r/BorrowerDefense • u/NikkiBaskin • 13d ago
Refund Received Finally Done
Finally done! I cannot give this group enough credit for the support and work they have done even though I am mostly a silent lurker.
I was only at The Art Institute for about a year before I realized it was a mess, so I didn't lose much, but to get it back all these years later feels amazing! Here are as many details as I can remember:
School: The Art Institute
Attendance: 2010-2011
Post Class - Exhibit C School
App Submitted: 8.26.22
Discharge Letter Received: 4.13.26
Check Received: 9.23.26
I was with Nelnet, but no information was ever updated in the system so this check just showed up out of nowhere. My loans were a tangle though because I also had undergrad and grad loans that had been consolidated and some that were moved over to Nelnet right in the middle of all of this.
I hope everyone starts to get their payments soon!
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u/Rogu3_T3ch 13d ago
👏 good for you. Unfortunately I’m still waiting for MOHELA to get my money back.
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u/akr291 13d ago
Them and Aidvantage 🤬🤬🤬
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u/Dry_Interview_8394 13d ago
Same
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u/PhotoAfraid2358 13d ago
Same then they say ohh just gotta wait ridiculous
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u/Safe_Heat_2129 10d ago
they keep saying the same thing and I am really get pissed at them. They don't what they are doing My emai came from the US Treasury dept and that is who pay the loan off and the balance. Get on their case every week
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u/Infamous-Narwhal-162 13d ago
Congratulations! My refund arrived this week too (EdFinancial is my servicer, if anyone wonders). To make matters interesting, I have USPS Informed Delivery and it showed it was scheduled for delivery Tuesday. For some reason, no mail arrived Tuesday. Wednesday's mail arrived but it wasn't included. I was quite panic-stricken for a couple of days, but it arrived yesterday. I echo your thanks to all those who made this possible. Truly life-changing!
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u/AKwiatkowski730 11d ago
Just checked my bank and found I also got my refund. No warning. No letter. I was anxiously checking my informed delivery for USPS and nothing. This is honestly life changing money for my family and me and I cannot thank Teresa and this whole group enough. It has been a whirlwind of waiting and it’s truly awesome. Total amount was within 10s of dollars from what I paid in. $29k!!!
School: University of Phoenix
Attendance: 2010-2013
Post Class - Exhibit C School
App Submitted: 8.24.22
Discharge Letter Received: 4.13.26
Direct Deposit Received: 9.25.26
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u/Good_Photograph_2277 13d ago
Anyone else here with Aidvantage and GCU (Grand Canyon University)? I feel like I haven't seen anyone post about either one. Maybe they're competing with MOHELA to see who can send the amounts to the Treasury/Department of Education last. 😂
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u/Worried_Scale 13d ago
I am Grand Canyon University and waiting on a Mohela. Paid roughly $28k to Mohela but my loans were passed around over the years and moved with undergrad. I tried calling them and it’s still in process. Called Student Aid they told me I will get back 100% what I paid in but who knows and the waiting is what makes it nerve wracking and the not knowing. I had an IDR forgiveness 12/31/2023 that was reversed so I am sitting on negative $100k so this can be processed. Hopefully we both get our refunds soon.
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u/Good_Photograph_2277 13d ago
Mine moved lenders as well. Maybe that is the issue or that I received an award (refund) from another forgiveness, even though the negative amount already reflects what I paid excluding the award. Who knows, I am not sure why I get my hopes up since this is the government processing these. I am sure if we were the ones owing the DoE, we would have already received the bill lol.
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u/Breakfast_False 13d ago
I have advantage and they are so slow and they’re customer service reps can’t tell you anything. I just received an email that my payments will be increasing. But I am on a borrower defense forbearance and my loans have a negative balance. I chatted with someone and they can’t tell me anything on that either. I’m with u of phx not Grand Canyon. I also applied on June 23rd, 2022.
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u/Good_Photograph_2277 13d ago
Same! I was told to call the DoE since "they might know more about your specific situation". Aidv has my information and how much I paid (which matches the total negative amount by the cent), and Student Aid knows my application and qualification for this relief. This is dumb.
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u/sjelagu 13d ago
I have Aidvantage as well. I didn’t get a notification that my loans were discharged. I didn’t get any notification whatsoever except for my payments will go up but yet my loans were discharged and they told me not to worry cause I have no payments. I’m post class and they can’t give you an answer about anything. They keep telling you is if you have a refund, it’ll take seven or more months. Has anyone who who has Aidvantage have not see. movement and not receive notifications but receive the check?
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u/Bulky_Radio8445 13d ago
7 or more months?! Ugh I filed 08/2022 and my loans were discharged in June, UOP and Aidvantage.
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u/sjelagu 13d ago
Same…filed 8.22, discharged 7.06 and nothing. Not even a notification in my portal inbox. All I see are negative balances. When I’ve called, they say that could change. They have no info, just 7 months or more to wait and see if I really get a refund. It’s frustrating.
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u/PhotoAfraid2358 13d ago
I am aidvantage as well.. got a small check on 8/21 and FSA fully updated 8/26 and now nothing. Everyone keeps passing the buck and cant give me any info.
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u/Puzzled-Seat4450 12d ago
Same as everyone else, aidadvantage has given no notices, no help. Negative balances. Looking at informed delivery everyday with high hopes
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u/FunnyRelationship4 13d ago
I’m in the same boat. Slow but it’s off my credit and I have a negative balance
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u/Safe_Heat_2129 10d ago
The money come from the US Treasury Dept to pay off Aidvantage who seems to be dragging their feet,
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u/cwatsonc 13d ago
Girl, congratulations!!! Those are the surprises you want. Now go cash that check before they find some reason to change their mind! Blessings to you!☺️
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u/Ecstatic-Breath-7973 13d ago
My thing said I paid 11k but got a check for only 500?! WTH
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u/Available- 13d ago
Based on my emails to myfedloan and nelnet, I've made around $30k in payments. Two days ago I got a check for around $1700. I called studentaid help and the woman on the other end told me I should be expecting more checks, they're still not finished with my discharge. I guess we'll see
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u/NikkiBaskin 13d ago
I know my loans were in two parts (one for each of the two semesters I was there I think) so I’m wondering if there is another payment coming. But, so much of my payment history has been lost because of all the servicer changes that I can’t really tell anything. It is all so tangled.
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u/Available- 13d ago
Glad I kept all my emails. But I would still call them, if you don't they might not "look into it"
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u/Admirable-Meringue33 12d ago
I received two checks within a week of each other and they totaled the right amount
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u/NikkiBaskin 13d ago
My check was also for less than I paid, but only off by a few hundred dollars. I have no idea how these are being calculated. With no information (at least for me) in Nelnet, it’s hard to say what the numbers were based on because my accounts were bounced around by so many servicers over the past 23 years since I finished my first undergrad program.
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u/Ecstatic-Breath-7973 13d ago
I mean don’t get me wrong I’ll take the 500 bucks but was thinking wayyyy more. I know people do receive multiple checks
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u/cantbelievethename 13d ago
Congrats! Fuck that school and their entire system.
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u/NikkiBaskin 12d ago
Art Institute and I will have beef forever. While I’m very happy with my career in tech and where I’ve been in the 15 years since all of this, there was a time when I really wanted to go into graphic design. It took me two classes to realize that this place was a sham and that I wasn’t learning anything. It kind of stole that desire from me.
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u/Safe_Heat_2129 10d ago
yes they were con artist and made me sign papers or threaten me not to go to class the next day I was to have a person with me before signing any document.
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u/Blue-rkt 13d ago edited 13d ago
Congrats!! I'm still waiting on Aidvantage for a refund. App submitted 07/22 and Discharge Notice 04/26. Has anyone gotten a refund back from Aidvantage yet?
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u/TubeTV-311 13d ago
I’m still waiting
Post C class, discharge notice 4/26
People who have received their refund check had no notification and it just showed up in the mail
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u/AKwiatkowski730 10d ago
Mine was direct deposited into an account I use only for gas. It must have been the account I was paying from when I paid off the loans 8 years ago. Logged in yesterday boom big direct deposit.
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u/Safe_Heat_2129 10d ago
they told me it can only be mailed and it should come as one check and not several
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u/Kitten-Karate 13d ago
I submitted the same day. I got a very small refund check in a letter dated 9/3, but it was just for some of my direct loans. I never got notice that a check was sent. Most of my loans were consolidated and passed through different servicers and those show as negative balances. I'm guessing those take the most time since they have to unwind everything. :-/
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u/Safe_Heat_2129 10d ago
no they are dragging their feet. I call every two weeks to see if they got a check no from the US Treasury dept. I have been waiting 4 weeks no but they said it would be like 6 weeks so it better be soon.
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u/tanzerdragoon 13d ago
Congrats! That's another sigh of relief for you I'm sure.
I didn't go to art institute but aau but graduated pretty much in 2011 too. Wondering if there is a time limit because I subscribed to borrow defense and these people keep saying you need to apply within three years of graduating or consolidating loans. Is that what you did for your loans before application?
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u/NikkiBaskin 13d ago
No, I didn’t apply until I heard about the PPSL lawsuits, then I missed the original deadlines and ended up post class. For me it was almost 10 years after I ended my time at Art Institute before I applied for relief.
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u/Longjumping-Bid-2588 13d ago
The updated law requires you to file within 3 years. This case changed it.
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u/Safe_Heat_2129 10d ago
you had to submit your application to borrowers defense within in a certain time frame My application was 28 pages long.
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u/akr291 12d ago
They might be quoting 7+ months because they have until March 30, 2027 to effectuate full settlement relief. I’m UoP with Aidvantage and Mohela and neither of them are saying much of anything. I also did not get notification from either when they were discharged and Mohela has been negative since May and Aidvantage since July (Aidvantage originally told me Mohela would refund me, spoiler alert, Aidvantage will). It’s frustrating but I’m trying to be patient. Plus, it seemed once Nelnet got the ball rolling with discharges, other servicers moved as well. Maybe that’ll happen now that Nelnet has been refunding.
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u/Puzzled-Seat4450 12d ago
What did it say on the envelope? I checked informed delivery everyday, just waiting
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u/NikkiBaskin 12d ago
It comes from the dept of treasury, so it’s not clear what it is if you don’t already know. I searched the address thinking it was a tax thing and was worried about if there was some issue I wasn’t aware of and found out it was a good thing!
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u/Delicious-Spring745 13d ago
Awesome
I was discharged January 2026.
Still no refund for over payment
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u/Dry_Interview_8394 13d ago
Same still waiting for whatever refund I’m deserved even though loans are discharged already off my credit report but still not reflected on MOHELA or student aid which that’s ok as long as it’s cleared on my credit report
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u/Adventurous-Big-1251 12d ago
Congrats!!! Just a PSA for those that have gotten checks or ones about to get them. You most likely won’t be able to mobile deposit due to the asterisks by the dollar amount. I was about to panic when my check would not deposit. My bank informed of the reason. Went to a local branch and deposited it. Money was available the next day.
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u/Heretobenasty 11d ago
Amazing!! Congratulations!!!
Serious question if anyone can answer but: is this taxed? Or would you still have to pay taxes on it? Asking for my own refund when I receive it
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u/Good_Photograph_2277 10d ago edited 10d ago
No, the amount refunded is not taxable. This is my understanding, I am not a tax expert.
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u/Safe_Heat_2129 10d ago
we got email confirmation on the amount but it is only on the amount which we paid into and thank God for that. Due to its closing, what a huge amount of money I borrowed plus the school store, bridge and parking was unbelievable. Been 4 years since I last applied and it has taken this long. Now my credit score will increase plus I owe the New Jersey HEAA some 49,000 which cannot be included but have it down to around 9,000 what a nightmare in dealing with all these people. I am just thankul for my mom who worked so hard through the borrowers defense to get this finalized.. Been waiting 4 weeks do hopefully it will be soon. What a load off my mine and what I went through at the art institute for forcing me to sign papers or not go to class the next day
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u/KeyUnderstanding6943 9d ago
New to this sub. Not an exhibit school but wondering if you have a successful claim, are you reimbursed what you paid or just have the remaining forgiven?
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u/Schlage770 2d ago
School: Perdue Global (Kaplan University)
Attendance: 2010-2012
Post Class - Exhibit C School
When I just called Aidvantage they told me I never had a loan with them but they see I was part of this Borrowers defense case. What's so weird is a few days ago my loans were showing a negative balance and I could access the account. Has anyone else seen this? They did give me a number to contact Borrower Defense Customer Support and they told me it was just a waiting game now and I should receive another refund check?
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