U.S. Department of Education Student Loan Ombudsman
There are a number of different ombudsman programs. The Department of Education ombudsman office was created to help borrowers with difficult problems. Borrowers can submit problems online. The toll-free phone number is 877-557-2575 and the fax number is 606-396-4821; the mail address is U.S. Department of Education, FSA Ombudsman Group, P.O. Box 1843, Monticello, KY 42633.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Student Loan Ombudsman
The CFPB has an online form that you can use to tell them about complaints with private student lenders or about servicers and collectors of all types of student loans. The CFPB says that it will assist all borrowers experiencing problems taking out a private student loan, repaying their private student loan, or managing a student loan that has gone into default and may have been referred to a debt collector.
The CFPB website also includes other tools to help borrowers understand their student loan options.
Guaranty Agency and Lender Assistance
Many guaranty agencies and lenders have their own ombudsman or customer service offices. Some of these agencies do not publicize these services very well and you will have to ask to find out whether they exist.
Below is a partial list of guaranty agency and lender resources. These are agencies that agreed to list their information on this site. If your loan holder is not on this list, you should still check to see if they have an ombudsman or customer advocate unit. If you do not know which agency is holding your loan, you should also be able to get this information from the National Student Loan Data System.
The agencies prefer that you first try to resolve your problem with the representative from their company or from a collection agency that has already contacted you. The ombudsman will get involved if these initial efforts are unsuccessful. You should only call one of these programs if they hold your loan.
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American Student Assistance
Ombudsman: Kevin Fudge
Phone: (617) 728-4649
E-mail: kfudge@asa.org -
College Assist/Nelnet Guarantor Solutions
Regular Mail: P.O. Box 82561 Lincoln, NE 68501-2561
Phone: (888) 486-4722
E-mail: nelnetcustomersolutions@nelnet.net -
Edfinancial Services
Contact: Melissa Dumas
120 North Seven Oaks Drive, Knoxville, TN 37922
Phone: (866) 847-0149, ext. 5355 or (865) 342-5355
Fax: (865) 692-6341
Email: mdumas@edfinancial.com -
EDFUND/CSAC
The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) transferred its student loan portfolio, which was serviced by EdFund, to ECMC. (see ECMC information below).
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Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC)
111 South Washington Avenue, Suite 1400 Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: 51-325-3015
E-mail: Ombudsman@ecmc.org -
Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) Ombudsman
[Ombudsman inquiries handled by Great Lakes Higher Education Guarantor Corporation]
2401 International Lane
Madison, WI 53704-3192
Phone: (866) 486-7140
Fax: (800) 749-8537
E-mail: ombudsman@glhec.org -
Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation Ombudsman
2401 International Lane
Madison, WI 53704-3192
Phone: (866) 486-7140
Fax: (800) 749-8537
E-mail: ombudsman@glhec.org -
Great Lakes Educational Loan Services, Inc.
Contact Escalation
PO Box 7860
Madison, WI 53707
Phone: (866) 348-0708
Fax: (866) 451-1183
E-mail: greatlakesservicingombudsman@glhec.org -
Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA)
Regular Mail: P.O. Box 549 Trenton, NJ 08625
Contact: Gregory Foster, Esq., Compliance Officer/Ombudsman
Phone: (609) 588-3300 ext. 1220
FAX: (609) 588-2427
Email: Gregory_Foster@hesaa.orgOR
Contact: Rita Larkin, Assistant Compliance Officer/Ombudsman
Phone: (609) 588-3351
FAX: (609) 588-2427
Email: Rita_Larkin@hesaa.org or rlarkin@hesaa.org -
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Ombudsman: Sue Kenik
1755 Lake Cook Road Deerfield, IL 60015
Phone: (800) 477-4411 x 18633
Fax:(847) 831-8549
E-mail: Sue.Kenik@isac.illinois.gov -
Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority
Ombudsman: Elaine Brumback
Regular Mail: KHEAA Ombudsman PO Box 798 Frankfort, KY 40602
Phone: (502) 696-7278 or (877) 593-6608
E-mail: ebrumback@kheaa.com -
Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) Ombudsman
[Ombudsman inquiries handled by Great Lakes Higher Education Guarantor Corporation]
2401 International Lane
Madison, WI 53704-3192
Phone: (866) 486-7140
Fax: (800) 749-8537
E-mail: ombudsman@glhec.org -
Michigan Guaranty Agency
Ombudsman: Tom Trudgeon
Mail Address: 7285 Parsons Drive, Lansing, MI 48821
PO Box 30047 Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (800) 642-5626 (toll free) or (517) 373-1243
Fax: (517) 241-0155
E-mail: trudgeont@michigan.gov
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Missouri Department of Higher Education
Ombudsman: Marla Robertson
205 Jefferson Street,
P.O. Box 1469
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1469
Phone: 800-473-6757 or (573) 751-1791
Fax: (573) 751-6635
Email: marla.robertson@dhe.mo.gov
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MOHELA
Contact: Gwen Abernathy
Mail: 633 Spirit Drive Chesterfield, MO 63005-1243
Phone: (636) 733-3700 ext. 4466
Fax: (636) 787-2606
Email: gwendolyna@mohela.com
https://www.mohela.com/DL/common/Ombudsman.aspx
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National Student Loan Program
NSLP Ombudsman Office
1300 O Street
P.O. Box 85207
Lincoln, NE 68501-2507
Phone: (800) 735-8778 ext. 6380
Fax: 402.479.6762
E-mail: ombudsman@nslp.org for more information about NSLP Ombudsman. -
Navient
Office of the Customer Advocate
P. O. Box 4200
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18773-4200
Email: advocate@navient.com
Phone: 888-545-4199 (toll free)
Website -
Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) Ombudsman
Affiliate of Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation
2401 International Lane
Madison, WI 53704-3192
Phone: (866) 486-7140
Fax: (800) 749-8537
E-mail: ombudsman@glhec.org -
NY State Higher Education Services Corporation
Cori Biviano, Agency Ombudsman
Regular Mail: 99 Washington Avenue, 13th Floor Albany, NY 12255
Phone: (518) 408-0004 or (866) 387-6123
Fax: 518-474-2839
Email: ombudsman@hesc.ny.gov
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Oklahoma College Assistance Program (OCAP)
Contact: Jaime Shelton, Sr. Regulatory Compliance Specialist
Mail: P.O. Box 3000 Oklahoma City, OK 73101-3000
Phone: (405) 234-4281
Fax: (405) 234-4586
Email: jshelton@ocap.org -
Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Association (RIHEAA) Ombudsman
[Ombudsman inquiries handled by Great Lakes Higher Education Guarantor Corporation]
2401 International Lane
Madison, WI 53704-3192
Phone: (866) 486-7140
Fax: (800) 749-8537
E-mail: ombudsman@glhec.org -
Sallie Mae
Office of the Customer Advocate
P. O. Box 3349
Wilmington, DE 19804-4349
Phone: (855) 342-2014
FAX: (855) 826-1069Customer Advocate Unit More information about Sallie Mae Customer Advocate Unit, including how to contact the Unit.
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Student Loans of North Dakota
Wally Erhardt, Private Loan Contact
1200 Memorial Hwy
Bismarck, ND 58504
Phone: (701) 328-5654
E-mail: werhardt@nd.gov
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Trellis Company (formerly Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation)
Contact: John Seibert
Trellis Ombudsman
P.O. Box 83100
Round Rock, TX 78683-3100
Phone: (800) 252-9743; ext. 4782 or (512) 219-4782
Fax: (512) 336-6520
Email: john.seibert@tgslc.org
More information about Trellis Company Ombudsman
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United Student Aid Funds (USAF) Ombudsman
Affiliate of Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation
2401 International Lane
Madison, WI 53704-3192
Phone: (866) 486-7140
Fax: (800) 749-8537
E-mail: ombudsman@glhec.org -
Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority
Ombudsman: Michelle Hansen
Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority
The Board of Regents Bldg., The Gateway 60 S. 400 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Phone: (801) 321-7225
E-mail: mhansen@utahsbr.edu
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