Payment goes to your loan servicer, not to the Department of Education
Your student loan servicer is the company that collects your monthly payments. This is not the same as the lender who originally gave you the loan, and it is not the federal government. The servicer is a private company hired to handle the day-to-day work of collecting payments, answering questions, and managing your account.
When you log into your student loan account online, you are logging into your servicer's website. That is where you make payments, check your balance, and change your payment plan. Your servicer's name and contact information appear on your loan statement and in your email inbox when you receive billing notices.
If you have federal loans, your servicer changed on October 1, 2023. The Department of Education moved all federal student loans to one of ten servicers. If you have private loans, your servicer depends on which bank or lender holds your note.
Key Takeaways
- Your servicer is the company that collects your payments; find their name on your loan statement or by logging into your account at studentaid.gov.
- Federal loans are serviced by one of ten companies: Mohela, Nelnet, Aidvantage, or Commonwealth, depending on your loan type and when you borrowed.
- You can pay online through your servicer's website, by phone, by mail, or by automatic bank transfer — the method does not change where the money goes.
- If you have multiple loans with different servicers, you must log into each servicer's website separately to make payments.
- Payments made to the wrong servicer will be returned or applied to the wrong account, so confirming your servicer's name before paying is essential.
How to find your federal loan servicer
Go to studentaid.gov and sign in with your FSA ID. Your dashboard shows all your federal loans and which servicer handles each one. The servicer's name, phone number, and website appear right there. This is the fastest way to confirm where to send money.
If you cannot access studentaid.gov, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). They can tell you your servicer's name and direct you to their website. Have your Social Security number ready.
Your loan statement also lists your servicer. If you receive paper statements in the mail, the servicer's contact information is printed on the front or back. If you receive statements by email, the servicer's name and payment instructions are in the message.
The ten federal loan servicers and their websites
As of October 2023, federal student loans are handled by these servicers. Your loan type and when you borrowed determine which one services your account.
| Servicer Name | Website | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Mohela | mohela.com | 1-855-265-4038 |
| Nelnet | nelnet.com | 1-855-696-0357 |
| Aidvantage | aidvantage.com | 1-833-243-8426 |
| Commonwealth | commonwealthaid.com | 1-844-557-8265 |
If you are unsure which servicer handles your loans, do not guess. Paying the wrong servicer delays your payment and can result in a late mark on your credit report. Use studentaid.gov or call 1-800-433-3243 to confirm first.
Payment methods: online, phone, mail, or automatic transfer
Once you know your servicer, you can pay through any of these methods. The method you choose does not change where the money goes — it all reaches your servicer's account.
Online payment is the fastest. Log into your servicer's website, enter the amount, and submit. The payment posts within one to three business days. You can set up a one-time payment or schedule recurring payments for the same day each month.
Automatic bank transfer (also called autopay) withdraws money from your checking or savings account on a date you choose. Set this up through your servicer's website. Automatic payments often may have access to you for a 0.25% interest rate reduction on federal loans, though this benefit varies by servicer and loan type.
Phone payment works if you prefer to speak with someone. Call your servicer's number (listed above) and provide your account number and payment amount. They will process the payment over the phone. Some servicers charge a fee for phone payments; ask before you confirm.
Mail payment is slower but still an option. Write a check to your servicer and mail it to the address on your loan statement. Include your account number or Social Security number so the payment reaches the right account. Mail payments take 7 to 10 business days to post, so send them early if you have a deadline.
What happens if you pay the wrong servicer
If you send a payment to a servicer who does not hold your loan, one of two things happens. The servicer either returns the check or payment, or they hold it and eventually send it back to you. Either way, your loan account does not receive credit for the payment.
This can result in a late payment mark on your credit report if your actual servicer does not receive payment by the due date. If this happens, contact your correct servicer immediately and explain the situation. Provide proof that you sent the payment to the wrong company. Many servicers will remove the late mark if you can show the error was not your fault.
To avoid this, always confirm your servicer's name before paying. If you have multiple loans with different servicers, keep a list of each servicer's website and phone number. Update the list if you receive a notice that your loans have been transferred to a new servicer.
Private student loans and alternative lenders
Private student loans are not serviced by the federal servicers listed above. Instead, they are handled by the bank or lender that issued the loan. Common private loan servicers include Sallie Mae, Earnest, SoFi, and Discover, though many others exist.
Find your private loan servicer by checking your loan documents or the statement you receive each month. The servicer's name and payment instructions appear on the statement. You can also search your email for billing notices from when you took out the loan.
If you cannot locate your servicer, contact the lender directly. Call the phone number on your original loan paperwork or search the lender's website for a customer service number. Have your loan account number ready.
What to do if your loans transfer to a new servicer
Federal loans are sometimes transferred from one servicer to another. When this happens, you will receive a notice in the mail and by email explaining the transfer. The notice includes the new servicer's name, website, and phone number.
Do not make a payment during the transfer period unless the notice specifically tells you to. Most servicers ask borrowers to wait a few weeks while they move account information to the new system. Paying during this window can cause delays or duplicate payments.
After the transfer is complete, log into the new servicer's website and confirm your account information is correct. Check your balance, payment history, and contact details. If anything is wrong, contact the new servicer right away to correct it before making your next payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay my student loans directly to the Department of Education?
No. The Department of Education does not collect payments. You must pay your servicer. If you send money to the federal government, it will be returned or redirected to your servicer, which delays your payment.
What if I have loans with multiple servicers?
You must log into each servicer's website separately and make payments to each one. There is no single payment portal for all federal loans. Keep a list of your servicers' websites and phone numbers so you do not miss a payment to any of them.
Do I have to use automatic payments, or can I pay manually each month?
Manual payments are fine. You can log in and pay whenever you want, as long as you pay by your due date. Automatic payments are optional, though they do offer a small interest rate discount on federal loans and reduce the risk of forgetting a payment.
What if I cannot find my servicer's website?
Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243. They will confirm your servicer's name and provide the correct website and phone number. You can also check studentaid.gov, which lists all your federal loans and their servicers.
Is there a fee to pay my student loans?
Online and automatic payments are free. Phone payments may carry a fee depending on your servicer — ask when you call. Mail payments are free but slower. Check your servicer's website for their specific fee policy.