---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 1087–4"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "1087–4"
heading: "Discrimination in secondary markets prohibited"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/1087-4"
units:
  - "Chapter 28 — Higher Education Resources and Student Assistance"
  - "Subchapter IV — Student Assistance"
  - "Part B — Federal Family Education Loan Program"
---

# §1087–4. Discrimination in secondary markets prohibited


The Student [Loan](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) Marketing Association (and, if the Association is privatized under [section 1087–3 of this title](/usc/20/1087–3.md), any successor entity functioning as a secondary market for [loans](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) under this part, including the Holding Company described in such section) shall not engage directly or indirectly in any pattern or practice that results in a denial of a borrower’s access to [loans](/usc/20/1066a.md?p=2) under this part because of the borrower’s race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, [disability](/usc/20/1003.md?p=6) status, income, attendance at a particular [eligible institution](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b), length of the borrower’s educational program, or the borrower’s [academic year](/usc/20/1088.md?p=a-2-A) at an [eligible institution](/usc/20/1058.md?p=b).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–329, title IV, § 440A, as added Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, § 101(e) [title VI, § 604], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–233, 3009–293.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 1087–4, Pub. L. 89–329, title IV, § 440, as added Pub. L. 94–482, title I, § 127(a), Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2141, provided for criminal penalties, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 96–374, title IV, § 451(b), Oct. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 1458, eff. Oct. 1, 1980. See section 1097 of this title.