INDENTURE

INDENTURE

among

SLM STUDENT LOAN TRUST 2008-9,
as the Issuer,

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
formerly known as The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.,
not in its individual capacity but
solely as the Eligible Lender Trustee

and

DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS,
not in its individual capacity but
solely as the Indenture Trustee

Dated as of August 28, 2008

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ARTICLE I

Definitions and Usage

ARTICLE II

The Notes

ARTICLE III

Covenants, Representations and Warranties

ARTICLE IV

Satisfaction and Discharge

ARTICLE V

Remedies

ARTICLE VI

The Indenture Trustee

ARTICLE VII

Noteholders’ Lists and Reports

ARTICLE VIII

Accounts, Disbursements and Releases

ARTICLE IX

Supplemental Indentures

ARTICLE X

Redemption of Notes

ARTICLE XI

Miscellaneous

ARTICLE XII

Compliance with Regulation AB

SECTION 12.1   Intent of the Parties; Reasonableness

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INDENTURE, dated as of August 28, 2008, among SLM STUDENT LOAN TRUST 2008-9, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Issuer”), THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, formerly known as The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., a national banking association, not in its individual capacity but solely as eligible lender trustee on behalf of the Issuer (in such capacity, the “Eligible Lender Trustee”), and DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, a New York banking corporation, not in its individual capacity but solely as indenture trustee (in such capacity, the “Indenture Trustee”).

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the holders of the Issuer’s Student Loan-Backed Notes (the “Notes”):

GRANTING CLAUSE

The Issuer and, with respect to the Trust Student Loans, the Eligible Lender Trustee hereby Grant to the Indenture Trustee, as trustee for the benefit of the Noteholders, effective as of the Closing Date all of their right, title and interest in and to the following:

(a)   the Trust Student Loans, and all obligations of the Obligors thereunder including all moneys accrued and paid thereunder on or after the applicable Cutoff Date and all guaranties and other rights relating to the Trust Student Loans;

(b)   the Servicing Agreement, including the right of the Issuer to cause the Servicer to purchase Trust Student Loans from the Issuer under circumstances described therein;

(c)   the related Sale Agreement, including the right of the Issuer to cause the Depositor to repurchase Trust Student Loans from the Issuer under the circumstances described therein and including the rights of the Depositor under the Purchase Agreements;

(d)   the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement and the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, to the extent that the rights of the Depositor thereunder have been assigned to the Issuer pursuant to the Sale Agreement, including the right of the Depositor to cause SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding or Town Hall Funding, as the case may be, to repurchase Trust Student Loans from the Depositor under the circumstances described in the applicable Purchase Agreement;

(e)   the Administration Agreement and any agreement representing Eligible Repurchase Obligations between the Trust and an Eligible Repo Counterparty to be entered into from time to time;

(f)   each Guarantee Agreement, including the right of the Issuer to cause the related Guarantor to make Guarantee Payments in respect of the Trust Student Loans;

(g)   the Trust Accounts and all funds on deposit from time to time in the Trust Accounts, including the Reserve Account Initial Deposit, the Supplemental Purchase Account Initial Deposit, the Capitalized Interest Account Initial Deposit, the Borrower Benefit Account Initial Deposit, if any, the Floor Income Rebate Account and the Collection Account Initial Deposit, if any, and all investments and proceeds thereof (including all income thereon);

(h)   any interest rate cap agreement entered into with one or more interest rate cap counterparties pursuant to Section 2.1 (kk) of the Administration Agreement; and

(i)   all present and future claims, demands, causes and choses in action in respect of any or all of the foregoing and all payments on or under and all proceeds of every kind and nature whatsoever in respect of any or all of the foregoing, including all proceeds of the conversion, voluntary or involuntary, into cash or other liquid property, all cash proceeds, accounts, accounts receivable, notes, drafts, acceptances, chattel paper, checks, general intangibles, deposit accounts, insurance proceeds, condemnation awards, rights to payment of any and every kind and other forms of obligations and receivables, instruments and other property which at any time constitute all or part of or are included in the proceeds of any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Collateral”).

The foregoing Grant is made in trust to secure the payment of principal of and interest on, and any other amounts owing in respect of, the Notes, equally and ratably without prejudice, priority or distinction, to secure compliance with the provisions of this Indenture.

The Indenture Trustee, as indenture trustee on behalf of the Noteholders, acknowledges such Grant, accepts the trusts under this Indenture in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and agrees to perform its duties required in this Indenture to the best of its ability to the end that the interests of the Noteholders may be adequately and effectively protected.

ARTICLE I

Definitions and Usage

SECTION 1.1   Definitions and Usage . Except as otherwise specified herein or as the context may otherwise require, capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein are defined in Appendix A to this Indenture, which also contains rules as to usage that shall be applicable herein.

SECTION 1.2   Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act . Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“indenture securities” means the Notes.

“indenture security holder” means a Noteholder.

“indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.

“indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Indenture Trustee.

“obligor” on the indenture securities means the Issuer and any other obligor on the indenture securities.

All other TIA terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by Commission rule have the meaning assigned to them by such definitions.

ARTICLE II

The Notes

SECTION 2.1   Form . The Notes, together with the Indenture Trustee’s certificate of authentication, shall be in substantially the forms set forth in Exhibit A, with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing the Notes, as evidenced by their execution of the Notes. Any portion of the text of any Note may be set forth on the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the face of the Note.

The Definitive Notes shall be typewritten, printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods (with or without steel engraved borders), all as determined by the officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution of such Notes.

The terms of the Notes set forth in Exhibit A are part of the terms of this Indenture.

Each class of Notes will be represented by a book-entry note certificate deposited on the Closing Date with Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as custodian for DTC (the “DTC Custodian”), and registered in the name of Cede & Co. as initial nominee for DTC.

SECTION 2.2   Execution, Authentication and Delivery . The Notes shall be executed on behalf of the Issuer by any of its Authorized Officers. The signature of any such Authorized Officer on the Notes may be manual or facsimile.

Notes bearing the manual or facsimile signature of individuals who were at any time Authorized Officers of the Issuer shall bind the Issuer, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Notes or did not hold such offices at the date of such Notes.

The Indenture Trustee shall upon Issuer Order authenticate and deliver the Notes in an aggregate principal amount of $4,086,163,000. The aggregate principal amount of Notes Outstanding at any time may not exceed such amount except as provided in Section 2.5.

Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be issuable as registered notes in minimum denominations of $100,000 and additional increments of $1,000.

No Note shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Note a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Indenture Trustee by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, and such certificate upon any Note shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Note has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder.

SECTION 2.3   Temporary Notes . Pending the preparation of Definitive Notes, the Issuer may execute, and upon receipt of an Issuer Order, the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Notes which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, of the tenor of the Definitive Notes in lieu of which they are issued and with such variations not inconsistent with the terms of this Indenture determined to be appropriate by an Authorized Officer of the Issuer executing the temporary Notes, as evidenced by his or her execution of such temporary Notes.

If temporary Notes are issued, the Issuer will cause Definitive Notes to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of Definitive Notes, the temporary Notes shall be exchangeable for Definitive Notes upon surrender of the temporary Notes at the office or agency of the Issuer to be maintained as provided in Section 3.2, without charge to the Noteholder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Notes, the Issuer shall execute and the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of Definitive Notes of authorized denominations. Until so exchanged, the temporary Notes shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as Definitive Notes.

SECTION 2.4   Registration; Registration of Transfer and Exchange . The Issuer shall cause to be kept a register (the “Note Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Issuer shall provide for the registration of Notes and the registration of transfers of Notes. The Indenture Trustee shall be “Note Registrar” for the purpose of registering Notes and transfers of Notes as herein provided. Upon any resignation of any Note Registrar, the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor or, if it elects not to make such an appointment, assume the duties of Note Registrar.

If a Person other than the Indenture Trustee is appointed by the Issuer as Note Registrar, the Issuer shall give the Indenture Trustee prompt written notice of the appointment of such Note Registrar and of the location, and any change in the location, of the Note Register, and the Indenture Trustee shall have the right to inspect the Note Register at all reasonable times and to obtain copies thereof, and the Indenture Trustee shall have the right to rely upon a certificate executed on behalf of the Note Registrar by an Executive Officer thereof as to the names and addresses of the Noteholders and the principal amounts and number of such Notes.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Note at the office or agency of the Issuer to be maintained as provided in Section 3.2, if the requirements of Section 8-401(a) of the UCC are met, the Issuer shall execute, and the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and the Noteholder shall obtain from the Indenture Trustee, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Notes in any authorized denominations and a like aggregate principal amount.

At the option of the Noteholder, Notes may be exchanged for other Notes in any authorized denominations and a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Notes to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Notes are so surrendered for exchange, the Issuer shall execute, and the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and the Noteholder shall obtain from the Indenture Trustee, the Notes which the Noteholder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

All Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

Every Note presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee duly executed by the Noteholder thereof or such Noteholder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, with such signature guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Note Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in Securities Transfer Agent’s Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Note Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Exchange Act.

No service charge shall be made to a Noteholder for any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, but the Indenture Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 2.3 or 9.6 not involving any transfer.

The preceding provisions of this Section notwithstanding, the Issuer shall not be required to make and the Note Registrar need not register transfers or exchanges of Notes selected for redemption or of any Note for a period of 15 days preceding the due date for any payment with respect to the Note.

Any transfer or assignment of any Note or any interest in any Note that is not effected pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture (including, without limitation, this Section 2.4), such as a transfer or assignment not reflected on the Note Register, shall be null and void and shall not be taken into account by, or be binding upon, the Indenture Trustee or any other party.

SECTION 2.5   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes . If (i) any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Indenture Trustee, or the Indenture Trustee receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, and (ii) there is delivered to the Issuer, the Eligible Lender Trustee and the Indenture Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by each of them to hold the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Issuer, the Note Registrar or the Indenture Trustee that such Note has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, and provided that the requirements of Section 8-405 of the UCC are met, the Issuer shall execute and upon its request the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note, a replacement Note; provided , however , that if any such destroyed, lost or stolen Note, but not a mutilated Note, shall have become or within 15 days shall be due and payable, or shall have been called for redemption, instead of issuing a replacement Note, the Issuer may pay such destroyed, lost or stolen Note when so due or payable or upon the Redemption Date without surrender thereof. If, after the delivery of such replacement Note or payment of a destroyed, lost or stolen Note pursuant to the proviso to the preceding sentence, a bona fide purchaser of the original Note in lieu of which such replacement Note was issued presents for payment such original Note, the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee shall be entitled to recover such replacement Note (or such payment) from the Person to whom it was delivered or any Person taking such replacement Note from such Person to whom such replacement Note was delivered or any assignee of such Person, except a bona fide purchaser, and shall be entitled to recover upon the security or indemnity provided therefor to the extent of any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred by the Issuer or the Indenture Trustee in connection therewith.

Upon the issuance of any replacement Note under this Section, the Issuer may require the payment by the Noteholder thereof of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other reasonable expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Indenture Trustee) connected therewith.

Every replacement Note issued pursuant to this Section in replacement of any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Issuer, whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Notes duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes.

SECTION 2.6   Persons Deemed Owner . Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Note, the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Indenture Trustee may treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered (as of the day of determination) as the owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payments of principal of, interest, if any, on such Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Note be overdue, and neither the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee nor any agent of the Issuer or the Indenture Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

SECTION 2.7   Payment of Principal and Interest; Note Interest Shortfall . (a)  The Notes shall accrue interest as provided in the forms of Notes set forth in Exhibit A and such interest shall be payable on each applicable Quarterly Distribution Date as specified therein, subject to Section 3.1. Any installment of interest or principal, if any, payable on any Note which is punctually paid or duly provided for by the Issuer on the Quarterly Distribution Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) is registered on the applicable Record Date by check mailed first-class, postage prepaid to such Person’s address as it appears on the Note Register on such Record Date, except that, unless Definitive Notes have been issued pursuant to Section 2.12, with respect to Notes registered on the Record Date in the name of the nominee of the applicable Clearing Agency, for the Notes, payment shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account designated by such nominee and except for the final installment of principal payable with respect to such Note on a Quarterly Distribution Date or on the Note Final Maturity Date for such Note which shall be payable as provided below. The funds represented by any such checks returned undelivered shall be held in accordance with Section 3.3.

(b)   The principal amount of each class of Notes shall be payable in installments on each Quarterly Distribution Date as provided in the forms of Notes set forth in Exhibit A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the entire unpaid principal amount of each class of the Notes shall be due and payable, if not previously paid, on the Note Final Maturity Date for such class of Notes and on the date on which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing if the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders of the Notes representing at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes have declared the Notes to be immediately due and payable in the manner provided in Section 5.2. All principal payments on the Notes shall be made pro rata to the specific class of Noteholders entitled thereto. The Indenture Trustee shall notify the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on the Record Date preceding the Quarterly Distribution Date on which the Issuer expects that the final installment of principal of and interest on such Note will be paid. Such notice shall be mailed or transmitted by facsimile prior to such final Quarterly Distribution Date and shall specify that such final installment will be payable only upon presentation and surrender of such Note and shall specify the place where such Note may be presented and surrendered for payment of such installment. Notices in connection with redemptions of Notes shall be mailed to Noteholders as provided in Section 10.2.

(c)   If the Issuer defaults in a payment of interest at the applicable Note Rate on the Notes, the Issuer shall pay the resulting Note Interest Shortfall on the following Quarterly Distribution Date as provided in the Administration Agreement.

SECTION 2.8   Cancellation . All Notes surrendered for payment, registration of transfer, exchange or redemption shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Indenture Trustee, be delivered to the Indenture Trustee and shall be promptly cancelled by the Indenture Trustee. The Issuer may at any time deliver to the Indenture Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Issuer may have acquired in any manner whatsoever and all Notes so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Indenture Trustee. No Notes shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Notes cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All canceled Notes may be held or disposed of by the Indenture Trustee in accordance with its standard retention or disposal policy as in effect at the time, unless the Issuer shall direct by an Issuer Order that they be returned to it and so long as such Issuer Order is timely and the Notes have not been previously disposed of by the Indenture Trustee.

SECTION 2.9   Release of Collateral . Subject to Section 11.1 and the terms of the Basic Documents, the Indenture Trustee shall release property from the lien of this Indenture only upon receipt of an Issuer Request accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer, an Opinion of Counsel and Independent Certificates in accordance with TIA §§ 314(c) and 314(d)(1) or an Opinion of Counsel in lieu of such Independent Certificates to the effect that the TIA does not require any such Independent Certificates.

SECTION 2.10   Book-Entry Notes . The Notes, upon original issuance, will be issued in the form of typewritten Notes representing the Book-Entry Notes, to be delivered to the applicable initial Clearing Agency, by the Issuer, or on behalf of the Issuer. Such Notes shall initially be registered on the Note Register in the name of the nominee of the related initial Clearing Agency, and no Note Owner shall receive a definitive, fully registered note (a “Definitive Note”) representing such Note Owner’s interest in such Note, except as provided in Section 2.12. Unless and until Definitive Notes have been issued to Note Owners pursuant to Section 2.12:

(i)   the provisions of this Section shall be in full force and effect;

(ii)   the Note Registrar and the Indenture Trustee, and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents, may deal with the applicable Clearing Agency for all purposes (including the payment of principal of and interest and other amounts on the Notes) as the authorized representative of the Note Owners;

(iii)   to the extent that the provisions of this Section conflict with any other provisions of this Indenture, the provisions of this Section shall control;

(iv)   the rights of Note Owners shall be exercised only through the applicable Clearing Agency and shall be limited to those established by law and agreements between such Note Owners and the applicable Clearing Agency and/or the applicable Clearing Agency Participants pursuant to the Note Depository Agreement; and unless and until Definitive Notes are issued pursuant to Section 2.12, the applicable initial Clearing Agency will make book-entry transfers among the applicable Clearing Agency Participants and receive and transmit payments of principal of and interest and other amounts on the Notes to such applicable Clearing Agency Participants;

(v)   whenever this Indenture requires or permits actions to be taken based upon instructions or directions of Noteholders of Notes evidencing a specified percentage of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, the applicable Clearing Agency shall be deemed to represent such percentage only to the extent that it has received instructions to such effect from Note Owners and/or applicable Clearing Agency Participants owning or representing, respectively, such required percentage of the beneficial interest in the Notes and has delivered such instructions to the Indenture Trustee; and

(vi)   upon acquisition or transfer of a beneficial interest in any Book-Entry Note by, for or with the assets of, a Benefit Plan, such Note Owner shall be deemed to have represented that such acquisition or purchase will not constitute or otherwise result in: (i) in the case of a Benefit Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, a non-exempt prohibited transaction in violation of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code which is not covered by a class or other applicable exemption and (ii) in the case of a Benefit Plan subject to a substantially similar federal, state, local or foreign law, a non-exempt violation of such substantially similar law. Any transfer found to have been made in violation of such deemed representation shall be null and void and of no effect.

SECTION 2.11   Notices to Clearing Agency . Whenever a notice or other communication is required under this Indenture to be given to Noteholders, unless and until Definitive Notes shall have been issued to Note Owners pursuant to Section 2.12, the Indenture Trustee shall give all such notices and communications specified herein to the applicable Clearing Agency.

SECTION 2.12   Definitive Notes . If (i) the Administrator advises the Indenture Trustee in writing that a Clearing Agency (a) is closed for business for a continuous period of 14 days (other than by reason of holiday, statutory or otherwise), (b) announces an intention to cease business permanently (or does so and no alternative clearing system acceptable to the Indenture Trustee is then available), or (c) at any time, is unwilling or unable to continue as, or ceases to be, a clearing agency registered under all applicable laws, and a successor clearing agency which is registered as a clearing agency under all applicable laws is not appointed by the Administrator within 90 days of such event, (ii) the Administrator at its option advises the Indenture Trustee in writing that it elects to terminate the book-entry system through that Clearing Agency or (iii) after the occurrence of an Event of Default, a Servicer Default or an Administrator Default, Note Owners representing beneficial interests aggregating at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the applicable Notes advise the applicable Clearing Agency (which shall then notify the Indenture Trustee) in writing that the continuation of a book-entry system through such Clearing Agency is no longer in the best interests of such Note Owners, then the Indenture Trustee shall cause such Clearing Agency to notify all Note Owners cleared, through such Clearing Agency, of the occurrence of any such event and of the availability of Definitive Notes to Note Owners requesting the same.

Upon surrender to the Indenture Trustee of the typewritten Notes representing the Book-Entry Notes by a Clearing Agency, accompanied by registration instructions, the Issuer shall execute and the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate the Definitive Notes in accordance with the instructions of such Clearing Agency, which shall include, without limitation, the identity and payment instructions for all Noteholders of the applicable Notes. None of the Issuer, the Note Registrar or the Indenture Trustee shall be liable for any delay in delivery of such instructions and may conclusively rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, such instructions. Upon the issuance of Definitive Notes, the Indenture Trustee shall recognize the holders of the Definitive Notes as Noteholders.

Upon acquisition or transfer of a Definitive Note by, for or with the assets of, a Benefit Plan, such Note Owner shall be deemed to have represented that such acquisition or purchase will not constitute or otherwise result in: (i) in the case of a Benefit Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, a non-exempt prohibited transaction in violation of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code which is not covered by a class or other applicable exemption and (ii) in the case of a Benefit Plan subject to a substantially similar law, a non-exempt violation of such substantially similar law. Any transfer found to have been made in violation of such deemed representation shall be null and void and of no effect.

ARTICLE III

Covenants, Representations and Warranties

SECTION 3.1   Payments to Noteholders . The Issuer shall duly and punctually pay the principal and interest, if any, with respect to the Notes in accordance with the terms of the Notes and this Indenture. Without limiting the foregoing, the Issuer shall cause to be distributed to Noteholders in accordance with the Administration Agreement that portion of the amounts on deposit in the Trust Accounts on a Quarterly Distribution Date (other than any Eligible Investments deposited therein that will mature on the Business Day preceding a subsequent Quarterly Distribution Date), which the Noteholders are entitled to receive pursuant to Sections 2.7 and 2.8 of the Administration Agreement. Amounts properly withheld under the Code by any Person from a payment to any Noteholder of interest and/or principal shall be considered as having been paid by the Issuer to such Noteholder for all purposes of this Indenture.

SECTION 3.1A Collateral Account . In the event that pursuant to the terms of a potential future interest rate cap agreement, the potential future cap counterparty is required to deposit cash or securities as collateral to secure its obligations (“Collateral”), the Indenture Trustee at the written direction of the potential future cap counterparty shall establish and maintain an Eligible Deposit Account in the name of the Indenture Trustee for the benefit of the Issuer and the potential future cap counterparty (an “Interest Rate Cap Agreement Collateral Account”). All sums on deposit and securities held in any Interest Rate Cap Agreement Collateral Account shall be used only for the purposes set forth in the related credit support agreement to be entered into between the Trust and the potential future cap counterparty (the “Credit Support Agreement”); provided , however , that the Indenture Trustee is not a party to the Credit Support Agreement and shall have no obligations or responsibilities under the Credit Support Agreement, nor any obligation to monitor the Issuer’s or the potential future cap counterparty’s compliance with the terms of the Credit Support Agreement. The Interest Rate Cap Agreement Collateral Account will constitute an additional Trust Account. Amounts on deposit in any Interest Rate Cap Agreement Collateral Account may be invested in Eligible Investments at the written direction of the potential future cap counterparty and on each Quarterly Distribution Date, all Investment Earnings actually received by the Indenture Trustee on amounts on deposit in the Interest Rate Cap Agreement Collateral Account or on securities held by the Indenture Trustee as Collateral shall be paid directly to the potential future cap counterparty and not become part of Available Funds in accordance with the terms of the Credit Support Annex. The Indenture Trustee shall not be liable for any losses on investments made in accordance with the potential future cap counterparty’s direction. All amounts deposited in the Interest Rate Cap Agreement Collateral Account shall be paid to the Issuer (and become part of Available Funds on the related Quarterly Distribution Date) or returned to the related potential future cap counterparty (in either case, upon receipt by the Indenture Trustee of written instructions from the Administrator to release the amounts on deposit) in accordance with the provisions set forth in the related Credit Support Agreement.

SECTION 3.2   Maintenance of Office or Agency . The Issuer shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York and in Luxembourg, so long as any of the Notes are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and the rules of such exchange so require, or in such other jurisdiction if any of the Notes are listed on another stock exchange of international standing and the rules of such other exchange so require, an office or agency where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Issuer in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Issuer hereby initially appoints the Indenture Trustee to serve as its agent for the foregoing purposes. The Issuer shall give prompt written notice to the Indenture Trustee of the location, and of any change in the location, of any such office or agency. If at any time the Issuer shall fail to maintain any such office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Indenture Trustee with the address thereof, such surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office, and the Issuer hereby appoints the Indenture Trustee as its agent to receive all such surrenders, notices and demands.

SECTION 3.3   Money for Payments to be Held in Trust . As provided in Section 8.2(a) and (b), all payments of amounts due and payable with respect to any Notes that are to be made from amounts distributed from the Collection Account or any other Trust Account pursuant to Section 2.7, or deposited into the Collection Account from the Capitalized Interest Account, the Supplemental Purchase Account, the Borrower Benefit Account, the Floor Income Rebate Account or the Reserve Account, pursuant to Sections 2.7 and 2.8 of the Administration Agreement shall be made on behalf of the Issuer by the Indenture Trustee or by another Paying Agent, and no amounts so distributed from the Collection Account or any other Trust Account for payments to Noteholders shall be paid over to the Issuer except as provided in this Section.

On or before the Business Day next preceding each Quarterly Distribution Date and Redemption Date, the Issuer shall distribute or cause to be distributed to the Indenture Trustee (or any other Paying Agent) an aggregate sum sufficient to pay the amounts then becoming due under the Notes, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto and (unless the Paying Agent is the Indenture Trustee) shall promptly notify the Indenture Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

The Issuer shall cause each Paying Agent other than the Indenture Trustee to execute and deliver to the Indenture Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Indenture Trustee (and if the Indenture Trustee acts as Paying Agent, it hereby so agrees), subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will:

(i)   hold all sums held by it for the payment of amounts due with respect to the Notes in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and pay such sums to such Persons as herein provided;

(ii)   give the Indenture Trustee notice of any default by the Issuer of which it has actual knowledge (or any other obligor upon the Notes) in the making of any payment required to be made with respect to the Notes;

(iii)   at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Indenture Trustee, forthwith pay to the Indenture Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent;

(iv)   immediately resign as a Paying Agent and forthwith pay to the Indenture Trustee all sums held by it in trust for the payments due under the Notes if at any time it ceases to meet the standards required to be met by a Paying Agent at the time of its appointment; and

(v)   comply with all requirements of the Code with respect to the withholding from any payments made by it on any Notes of any applicable withholding taxes imposed thereon and with respect to any applicable reporting requirements in connection therewith.

The Issuer may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, by Issuer Order direct any Paying Agent to pay to the Indenture Trustee all sums held in trust by such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Indenture Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which the sums were held by such Paying Agent; and upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Indenture Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

Subject to applicable laws with respect to escheat of funds, any money held by the Indenture Trustee or any Paying Agent in trust for the payment of any amount due with respect to any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such amount has become due and payable shall be discharged from such trust and be paid to the Issuer on Issuer Request or if the Issuer has been terminated to the Depositor upon its written request; and the Noteholder thereof shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Issuer for payment thereof (but only to the extent of the amounts so paid to the Issuer), and all liability of the Indenture Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Indenture Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, shall at the expense and direction of the Issuer cause to be published once, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily published on each Business Day and of general circulation in The City of New York and in Luxembourg, so long as any of the Notes are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and the rules of such Exchange so require, or in such other jurisdiction if any of the Notes are listed on another stock exchange of international standing and the rules of such other exchange so require, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Issuer. The Indenture Trustee shall also adopt and employ, at the expense of the Issuer, any other reasonable means of notification of such repayment (including mailing notice of such repayment to Noteholders whose Notes have been called but have not been surrendered for redemption or whose right to or interest in moneys due and payable but not claimed is determinable from the records of the Indenture Trustee or of any Paying Agent, at the last address of record for each such Noteholder).

SECTION 3.4   Existence . The Issuer shall keep in full effect its existence, rights and franchises as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware (unless it becomes, or any successor Issuer hereunder is or becomes, organized under the laws of any other State or of the United States of America, in which case the Issuer shall keep in full effect its existence, rights and franchises under the laws of such other jurisdiction) and shall obtain and preserve its qualification to do business in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is or shall be necessary to protect the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes, the Collateral and each other instrument or agreement included in the Indenture Trust Estate.

SECTION 3.5   Protection of Indenture Trust Estate . The Issuer will from time to time execute and deliver all such supplements and amendments hereto, all such financing statements and continuation statements and will take such other action necessary or advisable to:

(i)   maintain or preserve the lien and security interest (and the priority thereof) of this Indenture or carry out more effectively the purposes hereof;

(ii)   perfect, publish notice of or protect the validity of any grant made or to be made by this Indenture;

(iii)   enforce any of the Collateral; or

(iv)   preserve and defend title to the Indenture Trust Estate and the rights of the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders in such Indenture Trust Estate against the claims of all persons and parties.

The Issuer hereby designates the Indenture Trustee its agent and attorney-in-fact to execute any instrument required to be executed pursuant to this Section.

SECTION 3.6   Opinions as to Indenture Trust Estate . (a)  On the Closing Date, the Issuer shall furnish to the Indenture Trustee an Opinion of Counsel either stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action has been taken with respect to the recording and filing of this Indenture as is necessary to perfect and make effective the lien and security interest of this Indenture and reciting the details of such action, or stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, no such action is necessary to make such lien and security interest effective.

(b)   On or before December 31 in each calendar year, beginning in 2008, the Issuer shall furnish to the Indenture Trustee an Opinion of Counsel either stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, such action has been taken with respect to the recording, filing, re-recording and refiling of this Indenture and any indentures supplemental hereto as is necessary to maintain the lien and security interest created by this Indenture and relating the details of such action or stating that in the opinion of such counsel no such action is necessary to maintain such lien and security interest. Such Opinion of Counsel shall also describe the recording, filing, recording and refiling of this Indenture and any indentures supplemental hereto that will, in the opinion of such counsel, be required to maintain the lien and security interest of this Indenture until December 31 in the following calendar year.

SECTION 3.7   Performance of Obligations; Servicing of Trust Student Loans .

(a)   The Issuer will not take any action and will use its best efforts not to permit any action to be taken by others that would release any Person from any of such Person’s material covenants or obligations under any instrument or agreement included in the Indenture Trust Estate or that would result in the amendment, hypothecation, subordination, termination or discharge of, or impair the validity or effectiveness of, any such instrument or agreement, except as expressly provided in this Indenture, any other Basic Document or such other instrument or agreement.

(b)   The Issuer may contract with other Persons to assist it in performing its duties under this Indenture, and any performance of such duties by a Person identified to the Indenture Trustee in an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer shall be deemed to be action taken by the Issuer; provided , however , the Issuer shall not be liable for any acts of Persons with whom the Issuer has contracted with reasonable care. Initially, the Issuer has contracted with the Servicer and the Administrator to assist the Issuer in performing its duties under this Indenture. The Issuer shall give written notice to the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency of any such contract with any other Person.

(c)   The Issuer shall punctually perform and observe all of its obligations and agreements contained in this Indenture, the other Basic Documents and the instruments and agreements included in the Indenture Trust Estate, including filing or causing to be filed all UCC financing statements and continuation statements prepared by the Issuer and required to be filed by the terms of this Indenture and the Administration Agreement in accordance with and within the time periods provided for herein and therein. Except as otherwise expressly provided therein, the Issuer shall not waive, amend, modify, supplement or terminate any Basic Document or any provision thereof without the consent of the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes. The Issuer shall give written notice to each Rating Agency of any such waiver, amendment, modification, supplement or termination that requires the consent of the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes.

(d)   If an Authorized Officer of the Issuer shall have knowledge of the occurrence of a Servicer Default or an Administrator Default under the Servicing Agreement or the Administration Agreement, respectively, the Issuer shall promptly notify the Indenture Trustee and the Rating Agencies thereof, and shall specify in such notice the action, if any, the Issuer is taking with respect to such default. If a Servicer Default shall arise from the failure of the Servicer to perform any of its duties or obligations under the Servicing Agreement, or an Administrator Default shall arise from the failure of the Administrator to perform any of its duties or obligations under the Administration Agreement, as the case may be, with respect to the Trust Student Loans, the Issuer shall take all reasonable steps available to it to enforce its rights under the Basic Documents in respect of such failure.

(e)   As promptly as possible after the giving of notice of termination to the Servicer of the Servicer’s rights and powers, pursuant to Section 5.1 of the Servicing Agreement, or to the Administrator of the Administrator’s rights and powers, pursuant to Section 5.1 of the Administration Agreement, the Issuer shall appoint a successor servicer (the “Successor Servicer”) or a successor administrator (the “Successor Administrator”), respectively, and such Successor Servicer or Successor Administrator, as the case may be, shall accept its appointment by a written assumption in a form acceptable to the Indenture Trustee. In the event that a Successor Servicer or Successor Administrator has not been appointed and accepted its appointment at the time when the Servicer or Administrator, as the case may be, ceases to act as Servicer or Administrator, respectively, the Indenture Trustee without further action shall automatically be appointed the Successor Servicer or Successor Administrator, as the case may be. The Indenture Trustee may resign as the Successor Servicer or the Successor Administrator by giving written notice of resignation to the Issuer and in such event will be released from such duties and obligations, such release not to be effective until the date a new servicer or a new administrator, as the case may be, enters into an agreement with the Issuer as provided below; provided , however , that nothing herein shall require or permit the Indenture Trustee to act as Servicer, or otherwise service the Trust Student Loans, in violation of the Higher Education Act. Upon delivery of any such notice to the Issuer, the Issuer shall obtain a new servicer as the Successor Servicer under the Servicing Agreement or a new administrator as the Successor Administrator under the Administration Agreement, as the case may be. Any Successor Servicer or Successor Administrator, other than the Indenture Trustee, shall (i) be an established institution (A) that satisfies any requirements of the Higher Education Act applicable to servicers and (B) whose regular business includes the servicing or administration of student loans, as the case may be, and (ii) enter into a servicing agreement or an administration agreement, respectively, with the Issuer having substantially the same provisions as the provisions of the Servicing Agreement and the Administration Agreement, as applicable. If within 30 days after the delivery of the notice referred to above, the Issuer shall not have obtained such a new servicer or new administrator, as the case may be, the Indenture Trustee may appoint, or may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to appoint, a Successor Servicer or Successor Administrator, as applicable; provided , however , that such right to appoint or to petition for the appointment of any such successor shall in no event relieve the Indenture Trustee from any obligations otherwise imposed on it under the Basic Documents until such successor has in fact assumed such appointment. In connection with any such appointment, the Indenture Trustee may make such arrangements for the compensation of such successor as it and such successor shall agree, subject to the limitations set forth below and in the Servicing Agreement or Administration Agreement, as applicable, and in accordance with Section 5.2 of the Servicing Agreement and Section 5.2 of the Administration Agreement, the Issuer shall enter into an agreement with such successor for the servicing or administration of the Trust Student Loans (such agreement to be in form and substance satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee). If the Indenture Trustee shall succeed as provided herein to the Servicer’s duties as Servicer with respect to the Trust Student Loans, or the Administrator’s duties with respect to the Issuer and the Trust Student Loans, as the case may be, it shall do so in its individual capacity and not in its capacity as Indenture Trustee and, accordingly, the provisions of Article VI hereof shall be inapplicable to the Indenture Trustee in its duties as the successor to the Servicer or the Administrator, as the case may be, and the servicing or administration of the Trust Student Loans. In case the Indenture Trustee shall become successor to the Servicer or the Administrator, the Indenture Trustee shall be entitled to appoint as Servicer or as Administrator, as the case may be, any one of its Affiliates, provided that such appointment shall not affect or alter in any way the liability of the Indenture Trustee as Successor Servicer or Successor Administrator, respectively, in accordance with the terms hereof.

(f)   Upon any termination of the Servicer’s rights and powers pursuant to the Servicing Agreement, or any termination of the Administrator’s rights and powers pursuant to the Administration Agreement, as the case may be, the Issuer shall promptly notify the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency. As soon as a Successor Servicer or a Successor Administrator is appointed, the Issuer shall notify the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency of such appointment, specifying in such notice the name and address of such Successor Servicer or such Successor Administrator.

(g)   [Reserved].

(h)   Without derogating from the absolute nature of the assignment granted to the Indenture Trustee under this Indenture or the rights of the Indenture Trustee hereunder, the Issuer agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders of at least a majority in Outstanding Amount of the Notes, amend, modify, supplement, terminate, waive or surrender, or agree to any amendment, modification, supplement, termination, waiver or surrender of, the terms of any Collateral or the Basic Documents, except to the extent otherwise provided in the Basic Documents, or waive timely performance or observance by the Servicer, the Administrator, the Depositor, any Excess Distribution Certificateholder, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, the Issuer or the Eligible Lender Trustee under the Basic Documents; provided , however , that no such amendment shall (i) increase or reduce in any manner the amount of, or accelerate or delay the timing of, distributions that are required to be made for the benefit of the Noteholders, or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of the Notes which are required to consent to any such amendment, without the consent of the Noteholders of all the Outstanding Notes. If any such amendment, modification, supplement or waiver shall be so consented to by the Indenture Trustee or such Noteholders, the Issuer shall give written notice thereof to each Rating Agency and agrees, promptly following a request by the Indenture Trustee to do so, to execute and deliver, in its own name and at its own expense, such agreements, instruments, consents and other documents as the Indenture Trustee may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.

SECTION 3.8   Negative Covenants . So long as any Notes are Outstanding, the Issuer shall not:

(i)   except as expressly permitted by this Indenture or any other Basic Document, sell, transfer, exchange or otherwise dispose of any of the properties or assets of the Issuer, including those included in the Indenture Trust Estate, unless directed to do so by the Indenture Trustee;

(ii)   claim any credit on, or make any deduction from the principal or interest payable in respect of, the Notes (other than amounts properly withheld from such payments under the Code or applicable state law) or assert any claim against any present or former Noteholder by reason of the payment of the taxes levied or assessed upon any part of the Indenture Trust Estate; and

(iii)   (A) permit the validity or effectiveness of this Indenture to be impaired, or permit the lien of this Indenture to be amended, hypothecated, subordinated, terminated or discharged, or permit any Person to be released from any covenants or obligations with respect to the Notes under this Indenture except as may be expressly permitted hereby, (B) permit any lien, charge, excise, claim, security interest, mortgage or other encumbrance (other than the lien of this Indenture) to be created on or extend to or otherwise arise upon or burden the Indenture Trust Estate or any part thereof or any interest therein or the proceeds thereof (other than tax liens and other liens that arise by operation of law, and other than as expressly permitted by the Basic Documents) or (C) permit the lien of this Indenture not to constitute a valid first priority (other than with respect to any such tax or other lien) security interest in the Indenture Trust Estate.

SECTION 3.9   Annual Statement as to Compliance . The Issuer will deliver to the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Issuer (commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008), an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer stating that:

(i)   a review of the activities of the Issuer during such year and of performance under this Indenture has been made under such Authorized Officers’ supervision; and

(ii)   to the best of such Authorized Officers’ knowledge, based on such review, the Issuer has complied with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in the compliance of any such condition or covenant, specifying each such default known to such Authorized Officers and the nature and status thereof.

SECTION 3.10   Issuer May Consolidate, etc., Only on Certain Terms .

(a)   The Issuer shall not consolidate or merge with or into any other Person, unless:

(i)   the Person (if other than the Issuer) formed by or surviving such consolidation or merger shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Indenture Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and interest, if any, on all Notes and the performance or observance of every agreement and covenant of this Indenture and the other Basic Documents on the part of the Issuer to be performed or observed, all as provided herein;

(ii)   immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

(iii)   the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied with respect to such transaction;

(iv)   the Issuer shall have received an Opinion of Counsel (and shall have delivered copies thereof to the Indenture Trustee) to the effect that such transaction will not have any material adverse Federal or Delaware state tax consequence to the Issuer or any Noteholder;

(v)   any action as is necessary to maintain the lien and security interest created by this Indenture shall have been taken; and

(vi)   the Issuer shall have delivered to the Indenture Trustee an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such consolidation or merger and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article III and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with (including any filing required by the Exchange Act).

(b)   The Issuer shall not convey or transfer all or substantially all of its properties or assets, including those included in the Indenture Trust Estate, to any Person, unless:

(i)   the Person that acquires by conveyance or transfer the properties and assets of the Issuer the conveyance or transfer of which is hereby restricted shall (A) be a United States citizen or a Person organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State, (B) expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Indenture Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and interest, if any, on all Notes and the performance or observance of every agreement and covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Issuer to be performed or observed, all as provided herein, (C) expressly agree by means of such supplemental indenture that all right, title and interest so conveyed or transferred shall be subject and subordinate to the rights of Noteholders, (D) unless otherwise provided in such supplemental indenture, expressly agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Issuer against and from any loss, liability or expense arising under or related to this Indenture and the Notes and (E) expressly agree by means of such supplemental indenture that such Person (or if a group of Persons, then one specified Person) shall make all filings with the Commission (and any other appropriate Person) required by the Exchange Act in connection with the Notes;

(ii)   immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

(iii)   the Rating Agency Condition shall have been satisfied with respect to such transaction;

(iv)   the Issuer shall have received an Opinion of Counsel (and shall have delivered copies thereof to the Indenture Trustee) to the effect that such transaction will not have any material adverse Federal or Delaware state tax consequence to the Issuer or any Noteholder;

(v)   any action as is necessary to maintain the lien and security interest created by this Indenture shall have been taken; and

(vi)   the Issuer shall have delivered to the Indenture Trustee an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that such conveyance or transfer and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article III and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with (including any filing required by the Exchange Act).

SECTION 3.11   Successor or Transferee . (a)  Upon any consolidation or merger of the Issuer in accordance with Section 3.10(a), the Person formed by or surviving such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer) shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Issuer under this Indenture with the same effect as if such Person had been named as the Issuer herein.

(b)   Upon a conveyance or transfer of all the assets and properties of the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.10(b), SLM Student Loan Trust 2008-9 will be released from every covenant and agreement of this Indenture to be observed or performed on the part of the Issuer with respect to the Notes immediately upon the delivery by the Issuer of written notice to the Indenture Trustee stating that SLM Student Loan Trust 2008-9 is to be so released.

SECTION 3.12   No Other Business . The Issuer shall not engage in any business other than financing, purchasing, owning, selling and managing the Trust Student Loans and the other assets of the Issuer and related proceeds thereof, in the manner contemplated by this Indenture and the other Basic Documents and activities incidental thereto.

SECTION 3.13   No Borrowing . The Issuer shall not issue, incur, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable, directly or indirectly, for any indebtedness except for the Notes.

SECTION 3.14   Obligations of Servicer and Administrator . The Issuer shall cause the Servicer to comply with Sections 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the Administration Agreement and Section 3.7 of the Servicing Agreement and the Administrator to comply with Sections 2.11, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3 of the Administration Agreement.

SECTION 3.15   Guarantees, Loans, Advances and Other Liabilities . Except as contemplated by this Indenture and the other Basic Documents, the Issuer shall not make any loan or advance or credit to, or guarantee (directly or indirectly or by an instrument having the effect of assuring another’s payment or performance on any obligation or capability of so doing or otherwise), endorse or otherwise become contingently liable, directly or indirectly, in connection with the obligations, stocks or dividends of, or own, purchase, repurchase or acquire (or agree contingently to do so) any stock, obligations, assets or securities of, or any other interest in, or make any capital contribution to, any other Person.

SECTION 3.16   Capital Expenditures . The Issuer shall not make any expenditure (by long-term or operating lease or otherwise) for capital assets (either realty or personalty).

SECTION 3.17   Restricted Payments . The Issuer shall not, directly or indirectly, (i) pay any dividend or make any distribution (by reduction of capital or otherwise), whether in cash, property, securities or a combination thereof, to the Eligible Lender Trustee or any owner of a beneficial interest in the Issuer or otherwise with respect to any ownership or equity interest or security in or of the Issuer or to the Servicer or the Administrator, (ii) redeem, purchase, retire or otherwise acquire for value any such ownership or equity interest or security or (iii) set aside or otherwise segregate any amounts for any such purpose; provided , however , that the Issuer may make, or cause to be made, distributions to the Servicer, the Eligible Lender Trustee, the Indenture Trustee, the Noteholders, the Administrator, the Depositor and the Excess Distribution Certificateholder as contemplated by, and to the extent funds are available for such purpose under, this Indenture and the other Basic Documents. The Issuer will not, directly or indirectly, make payments to or distributions from the Collection Account except in accordance with this Indenture and the other Basic Documents.

SECTION 3.18   Notice of Events of Default . The Issuer shall give the Indenture Trustee and the Rating Agencies prompt written notice of each Event of Default hereunder. The Issuer shall give the Indenture Trustee and the Rating Agencies prompt written notice of each default on the part of (i) the Depositor of its obligations under the Sale Agreement, (ii) SLM ECFC of its obligations under the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, (iii) Bluemont Funding of its obligations under the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, (iv) Town Center Funding of its obligations under the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, (v) Town Hall Funding of its obligations under the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, (vi) the Servicer of its obligations under the Servicing Agreement and (vii) the Administrator of its obligations under the Administration Agreement. In addition, the Issuer shall deliver to the Indenture Trustee and each Rating Agency, within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice in the form of an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer of any event which with the giving of notice and the lapse of time would become an Event of Default under Section 5.1(iii), its status and what action the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

SECTION 3.19   Further Instruments and Acts . Upon request of the Indenture Trustee, the Issuer will execute and deliver such further instruments and do such further acts as may be reasonably necessary or proper to carry out more effectively the purpose of this Indenture.

SECTION 3.20   Representations and Warranties . The Issuer represents and warrants to the Indenture Trustee that, as of the Closing Date:

(a)   this Indenture creates a valid and continuing security interest (as defined in the applicable UCC) in the Trust Student Loans in favor of the Indenture Trustee, which security interest is prior to all other security interests, liens, charges, claims, offsets, defenses, counterclaims or encumbrances, and is enforceable as such as against creditors of and purchasers from the Issuer and Eligible Lender Trustee;

(b)   the Trust Student Loans constitute “Accounts” within the meaning of the applicable UCC and are within the coverage of Section 432(m)(1)(E) and 439(d)(3) of the Higher Education Act;

(c)   the Issuer has caused or will have caused, within 30 days, the filing of all appropriate financing statements in the proper filing office in the appropriate jurisdictions under applicable law in order to perfect the security interest in the Trust Student Loans granted to the Indenture Trustee hereunder;

(d)   the Eligible Lender Trustee owns and has legal title to the Trust Student Loans which, except for the beneficial interest of the Issuer and any obligations created pursuant to this Indenture, are free and clear of any Lien, claim or encumbrance of any Person; and

(e)   other than the security interest granted to the Indenture Trustee pursuant to this Agreement, the Eligible Lender Trustee has not pledged, assigned, sold, granted a security interest in, or otherwise conveyed any interest in the Trust Student Loans. The Trust has not authorized the filing of and is not aware of any financing statements against the Eligible Lender Trustee that include a description of collateral covering the Trust Student Loans other than any financing statement relating to the beneficial interest of the Issuer and the security interest granted to the Indenture Trustee hereunder or that has been terminated. The Trust is not aware of any judgment or tax lien filings against the Trust.

ARTICLE IV

Satisfaction and Discharge

SECTION 4.1   Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture . This Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to the Notes except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange, (ii) substitution of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes, (iii) rights of Noteholders to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, (iv) Sections 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.8, 3.10, 3.12 and 3.13, (v) the rights, obligations and immunities of the Indenture Trustee hereunder (including, without limitation, the rights of the Indenture Trustee under Section 6.7 and the obligations of the Indenture Trustee under Section 4.2) and (vi) the rights of Noteholders as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Indenture Trustee payable to all or any of them, and the Indenture Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Notes, when:

(a)   either

(1) all Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Notes that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.5 and (ii) Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Issuer and thereafter repaid to the Issuer or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 3.3) have been delivered to the Indenture Trustee for cancellation; or

(2) all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Indenture Trustee for cancellation:

(i) have become due and payable,

(ii) will become due and payable at their respective Note Final Maturity Date, within one year, or

(iii) are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Indenture Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Issuer, and the Issuer, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Indenture Trustee cash or direct obligations of or obligations guaranteed by the United States of America (which will mature prior to the date such amounts are payable), in trust for such purpose, in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Notes not theretofore delivered to the Indenture Trustee for cancellation when due to the Note Final Maturity Date;

(b)   the Issuer has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Issuer; and

(c)   the Issuer has delivered to the Indenture Trustee an Officers’ Certificate of the Issuer, an Opinion of Counsel and (if required by the TIA or the Indenture Trustee) an Independent Certificate from a firm of certified public accountants, each meeting the applicable requirements of Section 11.1(a) and, subject to Section 11.2, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.

SECTION 4.2   Application of Trust Money . All moneys deposited with the Indenture Trustee pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent, as the Indenture Trustee may determine, to the Noteholders of the particular Notes for the payment or redemption of which such moneys have been deposited with the Indenture Trustee, of all sums due and to become due thereon for principal and interest; but such moneys need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required herein or in the Administration Agreement or required by law.

SECTION 4.3   Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent . In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Notes, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent other than the Indenture Trustee under the provisions of this Indenture with respect to such Notes shall, upon demand of the Issuer, be paid to the Indenture Trustee to be held and applied according to Section 3.3 and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

SECTION 4.4   Auction of Trust Student Loans . On the date (the “Trust Auction Date”) that is three Business Days prior to the Quarterly Distribution Date immediately following the end of the first Collection Period when the Pool Balance is equal to 10% or less of the Initial Pool Balance, any Trust Student Loans remaining in the Trust shall be offered for sale by the Indenture Trustee unless the Servicer has exercised its option to purchase the Trust Estate as described in Section 6.1(a) of the Administration Agreement with respect to such Quarterly Distribution Date. The Servicer will be deemed to have waived such option if it fails to notify the Eligible Lender Trustee and the Indenture Trustee of its exercise thereof in writing prior to the Indenture Trustee’s acceptance of a bid to purchase such Trust Student Loans; provided , however , that there shall be no such offer for sale if the Indenture Trustee fails to provide notice to the Servicer in accordance with this Section 4.4. The Indenture Trustee shall provide written notice to the Servicer of any such offer for sale at least five Business Days in advance of the Trust Auction Date. The Indenture Trustee shall permit the Depositor or any of its Affiliates, including SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding and the Servicer, to offer bids only if the Pool Balance as of the applicable Trust Auction Date is equal to 10% or less of the Initial Pool Balance, and such bid does not exceed the fair market value of the Trust Student Loans as of the Trust Auction Date. If at least two bids are received, the Indenture Trustee shall solicit and resolicit new bids from all participating bidders until only one bid remains or the remaining bidders decline to resubmit bids. The Indenture Trustee shall accept the highest of such remaining bids if it is equal to or in excess of both (i) the Minimum Purchase Amount (plus any amounts owed to the Servicer for any Carryover Servicing Fees of which the Servicer has advised the Indenture Trustee in writing) and (ii) the fair market value of such Trust Student Loans as of the end of the Collection Period immediately preceding the Trust Auction Date. If at least two bids are not received or the highest bid after the resolicitation process is completed is not equal to or in excess of the higher of (i) the Minimum Purchase Amount (plus any amounts owed to the Servicer for any Carryover Servicing Fees of which the Servicer has advised the Indenture Trustee in writing) and (ii) the fair market value of the Trust Student Loans, the Indenture Trustee shall not consummate such sale. The Indenture Trustee may consult, and, at the direction of the Depositor, shall consult, with a financial advisor, including an Underwriter of the Notes or the Administrator, to determine if the fair market value of the Trust Student Loans has been offered. The proceeds of any such sale will be paid at the time set forth in Section 2.6 of the Administration Agreement and applied in the order of priority set forth in Section 5.4(b). If the sale is not consummated in accordance with the foregoing, the Indenture Trustee may, but shall not be under any obligation to, solicit bids for sale of the Trust Student Loans with respect to future Quarterly Distribution Dates upon terms similar to those described above, including the Servicer’s waiver of its option to purchase the Trust Estate in accordance with Section 6.1(a) of the Administration Agreement with respect to each such future Quarterly Distribution Date.

ARTICLE V

Remedies

SECTION 5.1   Events of Default . “Event of Default,” wherever used herein, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

(i)   default in the payment of any interest on any class of Notes when the same becomes due and payable, and such default shall continue for a period of five days; or

(ii)   default in the payment of the principal of any Note when the same becomes due and payable on the related Note Final Maturity Date; or

(iii)   default in the observance or performance of any covenant or agreement of the Issuer made in this Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement, a default in the observance or performance of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with), or any representation or warranty of the Issuer made in this Indenture or in any certificate or other writing having been incorrect in any material respect as of the time when made, such default or breach having a material adverse effect on the holders of the Notes, and such default or breach shall continue or not be cured, or the circumstance or condition in respect of which such misrepresentation or warranty was incorrect shall not have been eliminated or otherwise cured, for a period of 30 days after there shall have been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Issuer by the Indenture Trustee or to the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee by the Noteholders of at least 25% of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes, a written notice specifying such default or incorrect representation or warranty and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a notice of Default hereunder; or

(iv)   the filing of a decree or order for relief by a court having jurisdiction in the premises in respect of the Issuer or any substantial part of the Indenture Trust Estate in an involuntary case under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Issuer or for any substantial part of the Indenture Trust Estate, or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of the Issuer’s affairs, and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(v)   the commencement by the Issuer of a voluntary case under any applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or the consent by the Issuer to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or the consent by the Issuer to the appointment or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Issuer or for any substantial part of the Indenture Trust Estate, or the making by the Issuer of any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the failure by the Issuer generally to pay its debts as such debts become due, or the taking of action by the Issuer in furtherance of any of the foregoing.

SECTION 5.2   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment . If an Event of Default should occur and be continuing, then and in every such case the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders representing at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes may declare all the Notes to be immediately due and payable, by a notice in writing to the Issuer (and to the Indenture Trustee if given by Noteholders), and upon any such declaration the unpaid principal amount of such Notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon through the date of acceleration, shall become immediately due and payable, subject, however, to Section 5.4 of this Indenture.

At any time after such declaration of acceleration of maturity has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Indenture Trustee as hereinafter in this Article V; provided that Noteholders representing at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes, by written notice to the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:

(i)   the Issuer has paid or deposited with the Indenture Trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

(a) all payments of principal of and interest on all Notes and all other amounts that would then be due hereunder or upon such Notes if the Event of Default giving rise to such acceleration had not occurred; and

(b) all sums paid or advanced by the Indenture Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Indenture Trustee and its agents and counsel; and

(ii)   all Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal of the Notes that has become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.12.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereto.

SECTION 5.3   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Indenture Trustee . The Issuer covenants that if (i) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, and such default continues for a period of five days, or (ii) default is made in the payment of the principal of any Note when the same becomes due and payable at the related Note Final Maturity Date, the Issuer shall, upon demand of the Indenture Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Noteholders, the whole amount then due and payable on such Notes for principal and interest, with interest upon the overdue principal, and, to the extent payment at such rate of interest shall be legally enforceable, upon overdue installments of interest, at the rate specified in Section 2.7 and in addition thereto such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Indenture Trustee and its agents and counsel.

(a)   In case the Issuer shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such demand, the Indenture Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a Proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such Proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Issuer or other obligor upon such Notes and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Issuer or other obligor upon such Notes, wherever situated, the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable.

(b)   If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Indenture Trustee may, as more particularly provided in Section 5.4, in its discretion, proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Noteholders by such appropriate Proceedings as the Indenture Trustee shall deem most effective to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy or legal or equitable right vested in the Indenture Trustee by this Indenture or by law.

(c)   In case there shall be pending, relative to the Issuer or any other obligor upon the Notes or any Person having or claiming an ownership interest in the Indenture Trust Estate, Proceedings under Title 11 of the United States Code or any other applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, or in case a receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization, liquidator, sequestrator or similar official shall have been appointed for or taken possession of the Issuer or its property or such other obligor or Person, or in case of any other, comparable judicial Proceedings relative to the Issuer or other obligor upon the Notes, or to the creditors or property of the Issuer or such other obligor, the Indenture Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of any Notes shall then be due and payable, as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Indenture Trustee shall have made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section, shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise:

(i)   to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Notes and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Indenture Trustee (including any claim for reasonable compensation to the Indenture Trustee and each predecessor Indenture Trustee, and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and for reimbursement of all expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Indenture Trustee and each predecessor Indenture Trustee, except as a result of negligence or bad faith) and of the Noteholders allowed in such Proceedings;

(ii)   unless prohibited by applicable law and regulations, to vote on behalf of the Noteholders in any election of a trustee, a standby trustee or Person performing similar functions in any such Proceedings;

(iii)   to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute all amounts received with respect to the claims of the Noteholders and the Indenture Trustee on their behalf; and

(iv)   to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders allowed in any judicial Proceedings relative to the Issuer, its creditors and its property;

and any trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official in any such Proceeding is hereby authorized by each of such Noteholders to make payments to the Indenture Trustee, and, in the event that the Indenture Trustee shall consent to the making of payments directly to such Noteholders to pay to the Indenture Trustee such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Indenture Trustee, each predecessor Indenture Trustee and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and all other expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Indenture Trustee and each predecessor Indenture Trustee except as a result of negligence or bad faith.

(d)   Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Indenture Trustee to authorize or consent to or vote for or accept or adopt on behalf of any Noteholder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Noteholder thereof or to authorize the Indenture Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Noteholder in any such proceeding except, as aforesaid, to vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar Person.

(e)   All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the Notes, may be enforced by the Indenture Trustee without the possession of any of the Notes or the production thereof in any trial or other Proceedings relative thereto, and any such action or Proceedings instituted by the Indenture Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment, subject to the payment of the expenses, disbursements and compensation of the Indenture Trustee, each predecessor Indenture Trustee and their respective agents and attorneys, shall be for the ratable benefit of the Noteholders.

(f)   In any Proceedings brought by the Indenture Trustee (and also any Proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the Indenture Trustee shall be a party), the Indenture Trustee shall be held to represent all the Noteholders, and it shall not be necessary to make any Noteholder a party to any such Proceedings.

SECTION 5.4   Remedies; Priorities . If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Indenture Trustee may do one or more of the following (subject to Section 5.5):

(a)   (i)   institute Proceedings in its own name and as trustee of an express trust for the collection of all amounts then payable on the Notes or under this Indenture with respect thereto, whether by declaration or otherwise, enforce any judgment obtained, and collect from the Issuer and any other obligor upon such Notes moneys adjudged due;

(ii)   institute Proceedings from time to time for the complete or partial foreclosure of this Indenture, with respect to the Indenture Trust Estate;

(iii)   exercise any remedies of a secured party under the UCC with respect to the Trust Estate and take any other appropriate action to protect and enforce the rights and remedies of the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders;

(iv)   sell the Indenture Trust Estate or any portion thereof or rights or interest therein, at one or more public or private sales called and conducted in any manner permitted by law; and/or

(v)   elect to have the Eligible Lender Trustee maintain ownership of the Trust Student Loans and continue to apply collections with respect to the Trust Student Loans as if there had been no declaration of acceleration;

provided , however , that the Indenture Trustee may not sell or otherwise liquidate the Indenture Trust Estate following an Event of Default, other than an Event of Default described in Section 5.1(i) or (ii) with respect to the Class A Notes, unless (A) the Noteholders of 100% of the Outstanding Amount of the Class A Notes consent thereto, (B) the proceeds of such sale or liquidation distributable to the Class A Noteholders are sufficient to discharge in full all amounts then due and unpaid upon such Class A Notes for principal and interest or (C) the Indenture Trustee determines that the Indenture Trust Estate will not continue to provide sufficient funds for the payment of principal of and interest on the Class A Notes as would have become due if the Class A Notes had not been declared due and payable, and the Indenture Trustee obtains the consent of Noteholders of 66-2/3% of the Outstanding Amount of the Class A Notes; provided , further , that the Indenture Trustee may not sell or otherwise liquidate the Indenture Trust Estate following an Event of Default, other than an Event of Default described in Section 5.1(i) or (ii) with respect to the Class A Notes, unless (D) the proceeds of such sale or liquidation distributable to the Class B Noteholders plus the proceeds of the sale or liquidation of the Trust Estate distributable to the Class B Noteholders are sufficient to pay to the Class B Noteholders the Outstanding Amount of the Class B Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon or (E) the proceeds of such sale or liquidation distributable to the Class B Noteholders plus the proceeds of the sale or liquidation of the Trust Estate distributable to the Class B Noteholders would not be sufficient to pay to the Class B Noteholders the outstanding principal plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, the Class B Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Class B Notes consent thereto. In determining such sufficiency or insufficiency with respect to clauses (B), (C), (D) and (E), the Indenture Trustee may, but need not, obtain and rely upon an opinion of an Independent investment banking or accounting firm of national reputation as to the feasibility of such proposed action and as to the sufficiency of the Indenture Trust Estate and/or Trust Estate, as applicable, for such purpose.

(b)   Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.8 of the Administration Agreement, following the occurrence and during the continuation of an Event of Default which has resulted in an acceleration of the Notes, if the Indenture Trustee collects any money or property, it shall pay out, on each Quarterly Distribution Date, the money or property (and other amounts including amounts, if any, held on deposit in each of the Trust Accounts) held as Collateral for the benefit of the Noteholders, net of liquidation costs associated with the sale of the assets of the Trust, in the following order:

FIRST: pro rata, to the Indenture Trustee for amounts due under Section 6.7 and to the Eligible Lender Trustee and the Delaware Trustee for amounts due under Section 8.1 of the Trust Agreement (but, in each case, only to the extent not paid by the Administrator or the Depositor);

FOURTH: to the Class A Noteholders, the Class A Noteholders’ Interest Distribution Amount based on the amounts payable as Class A Noteholders’ Interest Distribution Amount;

FIFTH: to the Class A Noteholders, an amount sufficient to reduce the principal balance of the Class A Notes to zero;

SIXTH: to the Class B Noteholders, the Class B Noteholders’ Interest Distribution Amount based on the amounts payable as Class B Noteholders’ Interest Distribution Amount;

SEVENTH: to the Class B Noteholders an amount sufficient to reduce the principal balance of the Class B Notes to zero;

EIGHTH: to the Servicer, for any unpaid Carryover Servicing Fees;

NINTH: to any potential future cap counterparty under a potential future interest rate cap agreement, any amounts owed pursuant to Section 2.1(kk) of the Administration Agreement; and

TENTH: to the Excess Distribution Certificateholder, any remaining funds after application of the preceding clauses.

To the extent such Quarterly Distribution Date will not coincide with a Quarterly Distribution Date, the Indenture Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Noteholders pursuant to this subsection. At least 15 days before such record date, the Indenture Trustee shall mail to each Noteholder and the Issuer a notice that states the record date, the payment date and the amount to be paid.

(c) [Reserved].

SECTION 5.5   Optional Preservation of the Trust Student Loans . If the Notes have been declared to be due and payable under Section 5.2 following an Event of Default and such declaration and its consequences have not been rescinded and annulled, the Indenture Trustee may, but need not, elect to maintain possession of the Indenture Trust Estate. It is the desire of the parties hereto and the Noteholders that there be at all times sufficient funds for the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes, and the Indenture Trustee shall take such desire into account when determining whether or not to maintain possession of the Indenture Trust Estate. In determining whether to maintain possession of the Indenture Trust Estate, the Indenture Trustee may, but need not, obtain and rely upon an opinion of an Independent investment banking or accounting firm of national reputation as to the feasibility of such proposed action and as to the sufficiency of the Indenture Trust Estate for such purpose.

SECTION 5.6   Limitation of Suits . No Noteholder shall have any right to institute any Proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

(i)   such Noteholder has previously given written notice to the Indenture Trustee of a continuing Event of Default;

(ii)   the Noteholders of not less than 25% of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes have made written request to the Indenture Trustee to institute such Proceeding in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Indenture Trustee hereunder;

(iii)   such Noteholder or Noteholders have offered to the Indenture Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in complying with such request;

(iv)   the Indenture Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute such Proceeding; and

(v)   no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Indenture Trustee during such 60-day period by the Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes;

it being understood and intended that no one or more Noteholders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other Noteholders or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Noteholders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided.

In the event the Indenture Trustee shall receive conflicting or inconsistent requests and indemnity from two or more groups of Noteholders, each representing less than a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes, the Indenture Trustee in its sole discretion may determine what action, if any, shall be taken, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture.

SECTION 5.7   Unconditional Rights of Noteholders to Receive Principal and Interest . Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Indenture, each Noteholder shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest on its Note on or after the respective due dates thereof expressed in such Note or in this Indenture (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Noteholder.

SECTION 5.8   Restoration of Rights and Remedies . If the Indenture Trustee or any Noteholder has instituted any Proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such Proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason or has been determined adversely to the Indenture Trustee or to such Noteholder, then and in every such case the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders shall, subject to any determination in such Proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders shall continue as though no such Proceeding had been instituted.

SECTION 5.9   Rights and Remedies Cumulative . No right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Indenture Trustee or to the Noteholders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

SECTION 5.10   Delay or Omission Not a Waiver . No delay or omission of the Indenture Trustee or any Noteholder to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article V or by law to the Indenture Trustee or to the Noteholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Indenture Trustee or by the Noteholders, as the case may be.

SECTION 5.11   Control by Noteholders . The Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any Proceeding for any remedy available to the Indenture Trustee with respect to the Notes or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Indenture Trustee; provided that

(i)   such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture;

(ii)   subject to the express terms of Section 5.4, any direction to the Indenture Trustee to sell or liquidate the Indenture Trust Estate shall be by the Noteholders of not less than 100% of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes;

(iii)   if the conditions set forth in Section 5.5 have been satisfied and the Indenture Trustee elects to retain the Indenture Trust Estate pursuant to such Section, then any direction to the Indenture Trustee by Noteholders of less than 100% of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes to sell or liquidate the Indenture Trust Estate shall be of no force and effect; and

(iv)   the Indenture Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Indenture Trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction;

provided , however , that, subject to Section 6.1, the Indenture Trustee need not take any action that it determines might involve it in liability or might materially adversely affect the rights of any Noteholders not consenting to such action.

SECTION 5.12   Waiver of Past Defaults . Prior to the time a judgment or decree for payment of money due has been obtained as described in Section 5.2, the Noteholders of at least a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes may waive any past Default and its consequences except a Default (a) in payment when due of principal of or interest on any of the Notes or (b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each Noteholder. In the case of any such waiver, the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee and the Noteholders shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist and be deemed to have been cured and not to have occurred for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

SECTION 5.13   Undertaking for Costs . All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Noteholder by such Noteholder’s acceptance of any Note shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Indenture Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Indenture Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to (a) any suit instituted by the Indenture Trustee, (b) any suit instituted by any Noteholder, or group of Noteholders, in each case holding in the aggregate more than 10% of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes or (c) any suit instituted by any Noteholder for the enforcement of the payment of principal of or interest on any Note on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Note and in this Indenture (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).

SECTION 5.14   Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws . The Issuer covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead or in any manner whatsoever, claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Issuer (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Indenture Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

SECTION 5.15   Action on Notes . The Indenture Trustee’s right to seek and recover judgment on the Notes or under this Indenture shall not be affected by the seeking, obtaining or application of any other relief under or with respect to this Indenture. Neither the lien of this Indenture nor any rights or remedies of the Indenture Trustee or the Noteholders shall be impaired by the recovery of any judgment by the Indenture Trustee against the Issuer or by the levy of any execution under such judgment upon any portion of the Indenture Trust Estate or upon any of the assets of the Issuer. Any money or property collected by the Indenture Trustee shall be applied in accordance with Section 5.4(b).

SECTION 5.16   Performance and Enforcement of Certain Obligations .

(a)   Promptly following a request from the Indenture Trustee to do so and at the Administrator’s expense, the Issuer shall take all such lawful action as the Indenture Trustee may request to compel or secure the performance and observance by the Depositor, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, the Administrator and the Servicer, as applicable, of each of their respective obligations to the Issuer, whether directly or by assignment, under or in connection with the Sale Agreement, the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, the Administration Agreement and the Servicing Agreement, respectively, in accordance with the terms thereof, and to exercise any and all rights, remedies, powers and privileges lawfully available to the Issuer under or in connection with the Sale Agreement, the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, the Administration Agreement and the Servicing Agreement, as the case may be, to the extent and in the manner directed by the Indenture Trustee, including the transmission of notices of default on the part of the Depositor, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, the Administrator or the Servicer thereunder and the institution of legal or administrative actions or proceedings to compel or secure performance by the Depositor, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, the Administrator or the Servicer of each of their obligations under the Sale Agreement, the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, the Administration Agreement and the Servicing Agreement, respectively.

(b)   If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Indenture Trustee may, and at the written direction of the Noteholders of 66-2/3% of the Outstanding Amount of the Controlling Notes shall, exercise all rights, remedies, powers, privileges and claims of the Issuer against the Depositor, SLM ECFC, Bluemont Funding, Town Center Funding, Town Hall Funding, the Administrator or the Servicer under or in connection with the Sale Agreement, the SLM ECFC Purchase Agreement, the Bluemont Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Center Funding Purchase Agreement, the Town Hall Funding Purchase Agreement, the Administration Agreement and the S