Repaying Your Loans

UVM Loan & Grant History

• Log in to myUVM
• Select View Loan and Award History on the Financial Aid card to see your full loan and grant history by aid year.

Note: This shows original loan amounts applied to your account. It does not reflect payments you've already made.

If you can't log in, contact the TechTeam.

Federal Loan Details

Visit studentaid.gov 

• Log in to your Federal Student Aid account
• Select View My Loans on your Dashboard to see:
  • Amount borrowed
  • Loan status
  • Repayment plan options
  • Your loan servicer's contact info 

UVM Loans (Heartland ECSI)

Loans borrowed directly from UVM are managed by Heartland ECSI. ECSI administers these loans for UVM including online account access, monthly payment billing and collection of payments.

• These are not federal loans and won't appear on studentaid.gov or other federal loan resources
• They are not included in any federal repayment plans and cannot be consolidated with federal loans.

To monitor your UVM Loans:

• Visit heartlandecsi.com or call (888) 549-3274.

Private Education Loans

• Contact your lender directly for repayment details.
• These loans are not federal loans and won't appear on studentaid.gov or other federal loan resources

Unsure about all your private education loans? Get your credit report for free at annualcreditreport.com.

UVM is the lender for several endowed loan funds, collectively referred to as UVM Loans (e.g., UVM Clark Loan, University Summer Loan, UVM General Loan, Dr. Robert Larner Loan, and others). 

Not sure if a loan in your award history is a UVM Loan? Contact sfs@uvm.edu or call (802) 656-5700.

When Repayment Starts

Repayment begins 9 months after you:

• Graduate
• Withdraw
• Drop below half-time enrollment

Managing Your UVM Loan

Heartland ECSI administers billing and repayment for UVM Loans. 

• Set up an online account and manage payments with ECSI.

Knowing your loan servicer and staying staying in touch is essential. For details on finding your servicer, see Accessing Your Loan Information.

Federal Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized Loans

Repayment begins 6 months after you:

• Graduate
• Withdraw
• Drop below half-time enrollment

Federal Direct PLUS Loans

• Repayment starts after the loan is fully disbursed.
• First payment is due within 60 days of the final disbursement unless the borrower requests a deferment.

Deferment Options for PLUS Loans

• Graduate PLUS borrowers can defer repayment while enrolled at least half-time.
• Parent PLUS borrowers may defer repayment while the student is enrolled at least half-time and for 6 months after they are no longer enrolled at least half-time.
• Parent PLUS borrowers who are also students can defer repayment while enrolled at least half-time.

Important: Interest that accrues during deferment periods will be capitalized if unpaid during deferment. This is when accrued but unpaid interest is added to the principal balance of the loan, and interest is charged on the new, increased balance. We recommend setting a reminder to pay the accrued interest prior to the end of deferments to avoid capitalization.

The federal government offers a variety of repayment plans for Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized and Direct Graduate PLUS Loan borrowers.

• Standard, extended, or graduated repayment plans will determine the amount of your monthly payments, the number of monthly payments, and the total amount that you owe with interest.
• Note: The New Standard repayment plan (available after July 1, 2026) will be the only traditional plan option after July 1, 2028.
• Four income-driven plans are: Pay-As-You-Earn, Revised Pay-As-You-Earn, Income-Based and Income-Contingent. With these plans, payments adjust as income changes.
  • Note: PAYE and ICR plans sunset on July 1, 2028, to be replaced by the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) that is available after July 1, 2026.
• Visit Studentaid.gov for details.

For more information about all federal student loan payment options, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Loan Repayment Plans page.

A Direct Consolidation Loan lets you combine one or more federal education loans into a single new loan. 

Consolidation can help you:

• Simplify repayment by having one loan with a single monthly payment
• Lower your monthly payment by accessing additional payment plans or extending your repayment term
• Access federal forgiveness programs that may not apply to your current loans

Before consolidating, review the pros and cons, while it can make repayment easier, it may also increase the total interest you pay over time. Apply and learn more about Student Loan Consolidation. 

Note: UVM's institutional and/or private student loans cannot be consolidated with your federal student loans. Verify with your loan servicer whether consolidating will impact your PSLF payments or eligibility.

Most borrowers must repay their loans, but in some cases, part or all your loan(s) may be forgiven. This can happen through forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge, depending on your job or other circumstances. 

Learn more about loan forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge and check if you qualify.

Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program

If you work for a government or nonprofit organization, you may qualify for the PSLF Program. 

• Forgives the remaining balance on your Federal Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments under an eligible repayment plan.
• You must work full-time for an eligible employer while making those payments.

Learn more details about the PSLF Program. 

Note: If eligible for PSLF, we recommend switching to an income-based repayment plan to reduce your monthly obligation and to maximize the loan amount forgiven at the end of the 10-year period.

If you borrowed federal loans or UVM loans, you must complete Loan Exit Counseling before graduating. These online sessions provide important details to help you plan for successful repayment.

For UVM Loans:

• Complete your exit interview online at heartland.ecsi.net.
• ECSI administers repayment for all UVM loans.
• You'll receive an email from ECSI in your final semester with login details and instructions.
  • Note: the exit notification will likely be sent to your UVM email address.
• Lost your login? Call ECSI at (888) 549-3274.

For Federal Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS Loans:

• You'll receive instructions from Student Financial Services (SFS) in your final semester.
• Complete Federal Student Loan Exit Counseling online.
• You'll need your FSA ID to login. Forgot it? Reset at studentaid.gov.

Larner College of Medicine Students

Visit the Medical Student Financial Services Senior Series to for loan repayment guidance and financial coaching as you prepare to leave medical school.

Your credit history affects your ability to borrow for a home, car, or business. Lenders review your credit report before approving loans, so it's important to understand how student loans impact your credit. 

Key Points

• Loans may appear on your credit report even while in school or in deferment.
• Deferment or forbearance may raise questions when applying for new credit - especially if not due to in-school status. Individual lenders may or may not include minimum payments for deferred loans in debt-to-income calculations.
• Late payments hurt your credit score. Negative marks can stay on your credit report for up to 7 years (Fair Credit Reporting Act).
• Loan default occurs when you're 270 days delinquent (the time count starts the day after a missed payment).
• Communication is key. If you're struggling to pay, contact your loan servicer to explore options and avoid default.

Check Your Credit Annually

Review your credit report with the three major credit bureaus:

• Equifax
• Experian
• TransUnion 

Get a free copy at AnnualCreditReport.com