On Tuesday, September, 6th, ITT Tech closed its campuses across the U.S. While there are many stories to be told behind this decision, perhaps the most important for adult educators is the impact on learners enrolled at an ITT campus. On the U.S. Department of Education's blog, HomeRoom, Secretary of Education, John B. King Jr, issued a statement to students. An excerpt from that statement is reproduced here.
We are committed to helping you as you consider next steps. Most immediately, you have two basic options to choose between:
- If you are currently or were recently enrolled at ITT, you may be eligible to have your federal student loans for your program at ITT discharged. Your federal loan debt will be wiped away and you will have the option of restarting your education somewhere new. We will post and update information about how to receive a discharge at our ITT announcements page.
- If you wish to continue and complete your program at a different school – especially if you are close to graduating – you may be able to transfer your credits. It is important to note that transferring your credits may limit your ability to have your federal loans discharged. Closed school discharge may be an option if you enroll in a different program that does not accept your ITT credits.
Both of these options have pros and cons, depending on your unique circumstances, so it is important that you consider your specific situation carefully. You can find some information to start with at our ITT announcements page. The Department’s Office of Federal Student Aid is ready to support you with resources and information, including through this website, and will be updating you with more information in the coming days and weeks.
Whatever you choose to do, do not give up on your education. Higher education remains the clearest path to economic opportunity and security. Restarting or continuing your education at a high-quality, reputable institution may feel like a setback today, but odds are it will pay off in the long run.
The Department of Education is also running a series of webinars to provide former ITT students with more information to make informed decisions regarding next steps. You can register for these webinars, and read other updates from the StudentAid.ed.gov website.