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Fresh Start

On April 6, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced an initiative called “Fresh Start” to help eligible borrowers in default.

Most borrowers who defaulted on their student loans before March 13, 2020, are eligible for the ED’s Fresh Start initiative. Eligible borrowers who request to participate are eligible for the following benefits:

  1. We’ll transfer your loans to Nelnet for repayment servicing, and your loans will be removed from default and brought current.
  2. We’ll update any credit reporting information that we have previously reported.
  3. You’ll be eligible to enroll in an income-driven repayment plan.
  4. You’ll regain eligibility for federal student aid, like loans and grants.
  5. You may have access to loan forgiveness programs that might have otherwise been unavailable because of your default status.
  6. You’ll regain access to short-term relief, such as deferments and forbearances, like before your loans defaulted.
  7. You’ll avoid default collection activities after the end of the collection pause, which can include things like credit reporting, wage garnishment or offset of federal tax refunds.

This opportunity will remain available until one year following the end of the current student loan collection pause.

Note: If you have any other defaulted student loans held by ED or other guaranty agencies, you’ll need to contact those loan holders separately to opt in to Fresh Start for those loans. If you have any outstanding loan discharge applications—for a disability, Borrower Defense to Repayment, False Certification or Closed School—we will process those applications first, and process your Fresh Start request as necessary once your discharge application has been resolved.

 

Fresh Start Opt-In Request Form

To take advantage of the Fresh Start opportunity to bring your loans back into good standing, please complete the form below.

 

Borrower Information

*Required Fields



Do you authorize the U.S. Department of Education and its contractors to contact you regarding your loans, including repayment of your loans, at any cellular telephone number you have provided previously, or that you provide now or in the future, using automated dialing equipment or artificial or prerecorded voice or text messages?

Choosing to participate in the Fresh Start program also makes you eligible to enroll in an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. By enrolling in IDR, you may receive a lower payment than the standard payment. Any information you provide will be forwarded to Nelnet when your loans is transferred.

By clicking submit, you affirm that you are the borrower identified above and that you would like to take advantage of the Fresh Start initiative to bring your loans back into good standing. We will review your request and confirm your eligibility for the Fresh Start initiative. If eligible, you will receive a notification shortly before your loans are transferred to a new servicer and removed from default.

After you click submit, you will be redirected to a Thank You page. This is your confirmation that the form has been submitted successfully.