(a) Individual process, generally. (1) If § 685.402 does not apply to an individual borrower who has submitted a borrower defense application, the Secretary will initiate a process to determine whether the individual borrower has a borrower defense under this subpart.

(2) If § 685.402 applies to an individual borrower who is covered under a group borrower defense application being considered by the Secretary, that group borrower defense application will toll the timelines under § 685.406 on adjudicating the individual borrower application.

(3) Paragraph (a)(1) of this section will not apply to claims covered by a group claim under § 685.402, including claims submitted prior to the formation of such a group, until after the Secretary makes a decision on that group claim.

(b) Individual process. (1) The Secretary will consider a borrower defense claim from an individual borrower to be materially complete when the borrower—

(i) Submits an application to the Secretary, under penalty of perjury and on a form approved by the Secretary with the following information:

(A) A description of one or more acts or omissions by the institution;

(B) The school or school representative attributed with the act or omission;

(C) Approximately when the act or omission occurred;

(D) How the act or omission impacted their decision to attend, to continue attending, or to take out the loan for which they are asserting a defense to repayment; and,

(E) A description of the detriment they suffered as a result of the institution's act or omission;

(ii) Provides additional supporting evidence for the claims made under subparagraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, if any;

(2) The individual must provide any other information or supporting documentation reasonably requested by the Secretary.

(c) Individual borrower status. Upon receipt of a materially complete application under this section, the Secretary—

(1) Designates a Department official to present the individual's claim in the institutional response process described in § 685.405;

(2) Notifies the borrower that the Department will adjudicate the claim under § 685.406(c); and

(3) Places all the borrower's loans in forbearance in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section or stopped enforcement collections in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section, as applicable.

(d) Forbearance. The Secretary grants forbearance on all of the borrower's title IV loans that are not in default in accordance with § 685.205 and—

(1) Provides the borrower with information about the availability of the income-driven repayment plans under § 685.209;

(2) Does not charge interest on the borrower's loans beginning 180 days from the date the borrower was initially granted forbearance under this paragraph (d) if the Secretary has failed to make a determination on the borrower's claim by that date and continuing until the Department notifies the borrower of the decision.

(e) Loan collection activities during adjudication of borrower defense claim. The Secretary—

(1) Suspends collection activity on all defaulted title IV loans until the Secretary issues a decision on the borrower defense claim;

(2) Does not charge interest on the borrower's loans beginning 180 days from the date the Secretary initially suspended collection activity under subparagraph (e)(1) of this section if the Secretary has not made a determination on the borrower's claim by that date and continuing until the Department notifies the borrower of the decision;

(3) Notifies the borrower of the suspension of collection activity and explains that collection activity will resume no earlier than 90 days following final adjudication of the borrower defense claim if the Secretary determines that the borrower does not qualify for a full discharge; and

(4) Notifies the borrower of the option to begin or continue making payments under a rehabilitation agreement or other repayment agreement on the defaulted loan.

[87 FR 66068, Nov. 1, 2022, as amended at 88 FR 43905, July 10, 2023]