Loan Repayment

Under federal law, the authority for schools to make new Perkins Loans ended on Sept. 30, 2017, and final disbursements were permitted through June 30, 2018. As a result, students can no longer receive Perkins Loans. This loan is a fixed five percent interest rate loan for undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate financial need. Rutgers University is the lender; the loan is made with government funds with a share contributed by the university. 

• The assigned third-party billing servicer for your Perkins loan is ECSI, which manages billing and repayment options. You need your Heartland Key, which can be found on the disclosure statement from ECSI (or obtained by contacting them), to register and access your account. 

• Loan repayment begins nine months after you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time status. The pre-repayment period is known as the grace period. 

• At the end of the grace period, you begin repayment and are allowed up to 10 years to repay the loan in full. 

• The monthly repayment amount is based on the size of the borrower’s debt and the length of the repayment period. 

• Under certain circumstances, you can receive a deferment, forbearance, or cancellation of the Federal Perkins Loan. Forms related to this action can be found on the Borrower Forms page on the ECSI website. 

These loans, both subsidized and unsubsidized, are for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree students enrolled at least half-time who meet the general requirements to receive federal aid. 

Loan repayment begins six months after you leave school or cease to be enrolled at least on a half-time basis. This six-month period is known as the grace period. Payments on your federal student loans are made to your lender or servicer. If you are unsure of who your lender is, you can access your account at studentaid.gov. 

• Subsidized Loans: While you are enrolled in school, no payments are due and no interest accrues (unless you are repaying a previous loan and are enrolled less than full-time). The federal government pays the interest for you during this time. 

• Unsubsidized Loans: Although the grace period is the same as the subsidized, you are responsible for the interest on the loan during the grace period. Repayment on the Federal Direct PLUS Loan begins shortly after the loan is fully disbursed.

The federal government offers various loan repayment options. You have the opportunity to be educated on your repayment options via exit counseling and by using the repayment estimator. 

Students who borrow multiple Federal Direct Student Loans and have borrowed a Federal Perkins Loan in the past can have their loans consolidated so that they will make only one payment. Loan consolidation will be made at the request of the student when entering repayment. Contact Student Accounting Loan Administration at loanadmin@sa.rutgers.edu to receive more information about this option as you approach graduation

This loan is a fixed five percent interest rate loan for undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate financial need. Rutgers University is the lender; the loan is made with government funds with a share contributed by the university. 

• The assigned third-party billing servicer for your RULP loan is  ECSI, which manages billing and repayment options. You need your Heartland Key, which can be found on the disclosure statement from ECSI (or obtained by contacting them), to register and access your account. 
   
• Loan repayment begins nine months after you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time status. The pre-repayment period is known as the grace period. 
   
• At the end of the grace period, you begin repayment and are allowed up to 10 years to repay the loan in full. 
   
• The monthly repayment amount is based on the size of the borrower’s debt and the length of the repayment period. 
   
• Under certain circumstances, you can receive a deferment, forbearance, or cancellation of the RULP. Forms related to this action can be found on the Borrower Forms page on the ECSI website.