Are you repaying old Perkins Loans, institutional loans, or private student loans? If so, Heartland ECSI may be the company that’s collecting payments from you.
How does Heartland ECSI work? We’ll explain what Heartland ECSI does, and how to make sure you are on top of your loans serviced by Heartland ECSI.
If you aren't sure about where your loans are, check out this guide to finding out who owns your student loans.
If you want to see if there's something better out there for your student loans, check out our guide on the best places to refinance your student loans.
What Is Heartland ECSI?
Heartland ECSI is a student loan servicer. That means that the company doesn’t offer student loans, but it collects payments for the loans.
Many borrowers of Perkins Loans (student loans that are now defunct) will have their loans serviced by Heartland ECSI. Additionally, some private lenders have enlisted Heartland ECSI to collect and process payments on their behalf.
What Does Heartland ECSI Do?
In general, Heartland ECSI collects payments on your student loans. It will then disburse your payment to the lender.
Heartland ECSI also sets up “payment plans” for borrowers with accounts that are past due. Generally, payment plans allow borrowers to repay the past due amount in equal monthly installments over a period of 3 to 12 months. These payment plans require borrowers to pay certain fees including plan management fees.
What to Do If Heartland ECSI Contacts You About Student Loans
If Heartland ECSI contacts you about student loans, it probably means that they are servicing some of your private student loans (or a Perkins Loan for those who had the option).
To learn more about the student loans you owe, you’ll want to create an account at Heartland ECSI. Simply click Sign In or Register from the home page of Heartland ECSI. You’ll create a username and password. After that, you’ll add personal information such as your name and date of birth.
Once you create your profile, you have to connect your account(s) to your profile. You can find information about your account from any communication with Heartland ECSI. All mail communication from Heartland ECSI will have an account number in the upper right-hand corner of the letter. All email communication has the account number in the lower left-hand corner.
If you’re not sure about your account number, you can search for your account number from the Heartland ECSI website using your full name, zip code, and Social Security number.
How Do I Pay My Loans Through Heartland ECSI?
Heartland ECSI offers several ways to pay your student loans, but the best option is to set up a monthly recurring direct debit plan. This is the only payment plan (other than mailing checks) that doesn’t require you to pay a fee.
If your bank provides a bill pay service, you could also use your bank’s bill pay service to avoid the fees.
The payment fees for other payment options are as follows:
One-time ACH online (or via app) | $1.95 per payment |
|---|---|
One-time ACH via phone | $10.00 per payment |
Credit/debit card payment online (or via app) | 3.95% of the payment amount plus $1.00 per payment |
Credit/debit card payment online via phone | 3.95% of the payment amount plus $10.00 per payment |
Yes, those fees are pretty much bogus fees to get you to pay more money. If you want to make one-time payments and avoid the fee, mail a check to:
[Your School Name]
c/o Heartland ECSI
PO Box 718
Wexford, PA 15090
Be sure to include your full name and account number in the memo line of the check. You can also use this information to send a check via bill pay from your bank.
How Can I Contact Heartland ECSI?
You can contact Heartland ECSI via phone or live chat.
To chat live with a Heartland ECSI representative, visit the Contact Us page on the Heartland ECSI’s website.
For a representative who can discuss student loan servicing, call (888) 549-3274. They are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. through 9:00 p.m. EST.
For past due tuition and fees, call (844) 454-6100. They are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. through 8:00 p.m. EST.
For refund disbursements, call (855) 250-3230. They are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. through 8:00 p.m. EST.
For tax documents, call (866) 428-1098. They are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. through 8:00 p.m. EST.
For tuition payment plans, call (866) 927-1438. They are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. through 8:00 p.m. EST.
Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.
He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared toward anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.
He has been quoted in major publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, Today, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.
Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Chris Muller