For-Profit College Student Loan Forgiveness List [Fraud]

Updated on June 22, 2024

Key Takeaways

  • We maintain a list of schools, many of them for-profit colleges, that have defrauded students or have been alleged to have done so. We update it periodically.

  • Borrowers whose schools are on the list may be eligible for loan forgiveness through Borrower Defense to Repayment.

  • The Sweet v. Cardona settlement has expanded loan forgiveness options for many borrowers.

  • Even if your school isn’t on the list, you may still have options if you suspect fraud.

  • Multiple loan forgiveness programs are available, not just Borrower Defense to Repayment.

Venn diagram illustrating defrauded student loan forgiveness, with one circle labeled 'Borrower Defense Repayment' in red, the other labeled 'Sweet v Cardona Discharge' in yellow, and the overlapping section in purple. The title 'Defrauded Student Loan Forgiveness' is at the top, and the source 'Student Loan Strategist' is at the bottom.

Overlapping Forgiveness: Borrower Defense Repayment and Sweet v. Cardona Programs

List of Schools That Defrauded Students

This comprehensive list includes schools that have been accused of defrauding students or are subject to borrower defense claims. It covers both closed institutions and those still operating. If you find your school in this list, you may be eligible for student loan forgiveness.

School List

A

Al Collins Graphic Design School

Allentown Business School

All‐State Career School

American Career College

American Career Institute (ACI)

American College for Medical Careers

American Commercial College

American InterContinental University

American Motorcycle Institute

American National University

American University of the Caribbean

Anamarc College

Anthem College

Anthem Institute

Arizona Summit Law School

Argosy University

Ashmead College

Ashford University*

ATI Career Training Center

ATI College

ATI College of Health

ATI Technical Training Center

B

Bauder College

Beckfield College

Berkeley College

Blair College

Blue Cliff College

Branford Hall Career Institute

Brightwood Career Institute

Brightwood College

Briarcliffe College

Brooks College

Brooks Institute

Brown College

Brown Institute

Brown Mackie College

Bryman College

Bryman Institute

C

California College San Diego

California Culinary Academy

California School of Culinary Arts

Capella University

Career Point College

Carrington College

CDI College

Center for Employment Training

Chamberlain University

Charlotte School of Law

Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Collins College

CollegeAmerica

Colorado Technical University

Computer Systems Institute

Concorde Career College

Concorde Career Institute

Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago

Corinthian Colleges (including Everest, WyoTech, and others)

Court Reporting Institute

Court Reporting Institute of St Louis

D-E

Daymar College

DeVry College of Technology

DeVry Institute of Technology

DeVry University

Dorsey College

Duff’s Business Institute

Empire Beauty School

Eton Technical Institute

Everest

Everest College Phoenix

Everest University Online

Everglades University

 

F-G

FastTrain

Florida Career College

Florida Coastal School of Law

Florida Metropolitan University

Florida Technical College

Fortis College

Fortis Institute

Georgia Medical Institute

Gibbs College

Globe University

Grand Canyon University*

Gwinnett College

H-K

Hallmark Institute of Photography

Hallmark University

Harrington College of Design

Harris School of Business

Heald College

Illinois Institute of Art

Independence University

Institute for Health Education

International Academy of Design and Technology

International Technical Institute

ITT Technical Institute

Kaplan Career Institute

Kaplan College

Katharine Gibbs School

Kee Business College

Keiser University

Keller Graduate School of Management

Kitchen Academy

L-M

La’ James College of Hairstyling

La’ James International College

Las Vegas College

Le Cordon Bleu

Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts

Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts

Lehigh Valley College

Lincoln College of Technology

Lincoln Technical Institute

Marinello School of Beauty

McCann School of Business & Technology

McIntosh College

Medtech College

Miami International University of Art & Design

Miami‐Jacobs Career College

Micropower Career Institute

Miller Motte Business College

Miller‐Motte College

Miller‐Motte Technical College

Minnesota School of Business

Missouri College of Cosmetology North

Mount Washington College

N-O

National Institute of Technology

National School of Technology

National University College

New England College of Business and Finance

New England Institute of Art

NUC University

Olympia Career Training Institute

Olympia College

Orlando Culinary Academy

P-R

Parks College

Pennsylvania Culinary Institute

Pittsburgh Career Institute

Purdue University Global

Radians College

Remington College

Robert Fiance Beauty Schools

Robert Fiance Hair Design Institute

Robert Fiance Institute of Florida

Rochester Business Institute

Ross University School of Medicine

Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

S-T

Salter College

Sanford‐Brown College

Sanford‐Brown Institute

School of Computer Technology

Scottsdale Culinary Institute

Sequoia College

South University

Southern California School of Culinary Arts

Southern Technical College

Star Career Academy

Stevens‐Henager

Suburban Technical School

Sullivan and Cogliano Training Centers

Tampa College

Texas Culinary Academy

The Art Institutes

Tucson College

U-W

Ultrasound Diagnostic Schools

United Education Institute

University of Phoenix

University of the Rockies*

Vatterott College

Virginia College

Walden University

Washington Business School

Western Business College

Western Culinary Institute

Western International University

Western School of Health and Business Careers

Western State University College of Law

Westwood College

Wilfred Academy

Wilfred Academy of Beauty Culture

Wilfred Academy of Hair & Beauty Culture

Wright Business School

Wright Career College

WyoTech

Points to Remember:

  • Automatic Loan Discharge: Some schools, like the Art Institutes, Westwood College, and Marinello Schools of Beauty, have automatic loan forgiveness for certain periods.

  • Individual Applications: For other schools, like DeVry University, you’ll need to apply for relief and provide evidence of misconduct.

  • Sweet v. Cardona Settlement: This settlement provides loan discharges for thousands of borrowers who submitted applications against over 150 schools.

  • Private Student Loans: While most forgiveness programs apply to federal loans, some relief may be available for private loans through Navient’s School Misconduct Discharge Program.

Common Types of Misconduct:

  • Misrepresentations about educational services

  • False or inflated job placement rates

  • Deception regarding program accreditation

  • Misleading information about credit transfers

  • False promises about career outcomes

Remember: Inclusion on this list doesn’t guarantee loan forgiveness, but it indicates the school has been subject to scrutiny.

Overview of Relief Options

If you’re seeking relief from student loans due to school fraud, there are two main paths you should understand:

  • Borrower Defense to Repayment: BDR is a federal program that allows you to request loan forgiveness if your school misled you or engaged in misconduct. You can apply for Borrower Defense to Repayment through the Department of Education. Some schools, like Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute, have received blanket approvals, meaning former students may receive automatic discharge without applying.

  • Sweet v. Cardona Settlement: This class-action lawsuit settlement covers borrowers who submitted BDR applications by June 22, 2022, for loans associated with over 150 listed schools. If you’re part of this settlement, you may receive automatic loan discharge without further action.

How These Paths Intersect

  • If you submitted a BDR application before June 22, 2022, check if you’re part of the Sweet v. Cardona settlement.

  • If you submitted a BDR application after June 22, 2022, or if you haven’t applied yet, you’re considered a post-class applicant. You’ll need to go through the standard BDR process.

  • Remember, some schools have received blanket discharge approvals outside of the settlement. Check the list above for your school’s status.

Approved Discharges for Specific Schools

School

Eligibility

Need to Apply?

1. American Career Institute (ACI)

All borrowers who took out federal loans
to attend an ACI campus in Massachusetts

No, ED has identified all eligible borrowers
and discharged their loans

2. Corinthian Colleges, Inc. (CCI)

Federal student loan borrowers who attended
a CCI school between 1995 and 2015

No, ED will notify borrowers by email
of their loan discharge

3. Court Reporting Institute (CRI)

Borrowers who attended CRI between August 1998
and its closure in 2006 and relied on promises
about program completion times

Yes, visit the borrower defense page to apply

4. DeVry University (DeVry)

Borrowers who attended DeVry between 2008 and 2015
and relied upon the advertisements stating
a 90% job placement rate

Yes, visit the borrower defense page to apply

5. ITT Technical Institute (ITT)

Federal student loan borrowers who attended ITT
between 2005 and 2016

No, ED will notify borrowers by email
of their loan discharge

6. Marinello Schools of Beauty

Federal student loan borrowers who attended
Marinello between 2009 and 2016

No, ED will notify borrowers by email
of their loan discharge

7. Minnesota School of Business/
Globe University (MSB/Globe)

Borrowers who attended MSB/Globe between 2009
and its closure, enrolled in a criminal justice program,
and believed they were eligible for specific
employment opportunities

Yes, visit the borrower defense page to apply

8. Westwood College

Federal student loan borrowers who attended
Westwood between 2002 and 2015

No, ED will notify borrowers by email
of their loan discharge

9. Art Institutes

Borrowers who attended Art Institute schools
between January 1, 2004, and October 16, 2017

No, borrowers will be notified and see
their debt canceled automatically

Remember, this table provides examples and is not exhaustive. Always check the most recent information from the Department of Education or consult with a student loan expert for your specific case.

What This Means for You

Depending on your specific situation, your path to potential loan forgiveness will vary. Here’s a breakdown of what this means for different groups of borrowers, including expected timelines:

If Your School Has Received Blanket Discharge Approval

Schools like Corinthian Colleges, ITT Technical Institute, and some Art Institutes fall into this category. If you attended one of these schools, you may be eligible for automatic loan discharge without needing to apply.

The Department of Education should contact you directly about your discharge. Keep a close eye on your email and mail for official communications regarding your loan status.

If You’re Part of the Sweet v. Cardona Settlement

This applies if you submitted a BDR application by June 22, 2022, for a school listed in the settlement. Some of the schools include Ashford University, Kaplan Career Institute, Colorado Technical University, and Charlotte College of Law.

Your application should be reviewed and processed as part of the settlement agreement, potentially resulting in automatic loan discharge and refunds. The Department of Education has established the following timeline for processing these applications:

  • Applications submitted before December 31, 2017: Decisions should have been made by July 28, 2023.

  • Applications from 2018: Decisions should have been made by January 28, 2024.

  • Applications from 2019: Expect decisions by July 28, 2024.

  • Applications from 2020: Decisions should be made by January 28, 2025.

  • Applications from January 1, 2021, to June 22, 2022: Expect decisions by July 28, 2025.

Visit the Project on Predatory Student Lending’s website to stay updated on the progress of your case. And check out the Education Departments on submitting a materially complete BDR claim.

If You Applied for BDR After June 22, 2022 (Post-Class Applicant)

As a post-class applicant, your application will be processed through the standard BDR review process. You should have received notice of this status by May 28, 2023, and can expect a decision on your application by January 28, 2026.

While the timeline for review may be lengthy, the Department of Education is working to streamline the process. You’ll need to clearly demonstrate how your school misled you or engaged in misconduct to strengthen your case for loan forgiveness.

If you haven’t received expected notifications or decisions, first check your email thoroughly, including spam folders, for messages from noreply@studentaid.gov. If you can’t locate any notifications, consider filling out the Class Notice Survey on the official settlement website to ensure your application is being properly processed.

If You Haven’t Applied for BDR Yet

If your school is on the list but you haven’t applied for BDR, you can still submit an application. Here’s what to do:

  1. Gather evidence of how your school misled you or engaged in misconduct.

  2. Submit your application through the Federal Student Aid website.

  3. Be prepared for a potentially lengthy review process (potentially up to 3 years based on current timelines).

  4. Continue making loan payments unless instructed otherwise.

If Your School Isn’t on the List

Even if your school isn’t on the list, you can still submit a BDR application if you believe you were misled. Additionally, consider exploring other loan forgiveness options.

Even after the Supreme Court struck down Biden’s first broad-based cancellation plan, his administration has forgiven tens of billions of dollars through other forgiveness programs. These programs include:

  • One-Time Account Adjustment

  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness

  • SAVE Plan Forgiveness

  • Closed School Discharge

  • Total and Permanent Disability Discharge.

Check our article about “Biden Student Loan Forgiveness” for more information on these programs and their specific timelines.

How We Got Here

The Borrower Defense to Repayment program has a complex history. Many borrowers applied for relief under this little-used program years ago, during the transition from the Obama to the Trump administration.

However, under Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, the U.S. Department of Education stalled these applications, leaving thousands of borrowers in limbo.

This inaction led to a class action lawsuit, which continued into the Biden administration.

In 2022, the case, now known as Sweet v. Cardona, reached a settlement. This agreement covered over 200,000 borrowers who had pending BDR claims against more than 150 schools, promising automatic loan discharges and refunds of payments made.

But the settlement faced delays. As of early 2024, the Department of Education missed court-ordered deadlines for implementing relief — mainly due to administrative hurdles, not from a lack of trying — leading to further legal action and oversight.

Simultaneously, the Biden administration has taken steps to address fraudulent practices in for-profit education:

  • It approved widespread loan discharges for students of specific institutions like Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute.

  • The administration has forgiven about $28.7 billion in debt for 1.6 million borrowers whose institutions engaged in misleading practices or closed down.

  • New regulations have been proposed to streamline the BDR process and protect students from predatory practices.

Note: While the Sweet v. Cardona settlement provides relief for many, it doesn’t cover all potentially defrauded borrowers. Those not included in the settlement, or who attended schools accused of fraud after the settlement, still need to submit individual BDR applications.

Bottom Line

The extensive list of schools that defrauded students reveals a significant issue in higher education. For many college students and graduates, this information may open doors to potential debt relief.

If you attended any of these institutions, you might be eligible for federal student loan debt forgiveness through programs like Borrower Defense to Repayment or the Sweet v. Cardona settlement.

This information can be valuable for borrowers seeking relief from educational debt incurred under potentially fraudulent circumstances. As the landscape of student loan forgiveness continues to evolve, staying informed about your options is beneficial.

Even if your school isn’t listed, you may still have avenues for loan forgiveness if you believe you were misled. You can apply for BDR relief at studentaid.gov/borrower-defense/.

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FAQs

Do I Qualify for Defrauded Student Loan Forgiveness?

You may qualify for defrauded student loan forgiveness if your school misled you or engaged in misconduct. Eligibility depends on factors like the school you attended, when you were enrolled, and the nature of the deception. To determine if you qualify, check if your school is on the list of institutions subject to borrower defense claims. If it is, you can apply for loan forgiveness through the Borrower Defense to Repayment program.

What School Loans Are Forgiven?

Various schools have been identified for loan forgiveness, including Corinthian Colleges, ITT Technical Institute, and the Art Institutes. The list also includes DeVry University, University of Phoenix, and numerous other for-profit institutions. Eligibility often depends on your enrollment dates. The Department of Education continues to investigate schools and expand the list. To check if your school is included, visit the Federal Student Aid website or consult our comprehensive list of affected institutions.

How Do I Know If I Applied for Borrower Defense?

You should have received a confirmation email from the Department of Education when you submitted your Borrower Defense application. Check your email, including spam folders, for messages from noreply@studentaid.gov. If you can't find a confirmation, log into your Federal Student Aid account at studentaid.gov. Under the "Borrower Defense" section, you'll see the status of any applications you've submitted.

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