Federal Perkins Loan services

Payments and Billing/Consolidation

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse contracts with Heartland Educational Computer Systems, Inc. (ECSI) for the billing and electronic processing of payments on your campus-based Perkins loan.

To make email address corrections, to access your E-bill, to set up electronic payments, or to view your account online, please go to the ECSI home page. Our school code is VM.  ECSI can be reached at 1-800-437-6931 and Press #1.

All borrowers of a Federal Perkins Loan must complete an online Exit Counseling. Transcript holds will be placed on accounts if exit requirements are not met. 

Repayment of the Federal Perkins Loan begins at the end of a 9-month grace period beginning once the student leaves the University (graduates, withdraws, or drops below six credits). Repayment lasts for a period of ten years and interest is charged at 5% .  Payments are based on the total amount borrowed, but may not be less than $40 per month. Prepayment of a Perkins Loan can be made at any time without penalty.    

If you have received any type of communication from a collection agency or the Wisconsin Department of Revenue regarding your Perkins Loan, this means you have defaulted in your payments.

Students who wish to consolidate their Perkins Loan with their Direct Loan payment should contact their Direct Loan Servicer. To find your Direct Loan Servicer, visit studentaid.gov.

Perkins Loan Promissory Notes

Perkins Loan Promissory Notes are signed online at our Perkin's loan servicer's website.  More Information is available on the Heartland ECSI website.

Change of Status

The Borrower (student) has the responsibility to notify Heartland ECSI when they stop attending the University as at least a half-time student.  They should also update their addresses and telephone numbers in WINGs.  The borrower should also provide the same information to Heartland ECSI.  Until the borrower changes any of the information with Heartland ECSI, they will use the original information as provided with the Master Promissory Note. 

Acceleration of Repayment

The borrower may accelerate repayment of the loan (pay off early) without penalty.  By paying the account down, less interest is charged.  If the borrower sends an early or extra payment they should indicate whether it is to be applied as a regular scheduled payment or to be applied as an accelerated payment.  Payments received without any notation are treated as an accelerated payment. 

Acceleration of Note & Collection Costs

At any time, the University has the option of accelerating the note, which is to declare the entire amount of the loan due immediately. However it usually is only done when the borrower does not make payments or file proper deferment requests. Accelerated loans are ineligible for deferments provisions and cancellation benefits.

If satisfactory payments are not being made and additional collection effort is taken, the cost of that effort will be added to the borrower's account.

Credit Reporting

Information about the Federal Perkins loan is reported to a National Credit Bureau on a monthly basis.

To see your complete history of federal student loans; including Federal Perkins loan. You can log in to your account at StudentAid.gov with your FSA ID.

DEFERMENT OF REPAYMENT

Deferment Request forms need to be completed by the borrower and then certified by an authorized official before being sent to Heartland ECSI for processing. They are available through the Heartland ECSI's web site at: (http://www.ecsi.net/bwr/forms/index.html )

No interest accrues and no payment is due during a period of valid deferment - unless there was an amount that came due prior to the deferment period.

There is no time limit on the following deferments:

• Enrolled and attending as at least a half-time undergraduate student at an eligible institution.*
• Enrolled and attending as a regular student in a course of study that is part of an approved graduate fellowship program.*
• Enrolled and attending a course of study that is part of a rehabilitation training program for disabled individuals.*
• Engaged in graduate or post-graduate approved fellowship supported study outside the United States.*
• For any period of time while providing services as described in the Cancellation section.*

There is a maximum of three (3) years for the following deferments:

•  Military service when the borrower is on active duty during a war or other military operation, or national emergency, or performing qualifying National Guard duty.

•  Seeking but unable to find full time employment.

•  To avoid economic hardship as determined by UWRF Perkins Receivable Office.*

*EXCEPTION : A borrower is ineligible for these deferments when serving a medical internship or residency.

CANCELLATION BENEFITS

Cancellation Request forms need to be completed by the borrower and then certified by an authorized official before being sent to Heartland ECSI for processing. They are available through the Heartland ECSI's web site at: (http://www.ecsi.net/bwr/forms/index.html )

Cancellation benefits are available to Perkins Loan borrowers who work full-time in an eligible position for a full year (or equivalent). Unless identified otherwise, the cancellation rates are:

• First year, 15%
• Second year, 15%
• Third year, 20%
• Fourth year, 20%
• Fifth year, 30%

Teacher Cancellations

For teachers, the borrower must be employed full-time at a public or a non-profit school (or an approved program) and also able to apply at least one of the following criteria:

• Teaching in a school that is listed by Department of Education as having a high concentration of low income families
• Teaching handicapped infants, toddlers, children, and/or youth
• Teaching mathematics, sciences, foreign languages, bilingual education, or any other field of expertise as determined by the state educational agencies to have a shortage of qualified teachers.
• Full-time Head Start teaching staff members are able to access a cancellation benefit of 15% per year so long as
• • It is operated for a period comparable to a full academic year, and
  • The salary paid is less than a comparable employee in the locality.

Early Intervention Services Cancellations

For professionals from Early Intervention Services who work with preschool children.

Law Enforcement or Corrections Cancellation

Cancellations for a full-time law enforcement officer - or - a full-time corrections officer for a local, State or Federal agency.

Health Care Service Cancellation

Cancellations due to being a full-time nurse or medical technician providing primary health care service.

Service to High Risk Children/Families Cancellation

Full-time employee of a child or family agency that is providing or supervising the provision of services to high risk children and their families from low income communities.

Volunteer Service Cancellation

Your are entitled to have up to 70% of the Perkins loan cancelled if you are a volunteer for either the Peace Corps or and organization created under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973. This provision uses the same cancellation rate schedule, however only for the first four years.

Military Cancellation

For each year of full-time active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States serving in an area of defined hostilities (Section 310 of Title 37 of the United States Code), you may cancel up to 50% of your loan at the rate of 12.5% per year.

Death and Disability Cancellation

If the borrower dies or becomes permanently and totally disabled, the entire amount of this loan plus the interest will be cancelled.