Since 2019, the Department of Education has run a data match with the VA that automatically identifies veterans rated 100 percent Permanent and Total (P&T) and begins the Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge process on their federal student loans. Once identified, the veteran receives a notice and the discharge is processed by the Department's TPD Servicer, which is currently Nelnet. This happens automatically unless the veteran affirmatively opts out.
Opting out matters for veterans who are still enrolled in school and want to keep borrowing federal student aid, because accepting a TPD discharge closes out the discharged loans and can complicate taking on new federal loans afterward, or in some cases restricts future eligibility unless certain conditions are met. If the discharge already happened and it was not what you wanted, the correct step is to contact the TPD Servicer directly (Nelnet handles TPD discharges for the Department of Education) and request that the discharge be reversed or that you be reinstated as an active borrower. This is different from the original TPD discharge application, which normally requires proof such as a VA award letter showing 100 percent P&T status, a Social Security Administration award letter, or physician certification of total and permanent disability.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →Because the automatic process relies on the VA data match rather than a physician's certification, having your school route a form through your doctor is not usually a required step for reversing an automatic discharge — that path is more typical of the original discharge application itself. It is possible your university's Veteran or Military Coordinator is using an internal process to document your continued enrollment and intent to keep borrowing, which is a reasonable step, but it should be paired with a direct request to Nelnet to formally cancel or reverse the discharge on their end, since they are the entity that actually controls loan status.
Outcomes and required documentation can vary depending on how far the discharge has progressed and whether the loans have already been fully closed out, so timing matters and there is no fixed guarantee that any discharge can be undone. If reinstating is not possible, ask both the servicer and your school's financial aid office what alternatives exist for continuing to receive aid for your remaining coursework.
As a next step, call Nelnet's TPD Servicing line directly, explain that the discharge was processed in error while you are still enrolled, and ask in writing for the discharge to be reversed and your loan eligibility reinstated.
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