Code of Conduct Regarding Private Lending and Student Choice

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), including all employees or agents of Georgia Tech and its affiliated organizations, adheres to the principles of openness and transparency in relationships with lenders offering educational loan programs.

Students and parents are encouraged to consider the following before applying for a private educational loan:

Students are strongly encouraged to first pursue the availability of free or lower-cost financial aid with the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid.

Directions on how to apply for Title IV federal grants, loans and work-study are available at www.finaid.gatech.edu/apply or by calling or visiting the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

A private education loan may reduce eligibility for free or lower-cost federal, state, or school student financial aid.

Georgia Tech prohibits conflicts of interest between the responsibilities of its employees and the personal interests of an employee or family member of an employee. Georgia Tech bans any revenue-sharing arrangements with any lender, whether for institutional or personal gain.

Employees of Georgia Tech or its affiliated organizations shall not accept anything of value for serving on an advisory board, commission, or group established by a lender, guarantor, or group of lenders.

Georgia Tech employees are bound by state law and institutional polices related to the receipt of gifts or gratuities. All employees, as well as their family members, are prohibited from accepting a gift with more than nominal value from anyone that the employee or Georgia Tech interacts with on official state business or from any other prohibited source. Gifts include, but are not limited to: (1) Food (including meals) (2) Lodging and (3) Personal Services.

Georgia Tech does not allow any officer or person involved with student loans to either solicit or accept gifts from a lender, guarantor or servicer of student loans where that gift has more than nominal value.

Georgia Tech does not allow its financial aid staff or anyone in a position of having influence over student loan decisions to consult with lenders for a fee, payment, or other financial benefit.

Georgia Tech will not assign a borrower's loan to a particular lender.

Georgia Tech will not refuse or delay certification of any loan based on a borrower’s selection of a lender or guarantor.

Georgia Tech will not request or accept any offer for student loan funds in exchange for: (1) a specified number of loans made or (2) a specific loan volume.

Georgia Tech will not accept any offer from any lender to provide call center staffing or financial aid office assistance.