Appeals
Can I Appeal?
If you received an ineligible letter and the ineligible reasons identified are incorrect, you can submit a letter and supporting documentation requesting an appeal of the ineligible decision.
Have Questions About Your Appeal?
Please review the appeals section of the frequently asked questions.
Supporting Documentation
Please review the following chart to determine what supporting documentation you need to send to PHEAA if you were selected for participation in the SLRN program but were incorrectly listed as ineligible for one of the post selection ineligible reasons listed below. If you have more than one ineligible reason, you must provide evidence to support your eligibility for each reason listed on your letter.
We must receive your supporting documentation within 30 days from the date on your letter. Supporting documentation received after the 30-day window will not be considered and you will remain ineligible.
| Post Selection Ineligible Reason | Supporting Documentation |
|---|---|
| You do not meet the PA residency requirement | Recent (as of time of employment certification) signed copy of lease or mortgage or recent copy of utility or credit card bill that was received through postal mail. Documents must be in your name. |
| You are not a nurse providing patient care | Letter from employer on company letterhead stating nurse was providing patient care |
| You did not work in PA | Letter from employer on company letterhead stating nurse was working in PA |
| You were not working as of December 31, 2021 | Letter from employer on company letterhead stating the nurse’s employment begin and end dates |
| Your job-related duties were not impacted by COVID-19 | Letter from employer on company letterhead stating nurse's job-related duties were impacted by COVID-19 |
| You did not work the required number of hours | Letter from employer on company letterhead stating the number of hours worked |
| You did not work at an eligible facility | Letter from employer on company letterhead stating nurse worked at an eligible facility |
| Your loan is in a default status | Loan verification documentation or documentation from servicer showing date of default (FFELP or private education loans) |
| You do not have a student loan balance |
Loan verification documentation on servicer’s letterhead (dated within 30 days of your ineligible letter) showing total loan balance, disbursement date, loan type, and loan servicer account number. IMPORTANT: The loan information must be printed, or computer generated directly from the loan servicer or their website, and all relevant details must be included. Handwritten forms or letters cannot be accepted. A new application or change form cannot be used in lieu of acceptable loan verification documentation. |
| Your loan type is not eligible | |
| You did not submit your loan verification documentation |
Letter explaining the reason your loan verification documentation was not submitted and loan verification documentation on servicer’s letterhead (dated within 30 days of your ineligible letter) showing total loan balance, disbursement date, loan type, and loan servicer account number. IMPORTANT: The loan information must be printed, or computer generated directly from the loan servicer or their website. All relevant details must be included. Handwritten forms or letters cannot be accepted. A new application or change form cannot be used in lieu of acceptable loan verification documentation. |
| The loan verification documentation you submitted was incomplete or unacceptable. |
Loan verification documentation on servicer’s letterhead (dated within 30 days of your ineligible letter) showing total loan balance, disbursement date, loan type, and loan servicer account number. IMPORTANT: The loan information must be printed, or computer generated directly from the loan servicer or their website. All relevant details must be included. Handwritten forms or letters cannot be accepted. A new application or change form cannot be used in lieu of acceptable loan verification documentation. |
| You do not have an active nursing license | Copy of nursing license NOTE: Nursing license must be showing active in Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) |
| Your Authorization Form was submitted after the deadline | Letter explaining reason Authorization Form was submitted after the deadline |
| You did not return your Authorization Form | Letter explaining reason Authorization Form was not submitted and copy of signed Authorization Form |
| Your loan verification documentation was submitted after the deadline | Letter explaining reason loan verification documentation was submitted after the deadline and supporting documentation, if applicable |
| You did not complete Section 1 of the Employment Certification Form | Complete and sign Section 1 of the Employment Certification Form. NOTE: Section 1 can be received from the applicant’s email address. |
| You did not sign the Employment Certification Form | Complete and sign Section 1 of the Employment Certification Form. NOTE: Section 1 can be received from the applicant’s email address. |
| Employer representative did not sign the Employment Certification Form | Employer representative must complete and sign Section 2 of the Employment Certification Form. NOTE: Section 2 must be received from the employer representative’s organizational email address. Section 2 will not be accepted if received from a personal email address. |
| Facility name or Employer Identification Number (EIN) was not provided on the Employment Certification Form | Employer representative must complete and sign Section 2 of the Employment Certification Form. NOTE: Section 2 must be received from the employer representative’s organizational email address. Section 2 will not be accepted if received from a personal email address. |
| Employer representative did not complete the Employment Certification Form in its entirety | Employer representative must complete and sign Section 2 of the Employment Certification Form. NOTE: Section 2 must be received from the employer representative’s organizational email address. Section 2 will not be accepted if received from a personal email address. |
| Your Employment Certification Form was not sent from the employer representative’s email | Employer representative must return the Employment Certification Form from the employer representative’s organizational email address. NOTE: Forms received from a personal email address will not be accepted. |
Submitting Your Supporting Documentation
You can use our file upload feature to upload your supporting documentation directly to PHEAA.
- Sign in to Account Access on the SLRN homepage or create an account if you do not already have one.
- Open the file upload feature.
- Select “PA Special Programs” as the reason for your upload.
- Select “PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses” as the category.
You can also submit your supporting documentation by email to SLRN@pheaa.org or by fax to 717-720-3786. If you are submitting your supporting documentation by email, you must provide the following in the body of the email to verify your identity:
- The last 4 digits of your Social Security number (SSN) or nursing license number
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Email address (on file)