If you attended Concordia University at their Portland, OR or Boise, ID campus and you have outstanding student loans, we have good news for you.
You could be eligible for Concordia University student loan forgiveness. In this guide, we will go over what your options are and how to qualify for them.
Who was Concordia University
Concordia University was a private university under the Lutheran Church Missouri-Synod (LCMS), founded in 1905, as Concordia Academy. By 1995, Concordia changed to Concordia University and adopted the semester calendar system.
Concordia developed a law school in Boise, ID, which became the Concordia University School of Law, graduating its first class in 2015.
The school announced in February 2020, that enrollment would cease as of April. The university officially closed its doors in July 2020.
Concordia University Lawsuits
Concordia University was able to expand its online program offerings by a deal made with HotChalk a California-based company. The company assisted the university with recruiting online grad students. This deal sparked a 2-year investigation by The U.S. Department of Education leading to a settlement of $1 million.
In February 2020, soon after school officials announced the university would be closing, former students filed a lawsuit alleging Unlawful Trade Practices and Unjust Enrichment. The attorney representing the students in the lawsuit claims the students were not given the education they paid for.
A $302 million lawsuit was filed in April 2020 against the university for fraud. The plaintiff, in this case, is the technology company HotChalk, who previously partnered with Concordia
In May 2020, the Oregon Department of Justice launched an investigation surrounding the school’s closure. The Dept. of Justice is looking into whether or not the school violated any of the Oregon Nonprofit Corporation Acts.
Loan Forgiveness Options
If you were a former student of Concordia University and you did not transfer to a comparable program, you can apply for student loan forgiveness under student loan discharge programs. If you have private student loans, you need to contact your lender for Concordia University student loan forgiveness options available to you.
Closed School Discharge
To qualify for Closed School Loan Discharge, you must not have completed your program regardless of if you received a degree or diploma. In addition to that, you must have either still have been enrolled or withdrawn within 120 days of the school’s closure.
For Concordia University students this would be March 13, 2020, and for Concordia University School of Law students, this would be March 19, 2020.
To apply for this discharge, you can fill out the application that you receive from the school, or go to the Federal Student Aid website to complete an application. The application needs to be submitted to your loan servicer for approval.
If you need more information regarding the application, you should contact your student loan service provider.
Borrower’s Defense Against Repayment
If you believe that the school misled you or committed misconduct or a violation of state law against you, you can apply for Borrower’s Defense Against Repayment Discharge. You may be able to receive a discharge of some or all of Concordia University student loans.
For Concordia University Student Loan Forgiveness under this option, you will need to have the following information:
- Documentation that supports the allegations
- Copies of your transcripts, enrollment agreement, or other documentation confirming your enrollment dates
- The name of your school and program of study
- Any correspondence between you and the school, such as emails.
After you have submitted your application, your loans will be placed in forbearance until a decision is made. If your BDAR application is approved, your loans that apply will be discharged.
State Tuition Recovery Fund
There are some states that have funds set aside for tuition recovery when students are defrauded or their school closes. These funds cover what the closed school loan and BADR discharge programs do not cover.
This would include expenses paid by private student loans or cash payments.
Not all states have funds set aside for tuition recovery. You would have to contact the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission or the Idaho State Board of Education depending on where you attended Concordia University to find out if they offer this type of fund.
Final Thought
If you were a former student of Concordia University and you have outstanding student loans, you have options to receive Concordia University student loan forgiveness.
To receive assistance with managing your loans and understanding your options contact our office today. We have experts that specialize in managing student loan debt ready to assist you.
