You've graduated (or maybe you are just taking off a semester or two) and your lender/servicer has started sending you notices that you will soon have to start making payments on your student loans.

What are your options?

If you want to start paying you can go right ahead and send in your check or money order, but what if you are short of money and can't meet your payment obligations?

You should remember (from the information provided to you when you took out your loans) that there are many alternative payment arrangements available to assist you in repaying your student loans should you find yourself in a situation where making full and timely payments becomes a burden.

Repayment Options: If the payments are too big for you to manage you may want to look into the repayment options your lender/servicer has for you. You will find that they have payment programs to fit just about everyone's budget. Many offer  extended, graduated, interest-only and/or income sensitive payment plans.

Deferment / Forbearance: If you can’t keep up with the payments due to your economic situation (or if you are delinquent) you should request postponement of payments from your lender. All lenders have various deferment / forbearance options. In many cases you may file on-line for postponement of payment!

Loan Consolidation: If you have a large number of loans (especially if you attended several different schools) and you’re having a hard time keeping track of them (or making the monthly payments) you may want to consider loan consolidation. During these changing economic times some lenders have suspended their loan consolidation programs. If your lender is one of these you have the option to complete a United States Department of Education Federal Direct Consolidation Loan.

Whatever your situation your lender/servicer wants to assist you in repaying your student loans. There is no reason for you to be concerned about how you are going to keep up with your payments (or for you to fall behind in payment) when you are being offered so many opportunities to modify your payment schedule to meet your financial situation.

But you have to take the first step.

Access the appropriate lender/servicer web site(s) from

the links provided below and explore your options.

Your Loan History

If you are not sure which lender/servicer is holding your loans, or if you just want to review your loan history, please visit our Your Loan History web page.

 

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If you know who your lender is and you are ready to proceed we have provided a listing below of lenders, with links to their web sites, that most students have used while attending CSU over the past ten years. If your lender is not listed, or you are not able access its web site, please call our office at 773-995-2304 for assistance.

 

Bank of America

If your loans are serviced by Great Lakes (not available at this time)

If your loans are serviced by IDAPP

If your loans are serviced by Sallie Mae

 

Chase

If your loans are serviced by Chase

If your loans are serviced by IDAPP

If your loans are serviced by Sallie Mae

 

Citibank

 

National Education

If your lender is/was: Bank of Boston,

Corus Bank, Fleet Bank or National Education

 

Sallie Mae

If your lender is/was: Bank One, Charter One, Harris Bank, Independence Bank, LaSalle Bank, Sallie Mae Education Trust, Seaway Bank and Trust (formerly Seaway National Bank), South Shore Bank, TCF or Wilmington Trust

 

Wachovia

 

Wells Fargo

 

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Office of the Ombudsman

Assistance is available to you from the United States Department of Education in the event that you experience a problem or a dispute with a lender/servicer/guarantor of an existing student loan.

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