Repaying Your Loans
Loan Discharge/Cancellation
- Total and Permanent Disability Discharge
- You can apply for this discharge if you are totally and permanently disabled. That means you can't work because of an injury or illness that is expected to continue indefinitely or result in death. To apply, submit a Loan Discharge Application: Total and Permanent Disability form. You can also submit the Total and Permanent Disability Discharge: Applicant Representative Designation form if you want someone to act as your representative. More information can be found at www.disabilitydischarge.com
- Death Discharge
- If borrowers die, their federal student loans can be discharged. PLUS Loans can be discharged if the student for whom the parent took out the loan dies. To request such a discharge, send an original or certified copy of the death certificate to the loan holder.
- Identity Theft
- If you believe someone stole your identity and used it to get a student loan, complete an Affidavit of Identity Theft/Forgery, notarize it and submit it to your loan holder. You must also submit a copy of the court judgment or verdict showing that you were a victim of identity theft.
School-Related Discharges
- If you didn’t have a high school diploma or GED when you enrolled and don’t think the school properly tested your ability to benefit from the program, you may apply for a False Certification: Ability to Benefit discharge. To apply, complete and submit the Loan Discharge Application: False Certification (Ability to Benefit) form to your loan holder.
- If when you borrowed a federal student loan but had a condition (physical, mental, age, criminal record) that kept you from meeting state requirements for the occupation for which you received training, you may be eligible for a False Certification: Disqualifying Status discharge. To apply, complete and submit the Loan Discharge Application: False Certification (Disqualifying Status) form to your loan holder.
- If you think a school representative signed your name without permission on the loan application, promissory note or loan checks or authorized your loan to be disbursed by electronic funds transfer or master check without your permission, you may be eligible for a False Certification: Unauthorized Signature/Unauthorized Payment discharge. To apply, you must attach five different samples of your signature to and complete the Loan Discharge Application: False Certification (Unauthorized Signature / Unauthorized Payment) form. At least two of the samples must be on documents that are clearly dated within a year before or after the date of the contested signature. You may not be eligible if the loan was used to pay for the part of the program of study you completed.
- If you think your school failed to pay your lender a refund required by federal law, you may be eligible for a False Certification: Unpaid Refund discharge. To apply, complete the Loan Discharge Application: Unpaid Refund form and forward to the loan holder.
- If you could not complete your educational program because your school closed while you were enrolled or within 90 days after you withdrew, you may be eligible for a Closed School discharge. To apply, complete and send your loan holder a School Closure Loan Discharge Application.
Your loan can’t be discharged because you:
- Aren’t satisfied with the school’s services.
- Think the school provided poor training or had unqualified instructors or inadequate equipment.
- Believe the school didn’t provide job placement or other services it promised.
- Think the school engaged in fraud other than falsely certifying the loan.
Borrower Defense Discharge
You can apply for a Borrower Defense Discharge if your school misled you or violated state law in relation to your loan or education.
