Illinois Attorney General: Everest Colleges students may be eligible for loan relief

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced Friday that some students who attended a for-profit college may have been duped and, as a result, could be eligible for student-loan relief.

Madigan said that thousands of students who enrolled in programs at Everest Colleges can have the U.S. Department of Education forgive student loans they may have taken out to pay for classes at the school.

Everest Colleges are run by Corinthian Colleges Inc. The closest location to the DeKalb County area is in North Aurora.

Relief for students who attended that location would be available for those who attended from July 2012 to September 2014 and enrolled in the school’s electrician, medical administrative assistant, medical assistant and medical insurance billing and coding programs.

“Students who were lured into for-profit schools such as Corinthian deserve relief,” Madigan said in a written statement. “Today’s action by the Department helps, but I will continue to fight for relief for Illinois students who Corinthian and other for-profit schools lied to and took advantage of.”

Madigan’s office investigated Corinthian and said it found widespread misrepresentations to prospective students. The Education Department, which administers the nation’s federal student loan program, last summer announced an overall plan to forgive the federal loan debt of some students.

Friday, the department announced specific relief for students who were defrauded at 91 former Corinthian campuses nationwide, including at seven campuses in Illinois.

Students who are eligible for relief need to complete a form on the department’s website. They also will be contacted by the department, according to Madigan.