Nelnet is one of several companies that service federal student loans by collecting and tracking payments. It also provides private student loans and refinancing.
If Nelnet is your student loan servicer, here’s what it can help you do.
How do I know if Nelnet is my loan servicer?
Your loan servicer is assigned by the U.S. Department of Education when your loan is disbursed to your college for the first time. The name of the company sending you a federal loan bill every month is your servicer.
If your loan payments haven’t begun or you’re not sure which company is your servicer, log in to My Federal Student Aid to find out. You can also get in touch with any of the loan servicer contact centers by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID.
Servicers are there to help you, but they may offer choices that are best for the company, not the borrower. That means they can’t change how payments are processed and may not suggest the most beneficial repayment option for you.
It’s most important to know your repayment options so you can ask the right questions.
How Nelnet customer service can help you
Register for online access to your account. Once you have access, you can contact Nelnet, see your monthly billing statements and pay bills.
Enroll in autopay. Nelnet can deduct your payments automatically from your bank account. Signing up for autopay will reduce your interest by 0.25 percentage point.
What to know in 2026 🤓
The U.S. Department of Education has announced that federal student loan borrowers enrolled in autopay will be eligible for a 1% rate discount starting July 1, 2026.
Borrowers must enroll in autopay by September 30, 2026, to benefit. Borrowers who are already enrolled in autopay (and who are already benefiting from the 0.25% discount) will automatically receive an additional 0.75% rate reduction. This rate reduction will apply to borrowers whose loans originated after July 1, 2012, and will run through June 30, 2028.
Sign up for income-driven repayment. You can request income-driven repayment, which limits your student loan payments to a percentage of your income, by completing a paper form with Nelnet. What income-driven repayment plan you're eligible for depends on when you took out your student loans.
(Alternatively, you can apply online on studentaid.gov and then re-certify your income each year online.)
Process deferment and forbearance requests. Nelnet can help you temporarily stop making payments or reduce your payment amount if you qualify.
This helps you stay in good standing to avoid default. But during any periods of deferment or forbearance, interest can continue to build.
Process monthly payments and extra payments. Nelnet will track and collect your payments.
If you want to make additional payments, you can instruct Nelnet (online, by phone or by mail) to apply extra payments to your current balance. Otherwise, it may apply the additional amount to next month’s payment instead.
How to reach Nelnet customer service
Nelnet phone number: 888-486-4722.
Nelnet hours of operation: Monday: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. ET; Tuesday and Wednesday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. ET; Thursday and Friday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET.
Nelnet address for general correspondence:
Nelnet
P.O. Box 82561
Lincoln, NE 68501-2561
Nelnet website: https://nelnet.com/
Nelnet email: You must log into your account to send an email
Is Nelnet my servicer until my loans are paid off?
Loans are sometimes transferred from one servicer to another by the Department of Education. But you'll likely remain with Nelnet unless you act to switch servicers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I complain about Nelnet?
If you’re having difficulty with Nelnet that you have been unable to resolve, start by filing a complaint directly with its ombudsman. It’s the servicer’s highest customer service office.
Call: 888-486-4722 or log in to your account to send an email.
Mail:
Nelnet Guarantor Solutions
P.O. Box 82561
Lincoln, NE 68501-2561
If your issue goes unresolved, you can also make complaints about Nelnet to:
Make sure to keep records of conversations you have, including the day, time and customer service representative you spoke with. Keep copies of any letters, bills or emails about your account.
How can I settle a dispute with Nelnet?
If a complaint doesn’t help, you can contact the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman Group. This method should be used only as a last resort, says the federal student aid office. When you’re ready to reach out, here’s how to get in touch:
Call: 800-433-3243
Mail: U.S. Department of Education
Office of Federal Student Aid
P.O. Box 1854
Monticello, KY 42633
You can also reach out to a student loans nonprofit such as The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, which provides free dispute resolution.
