34 CFR § 694.3 - What are the requirements for a cohort?

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t34/s694.3"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "34 CFR § 694.3 - What are the requirements for a cohort?"
title_number: 34
title_name: "Education"
section_number: "694.3"
section_name: "What are the requirements for a cohort?"
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION"
part_number: "694"
part_name: "GAINING EARLY AWARENESS AND READINESS FOR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS (GEAR UP)"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "20 U.S.C. 1070a-21 to 1070a-28."
regulatory_source: "65 FR 24760, Apr. 27, 2000, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "694"
---


# 694.3 What are the requirements for a cohort?

(a) *In general.* Each cohort to be served by a Partnership or State must be from a participating school—

(1) That has a 7th grade; and

(2) In which at least 50 percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch under the National School Lunch Act; or

(b) *Public housing exception.* If the Partnership or State determines it would promote program effectiveness, a cohort may consist of all of the students in a particular grade level at one or more participating schools who reside in public housing, as defined in section 3(b)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-22)