Frequently Asked Questions

We accept the following methods of payment:

• Direct Debit — Simply designate a checking or savings account, and we automatically deduct your loan payment on the same day each month.
• Online Payment — Make a one-time payment through Account Access.
• Smart Phone Payment — Make a one-time payment from your smart phone.
• Phone Payment — Call our automated phone system and provide your account number and your bank's ABA (routing and transit) number.
  
  1-800-233-0557
  
• Check or Money Order — Send us your check or money order (include your account number).
• Bill Payer — Remit a payment through your bank or bill payer. Please see the Billpayer FAQs for more information.

Yes. There is no limit to the amount you may pay each month on your loans.

Yes. You may sign up for our Direct Debit service to have your payment automatically withdrawn from your bank account each month. It's free and you may qualify for an interest rate reduction for using this service.

• Stafford Loan (subsidized or unsubsidized) — You get a 6-month grace period that begins the day after you are no longer enrolled at least half-time. You must start making payments as soon as your grace period ends.
• PLUS Loan for Graduate and Professional Students — No. You do not receive a grace period. However, you can postpone payments while you are enrolled at least half time. If your PLUS Loan was first disbursed on or after July 1, 2008, you can also postpone payments for the 6 months after you are no longer enrolled at least half-time.
• PLUS Loan for Parents — No. You do not receive a grace period. If your loan was disbursed before July 1, 2008, you must start making payments within 60 days of the final disbursement date of the loan. However, if your loan was disbursed on or after July 1, 2008, you may postpone payments while the student for whom you obtained the PLUS Loan is enrolled at least half time. You may also postpone payments for the 6 months after the student is no longer enrolled at least half time.
• Federal Consolidation Loan — No. You do not receive a grace period. However, you can postpone payments while you are enrolled at least half time.
• Private Education (Alternative) Loans — The grace period on Private Education (Alternative) Loans is determined by the repayment option selected at origination and varies depending on the loan program. Please review the terms of your promissory note to determine any applicable grace period for your loan(s).

Yes. You can make a payment using one of the following methods:

By Mail:
American Education Services (AES)
PO Box 65093
Baltimore, MD 21264-5093

By Telephone:
1-800-233-0557

Please note: Co-signers may also make payments online through Account Access.

If your Consolidation Loan is made from a single Consolidation Application and Promissory Note [including a Request to Add Loans (180-day add-on) form, if applicable], it is one Consolidation Loan regardless of how many portions (subsidized, unsubsidized, HEAL) it contains.

If you pay less than the total due and do not provide instructions, your payment will be allocated to bring the loans into alignment and then keep the loans in alignment until past due and current due are satisfied. If you pay more than the total due and do not provide instructions, and your consolidation loan has the highest interest rate of all of your loans, the overpayment will be allocated to the unsubsidized portion of your consolidation loan group. This may cause paid ahead to be removed, as a group must remain aligned in terms of billing. If you have two unsubsidized portions within your consolidation loan group, then the payment will be prorated as they both have the same highest interest rate and subsidy. To request your payment be allocated to a specific portion, or portions, of your consolidation loan group, you may want to set up Direct Debit. For other payment methods please contact us so we can discuss the process to request this.