Information for Former Corinthian Colleges Students

This page is subject to developing events by the U.S. Department of Education and is in the process of being updated: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/education-department-approves-58-billion-group-discharge-cancel-all-remaining-loans-560000-borrowers-who-attended-corinthian-colleges.

The Attorney General’s Office led the charge against Corinthian Colleges, Inc. (CCI), a large company based in California that operated Everest, Heald, and WyoTech for-profit colleges. Their predatory and unlawful practices misrepresenting job placement rates and school programs targeted low-income, vulnerable individuals and left tens of thousands of students under a mountain of debt unable to find a job.

Our office investigated and filed suit against Corinthian in October 2013, seeking to put an end to their abusive practices. Corinthian permanently closed all of their schools in California in April 2015, and filed for bankruptcy in May 2015. In June 2015, the United States Department of Education made findings—based on the California Attorney General’s investigation—that entitle former Corinthian students to debt relief, and created a streamlined process and an information page: studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/announcements/corinthian. In March 2016, the Attorney General obtained a default judgment against Corinthian, ordering restitution and penalties totaling $1.1 billion. See this press release for more information.

The Attorney General’s Office remains committed to advocating for former Corinthian students, including students who attended Everest, Heald and WyoTech colleges. In December 2017, the Attorney General sued the Department of Education and Secretary DeVos for withholding promised loan relief to defrauded Corinthian students. See this press release for more information. The Attorney General has also twice sued the Department of Education for unlawfully delaying critical regulations that protect students who attend predatory, for-profit schools like Corinthian. See these press releases, borrower defense and gainful employment, for more information. Additional resources are provided below.

FAQs About Corinthian Colleges (Heald, Everst, and WyoTech Campuses):

  1. What is Corinthian Colleges?

    Corinthian Colleges was a for-profit company that offered postsecondary education through its Everest, Heald, and WyoTech colleges. Together, these schools operated 23 campuses throughout California and online, and previously enrolled tens of thousands of Californians.

  2. Are former Corinthian students eligible for any debt relief?

    Former Corinthian students may be eligible for loan discharges or other relief. Your rights depend on your specific situation. As examples, former students may be eligible for:

    • Closed School Discharge. If you attended a Corinthian school on or after June 20, 2014, that closed on April 27, 2015, and you did not complete your program, you may be eligible for a closed school discharge. A student who qualifies for a closed school discharge can receive a 100% discharge of federal Direct Loans, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans, and Federal Perkins Loans they took out to attend the closed school and a reimbursement of amounts they have already paid to the Government.

      IMPORTANT! Please note that if you transfer any of your credits to another school, you may not be eligible for the closed-school discharge. You should speak to your local legal aid organization or the financial aid office before you transfer credits. Please note that if you are not eligible for Closed School Discharge you may still qualify for relief under the Borrower Defense to Repayment program.

    • Borrower Defense to Repayment You may be eligible to get a discharge of your federal Direct Loans if you attended a Corinthian school that defrauded you or violated applicable state law. The California Attorney General’s and the U.S. Department of Education’s investigation resulted in findings that Corinthian defrauded students and violated the law by misrepresenting job placement rates for many of its programs between 2010 and 2014. Students who were enrolled in one of these programs may be eligible for a streamlined and expedited “borrower defense to repayment” application, and also may be able to have their federal student loans placed into forbearance and have collections stop while their application is considered.
    • Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF). If you attended a Corinthian school on or after June 20, 2014, or withdrew within 120 days of this date, the STRF may be available to reimburse you for private student loans and additional money you spent on your tuition. STRF information can be found here: http://www.bppe.ca.gov/students/corinthian_colleges.shtml
  3. How can I find out if I am eligible for a Closed School Discharge?

    If you attended a Corinthian school (Everest, Heald or WyoTech) that closed while you were attending or soon after you withdrew, you may be eligible for a closed school discharge as long as:

    • You did not finish your program at a Corinthian school.
    • You did not transfer your Corinthian credits to another school in a similar program.
    • You were attending the school when it closed, or withdrew on or after June 20, 2014.

    For more information, contact your loan servicer (the company that handles billing for your Federal Student Loan) to ask about the application process for getting your loan discharged. More information also is available at the US Department of Education website: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/closed-school

  4. How can I find out if I am eligible for the Borrower Defense to Repayment?

    All former Corinthian students are encouraged to visit your local legal aid office for assistance in determining eligibility and submitting an application for a Borrower Defense to Repayment Claim.

    You can visit the US Department of Education Corinthian information page here: studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/announcements/corinthian.

    The following video was created by Public Counsel (www.publiccounsel.org) with funding from the Sears Consumer Protection and Education Fund to provide helpful information. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the California Attorney General’s Office.


    Former Everest and WyoTech Students can check the following link to see if your program and dates of study are included in the Department of Education’s findings that your school defrauded students and violated the law: List of Everest/WyoTech Programs and Enrollment Dates Covered by Department of Education Findings.

    If your program of study and dates of enrollment are on the list, you can submit an expedited borrower defense to repayment application online here: https://borrowerdischarge.ed.gov/FormWizard/RLD/RLDStep1.aspx?school=EverestWyoTech. If you prefer to send your application by email or mail, fill out the form https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/ev-wy-attestation-form.pdf, and send it by email to the US Department of Education at FSAOperations@ed.gov or by mail to the US Department of Education, PO Box 194407, San Francisco, CA 94119.

    Former Heald Students can check the following link to see if your program and dates of study are included in the Department of Education’s findings that your school defrauded students and violated the law: List of Heald College Programs and Enrollment Dates Covered by Department of Education Findings

    If your program of study and dates of enrollment are on the list, you can submit an expedited borrower defense to repayment application online here:https://borrowerdischarge.ed.gov/FormWizard/RLD/RLDStep1.aspx. If you prefer to send your application by email or mail, fill out the form https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/sites/default/files/heald-attestation-form.pdf, and send it by email to the US Department of Education at FSAOperations@ed.gov or by mail to the US Department of Education, PO Box 194407, San Francisco, CA 94119.

    Former Corinthian students who did not attend programs where the Department of Education found misleading job placement rates, or whose decision to enroll was not influenced by those job placement rates, may still be eligible for loan forgiveness based on borrower defense to repayment. Additional instructions on how to file a claim for loan forgiveness can be found at: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/borrower-defense.

  5. Where can I get more information?

    You can find help near you by clicking on the link below for the school you attended. The links provide information about legal aid, job centers, and community colleges/educational opportunities in your area:

    Everest College Heald College Wyotech
  6. Do I have an individual claim against Corinthian Colleges?

    Our office cannot give you legal advice or represent you. If you believe that you might have a claim against Corinthian Colleges, you might consider contacting an attorney to explore your options. Go to our Attorneys/Lawyers page for information on how to find a lawyer or a legal aid organization. Additional information can be accessed from the State Bar of California or at LawHelpCA.org. Let them know you are a former Corinthian Colleges student.

To File a Complaint:

Former Corinthian students can file a complaint with our office using our online complaint form.

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