taxpayer Identifica tion Number (TIN) A 9-digit identification number that the U.S. In ternal Revenue Service (IRS) assigns to an institution for federal tax purposes. Telecommunications Course A course offered primarily by television, audio, or computer tran smission, including open broadcast, closed circuit, cab le, microwave or satellite, audio conferencing, computer conferencing, or videocassette or videodiscs. The term does not incl ude a course that is delivered by videocassettes or videodisc recordings unle ss that same course is delivered to students physically attending classes atthe institution during the same award year. See also Correspondence Course or Program. Translation See Certified English Translation Trimester Credit Hour A way measuring credit in highe r education in which one trimes ter credit hour represents one hour of classroom instruction per week and two hours of outside prepar ation for that classroom hour during the course of a trimester academic te rm. A trimester academic term usually is 13 to 17 weeks long. Two-Academic-Year Transfer Program. A formal education program of tw o academic years that is accepta ble for full credit toward a bachelor's degree.

## -UUs/We/Our Here this refers to the U.S. Department of Education (ED).

## -VN o entries

## -WWe/Us/Our Here this refers to the U.S. Department of Education (ED).

## -XN o entries Page 7 of 8 Glossary for Application for Approval to Participate

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## -YYou/Yours Here this refers to the Institution completing the document.

## -ZN o entries
Return to Index Page 8 of 8 Glossary for Application for Approval to Participate

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