To find out who your student loan servicer is, log in at StudentAid.gov and open the “My Loan Servicers” section of your dashboard, which lists the company managing each federal loan along with its phone number, address, and website. For private student loans, pull a free credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com; every lender and servicer reporting on your accounts will appear there. Servicers change more often than borrowers expect, so the company you first borrowed from may no longer be the one you deal with today.
Finding Your Federal Loan Servicer
StudentAid.gov is the authoritative source. After you sign in, scroll to “My Loan Servicers” on your dashboard. That section shows the name, phone number, mailing address, and website for the servicer assigned to each federal loan, along with the loan’s balance, interest rate, and repayment status.1Federal Student Aid. Who’s My Student Loan Servicer? If two loans are handled by two different companies, the dashboard will show both.
Can’t get in? Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243. A representative can look up your loans, tell you which servicer holds each one, and confirm whether you are in a grace period, active repayment, or another status.2Federal Student Aid. Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC)
The federal servicers currently under contract with the Department of Education include Aidvantage (operated by Maximus Education), Edfinancial Services, MOHELA (Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority), Nelnet, ECSI (Educational Computer Systems), and OSLA (Oklahoma Student Loan Authority), among others. Which one you get depends on when your loan was disbursed and any transfers that have happened since.
Finding Your Private Loan Servicer
Private student loans do not show up on the StudentAid.gov dashboard, so you need a separate trail. Your credit report is the most reliable one. Federal law entitles you to a free report from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus once every 12 months.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681j – Charges for Certain Disclosures The bureaus have also permanently extended a program that lets you pull your report from each one once a week for free at AnnualCreditReport.com.4Consumer Advice. Free Credit Reports
On the report, look in the “Trade Lines” or “Account Information” section. Each student loan entry shows the original lender and the current servicer’s contact information, including any transfers over the life of the loan. If a private lender sold your debt, the new creditor or servicer should appear here.
Your bank or credit union statements are a good cross-check. Search transaction history for recurring ACH withdrawals related to loan payments; the transaction description usually contains the servicer’s name or a merchant ID you can search. This is especially useful when you want to confirm that the servicer on your credit report is actually the one collecting from you.
For older private loans where statements have stopped and the credit report trail is thin, contact the financial aid office at the school you attended. Schools typically have records of which lenders disbursed funds. They may not know the current servicer, but the original lender’s name gives you a starting point to trace the loan forward.
If Your Loan Is in Default
Defaulted federal loans are handled outside the normal servicing system. The Department of Education’s Default Resolution Group manages these accounts and can be reached at 1-800-621-3115 (TTY: 1-877-825-9923). They can confirm the default and walk you through resolution options such as rehabilitation or consolidation.1Federal Student Aid. Who’s My Student Loan Servicer? Your StudentAid.gov dashboard will also list the Default Resolution Group as the servicer if a loan has moved out of standard servicing. Once the default is resolved, the loan goes back to a regular servicer.
When Your Servicer Changes
The Department of Education transfers federal loans between servicers when contracts end or portfolios need rebalancing. The Department still owns the loans; the new servicer just takes over day-to-day work like processing payments and handling repayment plan requests.5Federal Student Aid. So Your Loan Was Transferred – What’s Next?
Your outgoing servicer must notify you at least two weeks before the transfer, by email or letter, and that notice includes the new servicer’s name and contact information. The new servicer will follow up once your account is loaded into their system to explain how to set up online access.5Federal Student Aid. So Your Loan Was Transferred – What’s Next?
One detail catches people out: autopay does not carry over. You have to create a new online account with the new servicer and re-enroll in automatic payments. Until their system is ready for you, StudentAid.gov will have the most current contact details, so check there if you need to reach someone during the transition.5Federal Student Aid. So Your Loan Was Transferred – What’s Next?
Private loan servicers can change too, when lenders sell debt to other institutions. These transfers are less standardized, but the new servicer is required to send written notice. If your statements suddenly stop, check your credit report and recent bank transactions to identify who is handling the account now.
Avoiding Fake Servicer Contacts
Scammers routinely impersonate student loan servicers or dangle fake forgiveness programs. Warning signs include upfront fees, promises of immediate total cancellation, pressure to act before a program supposedly expires, and requests for your StudentAid.gov username and password. The Department of Education and legitimate servicers will never ask for your login credentials.6Federal Student Aid. Avoid Student Loan Forgiveness Scams
Official emails from the Department of Education come only from addresses ending in .gov, specifically noreply@studentaid.gov, noreply@debtrelief.studentaid.gov, or ed.gov@public.govdelivery.com. Official text messages come only from 227722 or 51592. If a message looks suspicious, don’t use any phone number or link it provides. Call your servicer using the number on your billing statement or from your StudentAid.gov dashboard, and report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.7Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Consumer Advisory – Don’t Give Money or Information to Scammers Promising Student Loan Forgiveness