How to Contact Student Loan Companies During COVID-19

By Mentor Staff | Edited By Mentor Staff

Updated On September 14, 2022

Editorial Note: This content is based solely on the author's opinions and is not provided, approved, endorsed or reviewed by any financial institution or partner.

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You may be wondering how to contact student loan companies during Covid-19. If so, you're not alone. Whether you want to contact your student loan servicer or your lender, it's important that you are in regular contact.

Mentor contacted several leading student loan companies to check how these lenders are helping borrowers during the Covid-19 pandemic. If you have a private student loan with these companies, want to refinance student loans, learn how you contact your lender to help manage your student loans during this challenging period.

Top Picks For Student Loan Refinancing

December 2024

Fixed APR ?APR, or Annual Percentage Rate, is the price you pay to borrow money. Fixed APR means that your interest rate will always stay the same. Even if interest rates change, your interest rate or monthly payment will not. Fixed APR includes a 0.25% discount when you enroll in autopay.
Variable APR ?APR, or Annual Percentage Rate, is the price you pay to borrow money. Variable APR means that your interest rate can fluctuate over time, which can increase or decrease your monthly student loan payment. Typically, a variable-rate loan has a lower introductory rate than a fixed-loan rate loan. Variable APR includes a 0.25% discount when you enroll in autopay.
APR
4.49% - 9.99%
5.99% - 9.99%
4.49% - 9.99%

View Details

on SoFi's website

Overview

Variable APR:
5.99% - 9.99%
Fixed APR:
4.49% - 9.99%
Minimum Credit Score:
650
Minimum Income:
None
Fees:
None
Minimum Loan Amount:
$5,000 ($10,000 in CA)

Details

Eligible Loans:
Private & Federal
Eligible Degrees:
Undergraduate & Graduate
Loan Terms:
5, 7, 10, 15, 20 years
Borrower Residency:
All states
Hardship Deferment:
Yes
Co-signer Option:
Yes
3.95% - 9.74%
5.89% - 9.74%
3.95% - 9.74%

View Details

on Earnest's website

Overview

Variable APR:
5.89% - 9.74%
Fixed APR:
3.95% - 9.74%
Minimum Credit Score:
650
Minimum Income:
None
Fees:
None
Minimum Loan Amount:
$5,000

Details

Eligible Loans:
Private & Federal
Eligible Degrees:
Undergraduate & Graduate
Loan Terms:
5-20 years
Borrower Residency:
All States except NV
Hardship Deferment:
Yes
Co-signer Option:
No
5.19% - 9.74%
5.99% - 9.74%
5.19% - 9.74%

View Details

on NaviRefi's website

Overview

Variable APR:
5.99% - 9.74%
Fixed APR:
5.19% - 9.74%
Minimum Credit Score:
680
Minimum Income:
None
Fees:
None
Minimum Loan Amount:
$5,001 ($10,001 in CA)

Details

Eligible Loans:
Private & Federal
Eligible Degrees:
Undergraduate & Graduate
Loan Terms:
5-20 years
Borrower Residency:
All States except NV
Hardship Deferment:
Yes
Co-signer Option:
No
4.88% - 8.44%
4.86% - 8.49%
4.86% - 8.49%

View Details

on ELFI's website

Overview

Variable APR:
4.86% - 8.49%
Fixed APR:
4.88% - 8.44%
Minimum Credit Score:
680
Minimum Income:
$35,000
Fees:
None
Minimum Loan Amount:
$10,000

Details

Eligible Loans:
Private & Federal
Eligible Degrees:
Undergraduate & Graduate
Loan Terms:
5, 7, 10, 15, 20 years
Borrower Residency:
All States
Hardship Deferment:
Yes
Co-signer Option:
Yes
4.84% - 9.99%
5.89% - 9.99%
4.84% - 9.99%

View Details

on Splash's website

Overview

Variable APR:
5.89% - 9.99%
Fixed APR:
4.84% - 9.99%
Minimum Credit Score:
640
Minimum Income:
None
Fees:
None
Minimum Loan Amount:
$5,000

Details

Eligible Loans:
Private & Federal
Eligible Degrees:
Undergraduate & Graduate
Loan Terms:
5 – 20 years
Borrower Residency:
All states
Hardship Deferment:
Varies
Co-signer Option:
No
5.89% - 10.98%
7.02% - 12.44%
5.89% - 12.44%

View Details

on Citizens' website

Overview

Variable APR:
7.02% - 12.44%
Fixed APR:
5.89% - 10.98%
Minimum Credit Score:
Not disclosed
Minimum Income:
$24,000
Fees:
No prepayment or origination fees
Minimum Loan Amount:
$10,000

Details

Eligible Loans:
Private & Federal
Eligible Degrees:
Undergraduate & Graduate
Loan Terms:
5, 7, 10, 15, 20 years
Borrower Residency:
All states
Hardship Deferment:
Yes
Co-signer Option:
Yes
4.99% - 8.90%
5.29% - 9.20%
4.99% - 9.20%

View Details

on Laurel Road's website

Overview

Variable APR:
5.29% - 9.20%
Fixed APR:
4.99% - 8.90%
Minimum Credit Score:
680
Minimum Income:
None
Fees:
None
Minimum Loan Amount:
$5,000

Details

Eligible Loans:
Private & Federal
Eligible Degrees:
Undergraduate & Graduate
Loan Terms:
5, 7, 10, 15, 20 years
Borrower Residency:
All States
Hardship Deferment:
Yes
Co-signer Option:
Yes
5.49% - 9.75%
5.53% - 12.18%
5.49% - 12.18%

View Details

on LendKey's website

Overview

Variable APR:
5.53% - 12.18%
Fixed APR:
5.49% - 9.75%
Minimum Credit Score:
680
Minimum Income:
$24,000
Fees:
None
Minimum Loan Amount:
$5,000

Details

Eligible Loans:
Private & Federal
Eligible Degrees:
Undergraduate & Graduate
Loan Terms:
5, 7, 10, 15, 20 years
Borrower Residency:
All states, except ME, ND, NV, RI, WV
Hardship Deferment:
Yes
Co-signer Option:
Yes

1. Earnest

Earnest offers forbearance options for borrowers who need financial assistance. You can contact Earnest by both email and phone. Earnest’s phone number is (888) 601-2801.If you need forbearance for your private student loans, or are facing economic hardship, here is how forbearance works with Earnest:

  • Forbearance is available for up to 12 months
  • During this time, you can postpone your monthly student loan payments
  • Earnest also offers the ability to skip a payment
  • Earnest offers a temporary interest rate reduction
  • If you are returning to school for a degree, for example, you may be able to pause your student loan payments.

2. Splash Financial

Splash is helping student loan borrowers on a case-by-case basis to pay student loans. You can contact Splash at contact@splashfinancial.com or call 1-800-349-3938. Splash works with various banks and credit unions to provide student loan refinancing. While Splash may not offer any specific student loan forbearance related to the Covid crisis, it’s possible that the lender with whom Splash works offer similar student loan relief.

3. SoFi

SoFi is offering assistance to student loan borrowers who affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. You can contact MOHELA, which is SoFi’s student loan servicer, to inquire about options such as forbearance. You can email SoFi at customerservice@sofi.com or contact MOHELA at 1-877-292-7470.

SoFi offers the following financial assistance if you have student loans with SoFi:

  • Forbearance if you lose your job
  • Forbearance if you experience economic hardship
  • Deferment if you return to school
  • Deferment if you experience economic hardship
  • Deferment is you are on active military duty

4. Laurel Road

Laurel Road is helping student loan borrowers who are impacted by Coronavirus. If you face financial hardship, you can contact Laurel Road’s student loan servicer, which is MOHELA. The phone number for MOHELA is 1-877-292-7470. Laurel Road may offer the following forbearance to student loan borrowers with Laurel Road student loans:

  • Up to 12 months for student loan forbearance, for three months at a time
  • Forbearance if you lose your job

5. LendKey

LendKey works with community banks and credit unions to provide student loans and student loan refinancing.LendKey is working with student loan borrowers to help during the Covid pandemic. If you are facing financial hardship, you can call LendKey at 888-996-9268 or by email at care@lendkey.com.

6. Education Loan Finance

Education Loan Finance, which is also known as Elfi, is offering financial help to student loan borrowers during Coronavirus. You can call Education Loan Finance at 1-844-691-3534 or by email at answers@elfi.com to discuss your specific situation. Elfi says it will work with borrowers on a case-by-case basis.

Education Loan Finance offers:

  • Forbearance up to 12 months to borrowers who face economic hardship.

7. College Ave

College Ave is working with student loan borrowers in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. If you are facing financial hardship during Coronavirus, you can contact College Ave at 1-844-803-0736.

College Ave provides:

  • Forbearance for up to 12 months
  • College Ave provides forbearance in three- to six-month periods, with an option for an extension
  • Student loan deferment for students who return to school
  • Student loan deferment if you are on active duty in the military

It's important that you know how to contact student loan companies during Covid-19 so you can evaluate your options for student loan refinancing, student loan repayment and student loan forgiveness.

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