Guide for Students Facing a School Closure

Office of Student Assistance and Relief

Established by Senate Bill 1192, the Office of Student Assistance and Relief (OSAR) was created for the purpose of advancing and promoting the rights of students of private colleges, and assisting students who suffer economic loss due to the unlawful activities or closure of a private college. In collaboration with various State and federal agencies including the California Student Aid Commission, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of Education and the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the OSAR is committed to assisting California students and addressing the needs of those students attending private colleges.

First Steps

• Get your Student Academic Records
• Get your Student Financial Records
• Get copies of ALL paperwork the school is providing you or asking you to sign.
• CAREFULLY REVIEW ALL PAPERWORK BEFORE YOU SIGN!
• Make copies of your enrollment agreements and all receipts
• Create a folder to keep all the documentation you have

It is important you obtain your academic, attendance and financial records as soon as possible. Since your school has or is closing, your ability to access these records from the school may be temporary. These records are needed if you plan to transfer into another program of study, submit a Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) claim, or ask for a student loan discharge from the Department of Education. These records will also help your new school determine what Federal student aid you have received and coursework you have successfully completed. This information will then help the school determine how many credits or hours may transfer into your new program of study and how much student aid you have received; coursework you have successfully completed; and how much additional student aid you may receive for the remainder of the school year.

Transcripts Information

Schools that close are obligated to provide a custodian of records (someone a student can contact to obtain a copy of their transcript). If you are requesting records from a custodian of records, it is recommended that you provide as much information to the custodian of records as possible. You may wish to use the "Transcript Request" form for this purpose but it is not required.

If you do not find your school listed on our Custodian of Records page, and you believe your transcripts have not been destroyed you may request information regarding the custodian of record by sending an email to bppe@dca.ca.gov. Please include as much information about the school as possible.

For more information on transcripts visit our Transcripts page

Transfer or Teach-out

If you want to continue your education at a different institution, you will need to understand these two terms.

Teach-Out means another school offers you to complete a similar or identical program of study for which you may not incur additional costs (outside of what you would have paid had you been able to complete your program at the school that closed).

California Education Code 94866: Transfer means you may be able to use the academic credits or "clock hours" you have earned at the school that is closed toward the completion of a similar or different program of study at another school.

You MAY incur additional costs. You WILL need to contact the school you wish to transfer to, in order to find out if any or all of the credits you have earned will be accepted by the school you would like to transfer to.

Loan Discharge

Loan discharges are not automatic with the closure of a school. You MUST send an application for a loan discharge to the holder of your loan.

If students don't transfer or complete studies and they've received a federally subsidized loan, they may be eligible to have the loan discharged. Students should contact their lender or the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-4-FEDAID or obtain more information, including a loan-discharge application, online at https://studentaid.gov/.

For Non-Federal Loans contact he holders of your loan to inquire about what relief may be available to you concerning these loans.

Student Tuition Recovery Fund

Student Tuition Recovery Fund - Students enrolled at the time of school closure (or enrolled within 120 days of the school's closure) may be eligible for reimbursement through the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF). The STRF exists to relieve or mitigate economic losses suffered by a student in an educational program at a qualifying institution if the student was a California resident (or was enrolled in a residency program.

The student of a closed school must have:

• prepaid the tuition
• suffered loss

Applicable STRF Regulation is 76020 - Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF).

Students who have exhausted all other possible ways to recover lost tuition expenses may file a STRF claim application. Visit our STRF webpage for more information. If you have questions regarding eligibility you may contact the Bureau's STRF Unit at (888) 370-7589, press 5 when prompted, or email questions to STRF@dca.ca.gov

Please contact the Bureau’s Closed School/STRF Unit at 916-431-6959 (option 5) with questions about your school's closure. Additional school closure information can be found in the Guide for Students Facing a School Closure

Veteran Student Information

The US Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) administers the GI Bill, and makes all determinations related to Veteran education benefit eligibility and payments. The USDVA also regulates entitlements paid to Veterans and performs all calculations. All questions regarding eligibility and payment of GI Bill benefits must be directed to the USDVA at 1-888-GIBILL1.

• Only the USDVA can provide assistance or address questions related to GI Bill eligibility or payment
• Visit USDVA’s GI Bill website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill to access education benefit information
• Visit the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) website at www.calvet.ca.gov to obtain assistance with other Veteran needs and services