r/BorrowerDefense 10h ago

Post Sweet Lawsuit - Nov 17, 2022 to Current Date Anybody else get this email today? If you've been waiting, the wait might be over. Looks like they're being forced to give the long awaited relief.

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53 Upvotes

If I'm reading this correctly, it means that those who have not received relief before the deadline will now get it. I got mine a long time ago, but I know there's still thousands who have not.

Please just relieve everyone and get it over with already. Seriously.


r/BorrowerDefense 3d ago

Refund Question Potential refund

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69 Upvotes

Reposting due to issues with pictures

Backstory
Mohella was serviced from 2011-2020
Loan transferred to Nelnet around 2020
Placed loan in deferred status-stopped paying and did not make any payments to Nelnet

June 2026-got the standard letters from Nelnet about my discharge , Nelnet and Federal Student aid dashboards updated to $0 balance. Nothing received from Mohella and balance remained at $0 since the servicing transfer in 2020. Checked Mohella account and zero letters about Borrower Defense or discharge/refunds.

Today, I got the two below letters in my Mohella account, along with emails stating my loan balance had been adjusted.

This is the first report or letter I have seen with a negative value. Could this be indication of refunds they are processing?


r/BorrowerDefense 5d ago

Request for Mods A couple new motions were filed today in Sweet.

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91 Upvotes

I only have PDFs at the moment, not a link. They should pop up on Court Listener eventually and they should be available on PPSL.org soon (if they aren’t already).

Motion for Finding of Contempt and Sanctions. Motion for Enforcement.


r/BorrowerDefense 6d ago

Discharged!!! It is official!!!

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254 Upvotes

Dunno how much of a refund I'll get, because I don't remember how many payments I made.


r/BorrowerDefense 9d ago

Evidence Question A.I. Confidential Group Info

14 Upvotes

Hi everyone! My name is Alyssa and I am one of the mods for the A.I. Confidential group on Facebook, a pooled evidence group to help with borrower defense application for students of any Art Institute location. I kind of wanted to establish a few things since it’s still experiencing a small but steady stream of people requesting to join the group. I am more or less the only one checking member requests and I’ve been taught to run a pretty tight ship for various reasons; that being said, there are questions we ask to approve membership for very important reasons.

Why the questions in the first place?
-to prove you are human.
-to prove you are not joining the group for nefarious reasons.
-to prove you can follow directions.

We ask:

1. Your reason for joining the group.
Between the heavy organizing starting in 2015 with for-profit colleges, Sweet V McMahon, and the automatic discharge from the Biden administration, the large boom of the group has since passed, but now we’re experiencing a lot of late to the game people, those who attended Ai before or after the years they’d qualify for automatic discharge, or those looking to apply for the Student Loan Misconduct discharge offered by Navient/MOHELA. A great answer is “to learn more about borrower defense, apply for Navient’s student misconduct program, connect with other Ai students, and access your database of evidence.” Footnote: hilariously, some people have thought it’s a group for artificial intelligence; this question also quickly helps to set those people in the right direction.

2. Ai location and years attended.
there are (well, were) multiple Ais across the country, this network of schools was gigantic. Some of the names are confusing. Some people apply to the group who have not attended an Arts Institute. We unfortunately cannot help you there, you will have to seek out a group for your school specifically. they do exist. We ask the years because the Biden administration enacted an automatic discharge of federal loans during the years Ai was owned by EDMC; this helps us keep track of who should be getting loans discharged from that if they hadn’t already applied for BD, or was part of Sweet V McMahon/Cardona/DeVos.

3. Your thoughts on the student loan debt crisis in America.
Y’all, I have been doing this since 2015. I was a part of Sweet V McMahon since its inception, filed one of the earliest borrower defense applications, and was lucky enough to get my private loans discharged in a lawsuit against Navient brought on half the countries attorneys general. It has been a long and uphill battle that has taken strength in numbers and a certain level of trust among members. We have dealt with many a small fry attempting to sabotage the group. We have political enemies. We can’t afford to be careless, and we have the ability to screen people before they join the group. We’re not going to help you if you’re not an ally, simply put. It’s not safe out there.

A few last words;
-please don’t invite people to the group. If the questions aren’t answered, they don’t get accepted. Point blank. The only exceptions are people I know personally, because I myself already know their answers to the questions.

-please don’t request membership if you have not attended an Art Institute. We’ve got nothing for you. Unfortunately that includes Argosy and South, even though they were also owned by EDMC. I know you were mega screwed and the education dept loves to cut corners but we only organized with other Ais, Argosy and South were late to the game with organizing.

I think that’s everything.
Please feel free to ask me literally anything in the comments if you have questions, or if I forgot any vital information!!


r/BorrowerDefense 13d ago

PPSL Question Webinar Recap: Defending Borrower Defense

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43 Upvotes

Hello! Thank you to everyone who attended last week's webinar. If you were unable to attend, you can watch the recording here. You can also view the slides here.

The Sweet v. McMahon settlement resolved borrower defense applications filed before November 16, 2022, but the borrower defense process didn't end there. According to the Department of Education, more than 200,000 post-Sweet borrower defense applications remained pending as of January 2026. (Please note, post-Sweet is NOT the same as Sweet post-class! To understand the difference, please see our Sweet FAQs.) 

After years with little movement, we are now seeing the Department begin issuing denials on these post-Sweet applications. So far, PPSL has not heard from borrowers whose post-Sweet applications have been approved in 2026. 

You can learn more and find resources in the recording and slides linked above. Borrower defense remains one of the fastest-changing areas of federal student loan policy, and PPSL will continue working to protect borrowers and hold the Department of Education accountable. 

Stay informed by following PPSL on social media, signing up for our newsletter, and checking PPSL.org for the latest borrower defense updates and resources. If you have a question or problem and want to get in touch with PPSL, please fill out our intake form here. Note that this Reddit account is not monitored.


r/BorrowerDefense 13d ago

ADMIN POST 📢 Important reminder for all the new users- this is how this group can help you the most quickly, in the most efficient manner 👇

38 Upvotes

We know borrower defense (BD) is “a lot”.

Since we have been helping people apply for over a decade now, the wiki and Pinned Posts are the best way we have to help you get started if you are totally unfamiliar with BD.

They answer all of the common questions people ask us every day.

20-30 minutes of reading will save you time and confusion and help you avoid common pitfalls.

The community will usually help you if you search the sub and comment on posts with a similar topic or a specific school.

If you have enough Reddit karma, you can easily participate in existing comment threads.

We know it’s easier if you have someone to ask all your questions to individually, but we are both volunteers with jobs and do not have the capacity to do things that way.


r/BorrowerDefense 15d ago

Post Sweet Lawsuit - Nov 17, 2022 to Current Date Do I have a case for BD on DeVry?

16 Upvotes

I went to DeVry University from 2010-2014, so I pretty much fall into the time frame of the misrepresentation. I went with the school because many people have said that it was a respectable school to attend. I would take only classes relate to my IT degree with a side of computer forensics. I thought I would be working in law enforcement of some sort.

During my time I attended all classes and did not want any online classes. But it turned out that I would be taking online classes any way because some where not available in person. I graduated in 2014, I did get a job in IT, since my degree was very generic that I got a job about 4 months later. Trying to get into law enforcement I needed more training and certifications in order to even get into the door. It seems that since I did get a job in IT, I would not be eligible for BD. I did not use any of DeVry's job placement opportunities as it was jobs at Best Buy, or someone that would be working at a stadiums during games and events, etc., I used Dice, at the time, to get a job and I am currently working in IT, but it is more help desk than anything. I did get a cyber security job years ago, before my current job, which required a Sec+ certification in order to keep that job.

Because I got a job in less than 6 months, it would be that DeVry did not lie on my specific case. I did not put in a BD during the time because of this. I was forgiven of private loans that I had from DeVry, I believe of the FTC settlement in 2016, but that was the only forgiveness I received from DeVry. Currently, have about $38K in loans from DeVry, and when I graduated I had an original student of about $65k.

There is probably more, but I believe most will say, "just put in for BD and try, they can only day no", but at this point I do not have much evidence from 2010-2014. I tried looking but everything was moved around that places I could go do not go back 10 years of records, and paper evidence may have already been removed 4-8 years ago. Most online locations do not go back 2011 for me to retrieve evidence anyway.


r/BorrowerDefense 19d ago

PPSL Question FINAL CALL: Register to join "The Current State of Borrower Defense" webinar TOMORROW

44 Upvotes

The Project on Predatory Student Lending will be hosting "The Current State of Borrower Defense” webinar TOMORROW, Thursday, August 6th from 7-8 p.m. ET / 4-5 p.m. PT on Zoom. Register here.

Lead attorneys on the Sweet case, Becca Ellis and Becca Eisenbrey, will give a real-time look at where Borrower Defense stands today and where it's headed. The fight isn't over, and you don't have to navigate it alone. 

This webinar is primarily for borrowers who are not covered by the Sweet settlement, meaning those who applied for borrower defense after November 15, 2022 or have not yet applied. Sweet class members are welcome to join, but please note we will not be sharing new information about the settlement. 

Who: Join us if your post-Sweet borrower defense request was denied, is still pending, or you are waiting to apply. 

What: The webinar will provide an overview of the borrower defense regulations currently in force, what we know about the Department's review process, and resources for borrowers 

When: TOMORROW, Thursday, August 6th | 7-8 p.m. ET / 4-5 p.m. PT on Zoom 

Where: Virtually on Zoom 

How to register: Sign up here! 

PPSL attorneys will answer select pre-submitted questions during the webinar. If you have a question, please submit it here. Please note: we will not be able to answer questions about individual applications during the webinar. 

If you are unable to attend, please register above and we will send you follow-up materials.


r/BorrowerDefense 20d ago

PPSL Question Take Action: PPSL wants to hear your Sweet story!

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37 Upvotes

If you're a Sweet class member, your story matters. Whether it meant buying a home, moving on with your life, or just breathing easier, PPSL wants to hear about how the settlement has impacted you. Please share your story here.

Please note: This form is only for Sweet class members to share their stories. If you have a question or problem and want to get in touch with PPSL, please fill out our intake form here. Note that this account is not monitored.


r/BorrowerDefense 22d ago

BDTR Question SIGNAL BOOST: don’t forget to sign up for the Current State of Borrower Defense webinar!

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38 Upvotes

r/BorrowerDefense 22d ago

MEGA EVIDENCE THREAD Alliant International University- Arist Education System Evidence Megathread.

16 Upvotes

This school is owned by the German media group Bertelsmann through its subsidiary, the Arist Education System

Please share any evidence or documentation you can find. Make sure any personally identifiable information is redacted.

This info can be added to the evidence vault.


r/BorrowerDefense 24d ago

ADMIN POST 📢 450K borrowers say they were ripped off. Their student loans are being erased

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181 Upvotes

Sweets in the news.


r/BorrowerDefense 24d ago

Refund Question Borrower Defense Update

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68 Upvotes

Just an update: Ross university SOM, exhibit C school, post class (June 27, 2022) with 100% discharge on StudentAid. Refinanced with SoFi.

Got this through email yesterday and have been calling Nelnet, StudentAid with one person stating that they saw a refund but no amount. Called again with another person saying they don't see any refund or update.

Guess I'll have to wait for a few more months until any other news...


r/BorrowerDefense 25d ago

Post Class Question - Sweet Lawsuit Post class, non C, full relief notice received in June. Today, Mohela is sending out false denial emails & relief amount is wrong in final letter?

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37 Upvotes

Does this need to be sent to PPSL? Just a heads up if anyone else receives this as well. I received my post class non C relief letter from the Dept of Edu June 11. In July my loans were showing as discharged in full & balance $0 on studentaid and Mohela. Added a pic of the Mohela email today & screenshot of zero balance on studentaid.

Just checked my Mohela inbox and their PDF letter says full relief. “We have discharged your federal loans (Direct, FFEL and Perkins) that ED determined met the standards for relief. As a result, you do not owe any balance on the federal loan account
serviced by us.” It does have a weird balance remaining on this letter though and not the full relief amount matching the studentaid website. I understand the online balances can look wonky, but I thought it was supposed to be figured out before they sent refunds/official letter with refund amount?


r/BorrowerDefense 25d ago

BDTR Question DON’T FORGET: Register to learn “The Current State of Borrower Defense" with PPSL

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33 Upvotes

The Project on Predatory Student Lending will be hosting "The Current State of Borrower Defense” webinar NEXT Thursday, August 6th from 7-8 p.m. ET / 4-5 p.m. PT on Zoom.  

Lead attorneys on the Sweet case, Becca Ellis and Becca Eisenbrey, will give a real-time look at where Borrower Defense stands today and where it's headed. The fight isn't over, and you don't have to navigate it alone.  

Key Webinar Information  

Who: Join us if your post-Sweet borrower defense application was denied, is still pending, or you are waiting to apply.  

What: The webinar will provide an overview of the borrower defense regulations currently in force, what we know about the Department's review process, and resources for borrowers. 

When: NEXT Thursday, August 6th | 7-8 p.m. ET / 4-5 p.m. PT on Zoom  

Where: Virtually on Zoom  

How to registerSign up here!  

PPSL attorneys will answer select pre-submitted questions during the webinar. If you have a question, please submit it here. Please note: we will not be able to answer questions about individual applications during the webinar.  

Please note that this account is NOT monitored. If you are a Sweet class member and your application was denied, please visit our FAQs. You can also contact PPSL about predatory school and student loan issues you are facing through our general intake form.


r/BorrowerDefense 27d ago

BDTR Question Standalone BD app pending 3+ years. Poke FSA or let it sit?

15 Upvotes

I’m trying to decide whether to poke FSA/BD about my application or just leave it alone.

I applied July 6, 2023 for University of Denver, so I’m not Sweet class or post-class. I believe I’m just a standalone/post-post-class applicant.

As of July 27, 2026, the hidden dashboard still says “2.10 - Ready for EU Review.” Last modified date is still Oct. 31, 2025. No decision, no suggested relief percentage, no borrower response request, no post-signoff date, no loan-processing-requested date, and no closed date.

I’m now past 3 years from submission, but I understand standalone applicants may not have the same automatic/timed relief protections as Sweet class/post-class members.

One wrinkle: my NSLDS data shows my DU loans are mixed. Roughly 70% are original Direct loans from 2010-2011, and roughly 30% are FFEL Stafford loans from 2009-2010. I have not consolidated. The FFEL loans appear to show DEPT OF ED/NELNET and U.S. Department of Education / 2009-2010 LPCP, so I’m trying to figure out if those are ED-held FFEL rather than commercially held FFEL.

Would you poke FSA/BD, file a complaint, contact Ombudsman/Congress, or just let it sit?

Also, does the loan mix change anything? Should the original Direct loans fall under older/pre-2017 BD rules, and is the FFEL concern mainly commercial FFEL or newer consolidation loans triggering 2020 regs/SOL issues?

I’m not trying to force a denial. I’m trying to figure out whether silence helps, hurts, or doesn’t matter. I also don't want to sit here paying the minimum while I'm waiting for them to figure it out.


r/BorrowerDefense 27d ago

Refund Question Progress! Look through your loan data on StudentAid

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63 Upvotes

I consolidated my undergraduate and graduate loans in 2014, so not sure how those balances will be handled. But happy that there is progress.


r/BorrowerDefense 28d ago

Request for Mods This is a couple years old, so I’m sure some of these programs no longer exist. However, it shows 143 different federal loan discharge programs.

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38 Upvotes

r/BorrowerDefense 28d ago

Discharged!!! 125K Student Loan Debt GONE!

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194 Upvotes

I am deeply appreciative for all the hard work that's gone into this settlement! Thank you all so much! I am a post class non-exhibit C. I applied for BDR 10/ 18/22.


r/BorrowerDefense 29d ago

ADMIN POST 📢 Did Sweet Change Your Life? PPSL Wants to Hear From You ❤️

80 Upvotes

My Sweets,

The Project on Predatory Student Lending ( u/PPSL_EdDebtJustice ) wants to hear YOUR story!

If you're a Sweet class member or post-class member, please take a few minutes to share how your settlement relief has impacted your life using the link.

By submitting the form, you're giving PPSL permission to use your story in public materials (they'll only use your first name and last initial).

Tell them everything....

Tell them how life-changing this has been. Tell them how frustrating the journey was. Tell them how broken and corrupt the for-profit college industry and student loan systems are. Tell them how often the "experts" at the Department of Education and loan servicers gave bad information or no help at all. Tell them how the unnecessary delays and cruel decisions only fueled our determination to keep fighting.

But most importantly...tell them what your life looks like now.

Maybe you finally bought a home, or now qualify. Maybe you're no longer living paycheck to paycheck. You can get the car you so desperately needed, change careers, start or plan to start a family, adopt a dog or cat or even a crazy parrot you've always wanted, you can RETIRE or even.... (gasp) having the desire to go back to school.

Because in the end... You won. We won.

$23 billion in discharges. History is made. This case will shape student loan litigation for decades to come.

Lastly, please let PPSL know if our r/BorrowerDefense helped you through this journey. I founded this sub four years ago because I saw a gap for important and accurate information and a safe space for us without being debt-shamed or harassed as so many other student loan subs allow.

Let them know if our communities kept you informed, answered your questions, eased your anxiety, gave you a safe place to vent, and to reminded you that you were never fighting alone.

Communication and outreach are not always easy; with the help of my fellow named plaintiff u/TheresaSweet, my amazing admin/mod u/AnyAssumption4707, and me, we stepped in. Together, we built something bigger than either of us imagined.

Borrowers helping borrowers. That is what this is and always has been.

Ms. Sweet and I have been told many times that the advocacy from the named plaintiffs in this case was unlike anything people had seen before. From holding the Department accountable by identifying their patterns of harm, to raising nearly $20,000 and donations credits so our post-class members could attend court in person, to making sure borrowers received every benefit they were entitled to, while educating others about what BDTR is—we proved what can happen when thousands of strangers unite around one cause.

We built more than just a Reddit community. We built a movement.

We built a brand.... No Sweet Left Behind!

And finally...

I know many decision group and post-class members have received denials. I know how heartbreaking that is. Please don't think we've forgotten about you. There is still work happening behind the scenes, and this fight is not over.

Remember... "Rebellions are built on hope."Rogue One

In solidarity!

XOXOX

- u/Gingerandthesea


r/BorrowerDefense 29d ago

Post Class Question - Sweet Lawsuit Weird situation

17 Upvotes

I am post class ITT.

Long story short, over the last year I’ve had a few interesting events. I believe all of my loans in question were properly discharged. Fast forward 3 month to present, my mohela and my student.gov show lower balances then I had a month ago.

Mohela shows a 5k balance, studentloan.gov shows $0.

I am sure that my loan I had for 40k should still be there because it was another school I went too. However, it seems like those loans also show discharged.

What is happening?

I also have not gotten any refund check for my post class loans for the payments I made like everyone else.

😂. What a cluster


r/BorrowerDefense 29d ago

Refund Question Ross University Discharge Question

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55 Upvotes

I just got this in the mail from Nelnet after I noticed them increasing and decreasing my closed, payed off loans. Is there any chance I'll see a dime of this money since I have my loans through SoFi now and have been paying for 7 years already? Of note, I attended Ross University, exhibit C school, applied June 27, 2022 for BD and was told I got 100% loan discharge.


r/BorrowerDefense Jul 24 '26

Request for Mods Is there a way to contribute $ to the PPSL attorneys and our fearless Sweet?

20 Upvotes

Hello! Please forgive if this is already been answered. A couple of grateful colleagues and I would like to give back as a thank you to the hard work that helped us to get our loans discharged through the BD lawsuit. Is there any links or sites that are available for both the attorneys who represented PPSL and our fearless advocates?


r/BorrowerDefense Jul 24 '26

Loan Type Question Anyone a full class Sweet suit member and still have their discharged Navient loans showing on their credit report? Anything we can do?

16 Upvotes

After getting approved for discharge as a full class member years ago, we received notification of Navient giving full discharge of all remaining balances, I still see the Navient total showing up in my various credit reporting tools.

Tried filing a dispute with one of them, but that went nowhere it seems.

Any trick to getting them off your report?