Verification of social security number
The Secretary of Education, in cooperation with the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, shall verify any social security number provided by a student to an eligible institution under subsection (a)(4) and shall enforce the following conditions:
(1)#
Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), an institution shall not deny, reduce, delay, or terminate a student’s eligibility for assistance under this part because social security number verification is pending.
(2)#
If there is a determination by the Secretary that the social security number provided to an eligible institution by a student is incorrect, the institution shall deny or terminate the student’s eligibility for any grant, loan, or work assistance under this subchapter until such time as the student provides documented evidence of a social security number that is determined by the institution to be correct.
(3)#
If there is a determination by the Secretary that the social security number provided to an eligible institution by a student is incorrect, and a correct social security number cannot be provided by such student, and a loan has been guaranteed for such student under part B of this subchapter, the institution shall notify and instruct the lender and guaranty agency making and guaranteeing the loan, respectively, to cease further disbursements of the loan, but such guaranty shall not be voided or otherwise nullified with respect to such disbursements made before the date that the lender and the guaranty agency receives such notice.
(4)#
Nothing in this subsection shall permit the Secretary to take any compliance, disallowance, penalty, or other regulatory action against—
(A) any institution of higher education with respect to any error in a social security number, unless such error was a result of fraud on the part of the institution; or
(B) any student with respect to any error in a social security number, unless such error was a result of fraud on the part of the student.
(4)(A)#
any institution of higher education with respect to any error in a social security number, unless such error was a result of fraud on the part of the institution; or
(4)(B)#
any student with respect to any error in a social security number, unless such error was a result of fraud on the part of the student.