Dispute Resolution
There are several reasons why a borrower's application for total and permanent disability (TPD) discharge may be denied. Leaving out key information on the discharge application can stop the processing of a borrower's request for a TPD discharge. Please see Why Didn't My Application Get Approved? to learn about the most common reasons for denying TPD discharge applications. To dispute a denied application, please see the How Do I Dispute the Department's Decision? section below.
Why Didn't My Application Get Approved?
The borrower must complete sections (1) and (3) and have his or her physician complete section (4), the "Physician's Certification" section, of the
Discharge Application: Total and Permanent Disability. If any part of the application is incomplete, the discharge application may be denied.
- Failure to submit the application within 90 days
The borrower must submit the discharge application to the loan holder, or for a TEACH Grant to the Department, within 90 days of the date the physician certifies the application.
- Application does not support discharge
The borrower's application will be rejected if the Department determines that the information provided by the physician does not support the conclusion that the borrower is totally and permanently disabled.
- Failure to return disbursements
If a borrower received a Title IV loan or TEACH Grant prior to the date the physician certified the borrower’s discharge application and a disbursement of that loan or grant was made after the physician’s signature date and before the date a discharge is granted, processing of the borrower’s loan discharge request will be suspended until the borrower ensures that the full amount of the disbursement has been returned to the loan holder or to the Department, as appropriate.
How Do I Dispute the Department's Decision?
If the Department denies the borrower's application for a total and permanent disability discharge, the borrower will be notified of the specific reason(s) for the denial as well as the borrower’s options for re-filing.
There is no formal appeals process. However, a borrower may submit a new application with additional information that establishes the borrower’s eligibility for discharge.
To submit a new discharge application or additional supporting documentation, the borrower should mail the application and/or documentation to the following address:
U.S. Mail:
U.S. Department of Education
Total and Permanent Disability Unit
P.O. Box 173904
Denver, CO 80217-3904
FedEx or Hand-Delivered Mail:
U.S. Department of Education
Total and Permanent Disability Unit
3015 S. Parker Rd., Suite 400
Denver, CO 80014-2904
Borrowers may contact the Total and Permanent Disability Unit at 1-888-303-7818 or disabilityinformation@nelnet.net for additional guidance on resolving a dispute.
If a borrower continues to dispute the Department’s denial of the discharge application, the borrower may contact the Department’s Federal Student Aid Office of the Ombudsman at 1-888-557-2575. The Ombudsman will evaluate your claim, but does not have the authority to reverse the Department’s decisions.