Ascendium Education Solutions Announces COVID-19 Response

Madison WI, March 30, 2020: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the President’s corresponding March 13 National Emergency Declaration, Ascendium Education Solutions is partially halting collection on all defaulted student loans in its portfolio, effective March 26 for at least 60 days.

Ascendium will not garnish wages, will not submit borrowers to Treasury for offset, and will not engage in outbound collections communications. The only exception is if borrowers are already pursuing or want to pursue a voluntary resolution to their debt – in which case they may be contacted to help reach that resolution.

Ascendium will refund to borrowers all Treasury offsets and garnished wages from March 13 forward, for the duration of this stoppage. Payments borrowers miss during this time will not prevent their completion of a rehabilitation or repayment agreement.

“Ascendium is committed to doing what is right and helping borrowers succeed, and the best way we can do that now is by giving borrowers the opportunity to focus on what truly matters,” said Ascendium Education Solutions President and CEO Jeff Crosby, “Be safe and be well.”

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we may not be able to answer all the calls we receive. Ascendium is a guarantor in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). Student loan borrowers in this program who are not in default should qualify for a disaster forbearance which will suspend required payments, based on the President declaring a National Emergency. In order to have this forbearance applied, contact your student loan servicer to request it. If you do not know the company that services your loan or their contact information, it can be found on studentaid.gov. We wish you well, and hope you stay safe and healthy during this difficult time.

Our history is Great Lakes. Our future is Ascendium.

We’ve changed our name. Our mission remains the same.

Watch the Ascendium Brand Video Get video transcript

We support big dreams.

We are a nonprofit organization that serves as a student loan guarantor offering counseling and financial literacy information, a provider of student success tools and a philanthropy with a focus on helping more people from low-income backgrounds achieve their postsecondary and workforce training goals.

WHO WE ARE

We’re on a mission to make postsecondary education a reality for more people.

We’ve been believers in the boundless power of education for more than 50 years. Learn how we leverage borrower counseling and support, student success tools and philanthropy to help students succeed.

What We Do

A Note for Borrowers

Ascendium Education Solutions (Ascendium) is our new name since November of 2018 and replaces Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation (GLHEGC) (and as of January 1, 2019, its USAF and NELA affiliates). If you have/had loans with GLHEGC, USAF or NELA, you will now see Ascendium on communications, on your credit report file, on tax documents 1098-E or 1099-C and on Treasury notices pertaining to an IRS offset. Rest assured that the actions performed by Ascendium are the same actions that were performed by GLHEGC, USAF and NELA. On credit reports, the Ascendium trade line replaces GLHEGC, USAF and NELA. The only difference is our name. For credit report and refund questions, please contact our guarantor loan servicer at 800-331-2314.

Elevating opportunityTM

CREDIT REPORT OR REFUND QUESTIONS?

Please contact our guarantor loan servicer at 800-331-2314.

DEFAULT LOAN HELP

Student loan in default? We can help. We have options to get you back on track.

GET STUDENT LOAN DEFAULT HELP

NOT IN DEFAULT BUT HAVE LOAN QUESTIONS?

As your guarantor, we can provide advice and options to help you avoid default and succeed in repaying your loan. Contact us at 800-236-2700 or
RS@ascendiumeducation.org