Private College Student Loan

How do you contact the dept of Education with a problem?

I paid almost $15,000.00 in tuition and interest for classes I was never able to complete because the school closed. I was never given an opportunity to ask or to dispute the right of the loan provider to collect on this bill. I thought that is what the federal government insured student loans for, just in case a situation like this happened. There are forms to complete requesting a hearing on the subject but no address provided anywhere as to where to send them. I was hounded for years to pay the loan and was penalized harshly for making late payments. I know this situation is a common problem so maybe someone has actually succeeded in locating the place to send this inquiry that won't pass the buck and send me on a wild goose chase. Is there any hope dealing with the department of education on these types of complaints that in all fairness should be resolved. Certain large corporations open these schools and take the tuition only to go bankrupt and rob innocent victims.

Public Comments

1. If you borrowed federal student loans and the school closed then you might be eligible for a Closed School discharge of your loans. You would have to complete the forms (which you mentioned that you already have) and work with your lender. If the lender is being uncooperative, then you should contact the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Ombudsman's office. They work with federal student loan borrowers to resolve issues with their lenders. When you call, please be sure to have as much information as possible, as they will ask for details of the situation (e.g. name of school, when it closed, what types of loans you borrowed, what have you done to work with your lender, who have you spoken with at the lender's office, etc). The more factual information you can provide on the first call, the better they are able to assist you. You can reach the FSA Office of the Ombudsman at: http://ombudsman.ed.gov or 1-877-557-2575