If you attended the University of Phoenix and believe you were misled about employer relationships, job opportunities, career outcomes, salary expectations, accreditation, transfer credits, or the value of your degree, you may have a Borrower Defense to Repayment claim.
University of Phoenix has been the subject of major federal action involving deceptive advertising claims. The FTC’s case focused on advertising that allegedly gave students the false impression that the school worked with major employers to create job opportunities for students.
Legal Touch can help review your University of Phoenix experience, identify the strongest claim issues, and determine whether your federal student loans may qualify for Borrower Defense relief.
Check your eligibility today or call 800-261-2946.
Free Review: Tell us your University of Phoenix program, dates attended, loan status, and what you were promised. Legal Touch can help determine whether your experience may support a Borrower Defense claim.
Check My Eligibility
Call 800-261-2946
In 2023, the Department of Education approved nearly $37 million in federal loan discharges for more than 1,200 University of Phoenix students who submitted valid Borrower Defense applications tied to job placement related claims.
This does not mean every University of Phoenix borrower automatically qualifies. It does mean that some borrower defense claims tied to University of Phoenix advertising and employment related representations received federal approval.
If your University of Phoenix experience involved employer relationship claims, job opportunity promises, career outcome representations, or salary expectations, preserve any documents showing what you were told.
The Federal Trade Commission brought action against University of Phoenix and its parent company over advertising claims involving employer relationships and job opportunities.
The FTC alleged that University of Phoenix used deceptive advertisements that falsely touted relationships and job opportunities with major employers.
In 2019, University of Phoenix and Apollo Education Group agreed to a $191 million FTC settlement. The settlement included $50 million in cash payments and cancellation of $141 million in debts owed directly to the school by students harmed by the deceptive ads.
For Borrower Defense purposes, this matters because claims involving employer relationships, job opportunities, career outcomes, and degree value may be relevant when they influenced a borrower’s decision to enroll or borrow federal loans.
No. FTC refunds, cancellation of debts owed directly to the school, Sweet settlement relief, and federal Borrower Defense discharge are different forms of relief.
The FTC settlement included cash payments and cancellation of certain debts owed directly to University of Phoenix. That is not the same thing as automatic discharge of federal student loans.
However, the FTC’s findings and the Department of Education’s later Borrower Defense action may help support a claim if your personal experience matches the advertising or job-opportunity claims described.
If you already received an FTC payment or other settlement related relief, keep records of what you received and disclose that information accurately when reviewing your Borrower Defense options.
Yes. Former University of Phoenix students may still be able to file Borrower Defense claims if they believe the school misled them about job opportunities, employer relationships, career outcomes, salary expectations, costs, accreditation, transferability, or degree value.
The strength of the claim depends on your specific facts, loan history, attendance dates, evidence, and how clearly the application explains the harm.
A strong application should explain what University of Phoenix told you, how you relied on those statements, and how your actual experience differed from what you were promised.
If you enrolled because you believed University of Phoenix had special relationships with employers or could help connect you to specific companies, document those promises.
If you were told your program would improve your chances of employment, promotion, or career advancement, preserve the evidence.
Any salary, income, job placement, or career outcome statements should be included in your claim if they influenced your enrollment decision.
If you were told the degree would carry a specific value with employers, licensing bodies, graduate programs, or career paths, document what was said.
If University of Phoenix made statements about accreditation, transfer credits, licensing, or the practical value of the program that did not match your experience, those facts may be relevant to your Borrower Defense application.
Borrower Defense claims are stronger when they include specific details, not just general complaints about being unhappy with a school.
Your application should explain:
• What University of Phoenix told you
• How the statement influenced your decision to enroll or borrow
• What actually happened afterward
• What documents or records support your story
A stronger claim connects your personal experience to documented school-level issues, such as FTC findings, Department of Education actions, settlement history, or written school materials.
A stronger Borrower Defense application usually includes both your personal story and supporting evidence. Helpful documents may include:
Even if you do not have every document, your written statement may still matter. Legal Touch can help review what you have and identify other evidence that may support your claim.
You have two options.
Legal Touch can help review your University of Phoenix history, organize your evidence, identify the strongest job-placement or salary-related issues, and prepare a clearer Borrower Defense application.
Start with a free eligibility review.
You can also file a Borrower Defense application directly through the Department of Education.
If you prefer to do it yourself, use our DIY Borrower Defense Guide to understand what documents to gather and how to explain your claim.
Yes. Former University of Phoenix students may still be able to file Borrower Defense claims if they believe the school misled them about employer relationships, job opportunities, career outcomes, salary expectations, costs, accreditation, transfer credits, or degree value.
Eligibility depends on your federal loan history, attendance dates, application history, evidence, and the specific facts of your claim.
The FTC alleged that University of Phoenix used deceptive advertising that falsely suggested relationships and job opportunities with major employers.
Those claims may be relevant to a Borrower Defense application if they influenced your decision to enroll or borrow federal student loans.
No. The $191 million FTC settlement included cash payments and cancellation of certain debts owed directly to the school. That is different from federal Borrower Defense discharge.
However, FTC findings and later Department of Education borrower-defense activity may help support your claim if your personal experience matches the conduct described.
What evidence should University of Phoenix borrowers gather?
Useful evidence may include University of Phoenix advertisements, emails, brochures, enrollment agreements, financial aid records, career services maerials, employer relationship claims, job opportunity claims, salary claims, and written proof showing what you were told before enrolling.
Your application should explain what University of Phoenix represented, how you relied on those statements, and how your actual outcome differed from what you were promised.
Possibly, yes. FTC refunds, settlement-related relief, debts owed directly to the school, and federal Borrower Defense discharge are different forms of relief.
If you already received an FTC refund or other relief, keep records of what you received and disclose it when reviewing your federal Borrower Defense options.
If you attended University of Phoenix and believe you were misled about employer relationships, job opportunities, career outcomes, salary expectations, program value, accreditation, transfer credits, or career advancement, you may have a Borrower Defense claim.
Legal Touch can review your University of Phoenix school history, help identify the strongest misconduct issues, and guide you through your federal student loan relief options.
Start with a free eligibility review today.
Or submit your information online to check your eligibility.
Prefer to file on your own? You can also download our free DIY Borrower Defense guide and application resources.
The highest level of education and consulting in Borrower Defense for Student Loans.
Legal Touch Borrower Defense - Copyright . All rights reserved. Designed by Explore Logics
