Western International University (WIU), a former for-profit institution once owned by the Apollo Group (also owner of University of Phoenix), closed permanently and left thousands of students in limbo. If you attended WIU and faced misleading practices, you may qualify for full federal loan cancellation under the Borrower Defense to Repayment (BDR) program
WIU is listed in the Sweet v. Cardona class-action lawsuit, a major settlement approved in 2022 that enables automatic loan relief for students who attended schools with strong evidence of misconduct. If you submitted a Borrower Defense application before June 22, 2022, you may be eligible for automatic cancellation.
Additionally, students who didn’t submit claims in time can still apply under the Borrower Defense rules or seek relief via the Closed School Discharge program, depending on their exit date.
While WIU avoided major public lawsuits like its sister school (University of Phoenix), it was:
🕵️♀️Investigators noted that WIU heavily targeted working adults with aggressive marketing tactics while offering little in terms of career placement or credit transfer options.
Relief Type | Available To | Notes |
Borrower Defense to Repayment | Students misled about cost, job placement, accreditation, or quality | Must show the school violated federal law or misrepresented important facts |
Sweet v. Cardona Settlement | BDR filed before June 22, 2022 | May receive full discharge without further review |
Closed School Discharge | WIU closed in 2019 | Students who could not finish may qualify |
Our free, step-by-step Borrower Defense DIY Guide will help you:
Thousands of students have already had their loans forgiven thanks to BDR. Explore similar cases:
and many more …
Browse the full list of schools with confirmed misconduct or closure.
You may be entitled to 100% federal loan forgiveness. Don’t delay—eligibility may depend on your withdrawal date or when you filed a claim.
If you were misled by Western International University, you are not alone. Let us help you navigate the Borrower Defense process and reclaim your financial future.
👉 Start today at DefenseClaims.com