Barring any major changes by the President-elect administration, from next July there can be an increase in student loans forgiveness. According to the new rule from the Department of Education, college students whose schools have shut down or had committed fraud may soon be eligible for financial relief from the government.
The new rule will help college students get their loans dismissed if their college closes or if they believed they were deceived by the college. Loans will be terminated automatically for students who have not been able to transfer their credits and complete their degree in three years of the school’s course.
The new rules also include a streamline process to file claims if students believe they have lied to or mistreated by their college. The rules what are known as Borrower Defence Rules will help students get the relief they deserve and ensure schools are responsible for the cost of canceled loans when they engage in fraud.
“The Department of Education has long had rules on the books about how borrowers can claim a defense to repayment for a loan, but there were no federal standards or rules around the process,” says Karen McCarthy, director of policy analysis at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
Once the rule comes into effect, it would be mandatory for both the school and the lender to give an application to the student to apply for student loan forgiveness, in case the school closes for any reasons. Though, the new rule will not apply to students who opt for private loans for school.
Starting July, Schools will not be able to require students to sign arbitration agreements, which prevent class-action lawsuits. Now, the students will be able to fight the school in court if any disputes occur related to their education or their loans.