H.R. 8279 — To expand the definition of institution of higher education in the Higher Education Act of 1965 with respect to certain graduate medical schools located outside of the United States.

This section revises the eligibility criteria for foreign graduate medical schools to qualify as institutions of higher education under the Higher Education Act of 1965 for Title IV federal student aid programs (i.e., Direct Loans). It amends the introductory text preceding clause (i) to exclude from the term "graduate medical school" those schools meeting new subclause (i)(I)(aa)(BB); it further amends subclause (i)(I)(aa) to provide an alternative qualification criterion—beyond the existing requirement that at least 60% of enrollees and 60% of graduates in the prior year are not ineligible aliens under section 484(a)(5)—under which a school qualifies if it had a clinical training program approved as of January 31, 2021, by a state via an approval process requiring an on-site visit to the school and affiliates, and the school continues to operate a clinical training program approved by at least one state. (Thus, qualifying schools under the new criterion avoid additional restrictions applicable to other foreign graduate medical schools.)