Title 42 › Chapter 6A— PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter V— HEALTH PROFESSIONS EDUCATION › Part A— Student Loans › Subpart i— insured health education assistance loans to graduate students › § 292d
Allows federal loan insurance only when certain rules are met. The borrower must be a student accepted or in good standing at an approved school, be a full-time student, and promise to use the money for tuition, books, fees, lab and reasonable living costs. Pharmacy students must have finished three years. A former borrower who is in an approved postponement period may get a loan only to pay interest on earlier loans. The loan must be an unsecured written promise to repay, usually without endorsement. Repayment must be spread over at least 10 years but no more than 25 years, and it begins not earlier than 9 months and not later than 12 months after the borrower stops full-time study, finishes certain years of residency, or ends certain training or fellowship programs. The loan can allow deferments—during which interest accrues but payments may be postponed—for several situations (for example full-time study, internships or residencies, military service, Peace Corps, certain volunteer or public-health service, some medical practice periods, fellowship training, and service to Indian health programs). Those deferment times generally do not count toward the 25-year limit. Interest is set by the Secretary and may not exceed the average bond-equivalent rate of 91-day Treasury bills for the previous quarter plus 3 percentage points, rounded up to the next one-eighth of 1 percent. Interest may be compounded no more often than once a year and may be postponed until principal repayment starts and then added to the loan. Borrower yearly payments must at least cover the annual interest unless a deferment applies or the borrower agrees to pay less. Federal or state laws that cap interest rates do not apply to these loans except for the rate limits above. Forbearance time is not counted in the 25-year limit. Lenders must offer graduated repayment plans based on debt-to-income for the first 5 years. Schools may make extra allowances for students with special circumstances. “Active duty” excludes training. “Persian Gulf conflict” starts August 2, 1990, until a later date set by the President or law.
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The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 292d
Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60