Borrower Defense

Fifty-six organizations wrote to Representatives Lee and DeLauro in support of the PROTECT Students Act.

Fact sheet on the Borrower Defense to Repayment (BD) rule. The Borrower Defense to Repayment Rule offers students relief from federal loans borrowed based on fraudulent, misleading or illegal acts by their schools. Borrower defense is an established legal right for many forms of consumer credit, and it has been a part of the Higher Education Act for many years.

Today’s court decision is landmark news for student loan borrowers who were cheated by their colleges. The borrower defense rule that became effective at noon today protects students against illegal conduct by their college, offering relief that more than 100,000 borrowers have been waiting too long for already.  By holding colleges accountable, the rule will also deter bad...

The Department needs more time on its ill-conceived gainful employment and borrower defense proposals, and that means that the current rules will remain the law of the land for at least 21 more months. Now it’s long past time to end the illegal delays and implement them. Students need protection against unaffordable loans and illegal practices.

Public comments with detailed recommendations in response to the July 31, 2018, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Docket ID ED-2018-OPE-0027) regarding the borrower defense to repayment rule. 

80 organizations and advocates working on behalf of students, consumers, veterans, servicemembers, faculty and staff, civil rights, and college access submitted joint comments to the Department of Education on the proposed negotiated rulemaking to rewrite the borrower defense rule. The comments express emphatic support of strong borrower defense rules that hold colleges accountable...