Borrowers can manage their accounts online at https://heartland.ecsi.net. Through this site, a borrower can verify when payments are received, update address and phone information, check their account balance, obtain loan payoff amounts, sign up for electronic billing, and make payments. Forms can also be downloaded for deferments, forbearance requests, etc. 

Borrowers can create a profile and securely link to their University of Iowa loan information using either an ECSI-provided Heartland Key, or school code (Y4), SSN, and PIN/Password.  For assistance setting up a profile, contact ECSI at 888-549-3274. Learn more about available forms of payment from the Heartland/ECSI website.

The University of Iowa has contracted with Heartland Campus Solutions ECSI to service the following loans on our behalf:

• Federal Perkins
• Health Profession
• Primary Care
• Nursing 
• Nurse Faculty 
• University Institutional Loans

If you have one of the following loans you can find your servicer by visiting the Student Aid website.

• Stafford
• Plus or Parent Plus

If you have questions about Private loans, contact your lender.  

Deferment

What is deferment and how do I apply?

A deferment is a period during which you are not required to make payments on your loans.  Deferments are not automatic and you will need to submit a request to our loan servicer ECSI. Some deferments delay repayment of both principal and interest, while others continue to accrue interest or require interest payments. You will be expected to maintain scheduled loan payments until you are notified that your deferment has been approved. Contact ECSI at 888-549-3274 to discuss the options that are available to you.

A borrower is not entitled to a deferment on a defaulted loan.  However, there are circumstances in which a deferment may be granted when a loan is in default. Contact ECSI at 888-549-3274 to discuss the options that are available to you.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Go to ECSI’s website for deferment forms
   https://heartland.ecsi.net/index.main.html#/access/downloadFormPages
2. Under School Name enter University of Iowa, select and hit continue
3. Select deferment form you qualify for and click the PDF icon
4. Follow instructions and return to ECSI

Forbearance

What is forbearance and how do I apply?

Interest will continue to accrue during forbearance. You will receive monthly bills for the accrued interest. Although you are not required to pay the interest each month, we recommend that you do to avoid facing a high interest payment at the end of the forbearance period. Forbearance offers no post deferment grace period and accrued interest cannot be capitalized. Contact ECSI at 888-549-3274 to discuss the options that are available to you.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Go to ECSI’s website for deferment forms
   https://heartland.ecsi.net/index.main.html#/access/downloadFormPages
2. Under School Name enter University of Iowa, select and hit continue
3. Select forbearance form you qualify for and click the PDF icon
4. Follow instructions and return to ECSI

What conditions may allow loans to be cancelled and how do I apply?

A borrower may have all or part of his or her Perkins loan (including interest) cancelled for engaging in teaching, public service, service in the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps*VISTA, or service in the military. In addition, loans may be discharged if the borrower becomes disabled or dies. Like deferment, cancellations are not automatic, and borrower will need to submit a request to our loan servicer ECSI. Contact ECSI at 888-549-3274 to discuss the options that are available to you.

A defaulted loan may be cancelled if the only reason for the default was the borrower’s failure to file a cancellation request on time. If the loan has already been accelerated, only eligible service performed prior to the date of acceleration can be considered for cancellation. A borrower is not entitled to cancellation for any eligible service performed after the date of acceleration.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Go to ECSI’s website for cancellation forms
   https://heartland.ecsi.net/index.main.html#/access/downloadFormPages
2. Under School Name enter University of Iowa, select and hit continue
3. Select cancellation form you qualify for and click the PDF icon
4. Follow instructions and return to ECSI along with any supporting documents

Cancellation Upon Death

Student loan(s) will be cancelled upon death.  In order to obtain this cancellation family or the estate must send a copy of the death certificate to our office either by mail or email:  

Mail:     University Billing and Loan Collections
               2700 University Capitol Centre
               Iowa City, IA 52242

Email:    ubill-collect@uiowa.edu

Discharge

Under certain conditions, your Perkins Loan may be discharged. When your loan is discharged, it means that you are no longer obligated to pay back your loan. Please go to Studentaid.gov for information regarding Total and Permanent Disability Discharges.

Student loan consolidation is a useful tool that can be used to combine existing Federal student loans into a single loan with one monthly payment. University of Iowa institutional loans are not eligible for consolidation.  Consolidation loans offer a fixed interest rate and the possibility for lower monthly payments by extending the repayment period. However, the interest rate may be slightly higher and borrowers normally pay more in interest over the life of the loan by extending the repayment period. Borrowers could also lose some benefits on existing loans by taking out a new consolidation loan that does not offer those same benefits.

Borrowers should research and understand all of their options before making this important decision on whether to consolidate their loans. To determine if loan consolidation would benefit you, review the information provided at www.studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation.

Consequences of a Past Due Loan

• Negative Credit Reporting 
• A debt owed to a state agency may be setoff with monies owed to you by the State of Iowa under Iowa Code Section 421.65
• Ineligible for future financial aid
• Your account may be turned over to a collection agency and you will be responsible for collection costs

Contact ECSI at 888-549-3274 to discuss the options that are available to you.  If your loan has been sent to a collection agency, you will be directed to contact the collection agency.  The collection agencies the University of Iowa is contracted with are listed here. 

Delinquent vs. Default 

Delinquent is generally 30 days or more past due. Default is more than 240 days (8 months) past due.   If your loan is 6 or more months past due, it may be accelerated and sent to a collection agency.  Acceleration means that the full balance of the loan has been legally called due and is payable immediately. Many of the options below apply to default or acceleration situations.  Loans are reported to the credit bureaus monthly by ECSI.

• Loan Consolidation 
  • Borrowers should research and understand all of their options before making this important decision on whether to consolidate their loans. To determine if loan consolidation would benefit you, review the information provided at www.studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation.
• Rehabilitation
  • Federal Regulations allow a Federal Perkins loan borrower to rehabilitate a defaulted loan. The borrower must request a rehabilitation. To rehabilitate, 9 consecutive monthly payments must be made on time (to be determined by the University Billing and Loan Collections office). Once the loan is rehabilitated it will return to current status, restoring lost rights and benefits of the promissory note. Derogatory credit reporting will be removed from the credit bureau. This is a good option if credit reporting is a concern to you.  The borrower may rehabilitate a loan ONE TIME ONLY.
    
    If your loan is with a collection agency, contact the agency (see contact information below) to request a rehabilitation agreement.  If your loan is not with a collection agency, contact ECSI at 888-549-3274 to request a rehabilitation agreement.
• Total/Permanent Disability
  • You may be eligible to cancel 100% of your loan. Please go to Studentaid.gov for information regarding Total and Permanent Disability Discharges.

Entrance and Exit Counseling 

Student borrowers with Federal loans are required to complete mandatory on-line entrance and exit counseling. The purpose of the counseling is to provide the student with information regarding their rights and responsibilities; the commitment that comes with the acceptance of a student loan; and to help the student understand how to manage their student loans. It is important for all borrowers to realize that student loans are not grants or scholarships; they require repayment.  For more information visit 

• Entrance Counseling
  • Online entrance counseling is required for all first time Perkins, Health Professions, and Nursing borrowers.  Federal Perkins, Health Professions, or Nursing loans will not disburse until entrance counseling has been completed. To complete entrance counseling log in to ECSI's website at https://heartland.ecsi.net/index.main.html#/access/studentLoanAccounts/false and select the Signing your Documents Online tile.  For assistance, call ECSI at 888-549-3274.  Entrance counseling takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete.
    
    The Office of Student Financial Aid receives results of entrance counseling daily.  
• Exit Counseling
  • All student borrowers who leave the University of Iowa either by graduating, withdrawing, or failing to return for a subsequent semester are required to receive exit counseling on the web.  To complete exit counseling for Perkins, Federal Health Professions, and Nursing loans, log in to ECSI’s web site at https://heartland.ecsi.net/index.main.html#/access/studentLoanAccounts/false and select the Signing your Documents Online tile.  For assistance, call ECSI at 888-549-3274  Exit counseling takes approximately 30-40 minutes to complete.  If exit counseling is not completed online, a paper copy will be mailed to the borrower.
    
    The Office of Student Financial Aid receives results of exit counseling daily.

Tax Info

Every January, Heartland Campus Solutions ECSI mails a 1098-E to each borrower for whom $600 in interest was received on a loan for the prior year. This information is also available on their website at: https://heartland.ecsi.net after January 15th.  Select Tax Documents and Information.

Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)

If you have loans that you obtained before going on active duty military service, you may be eligible to limit the interest rate on your loans to 6% during the period of your active duty military service under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).

This benefit applies only to those loans with an interest rate greater than 6%.  If you are unsure of your interest rate, you can refer to your billing statement, promissory note or current account balance online at https://heartland.ecsi.net under the Balance and Billing section.

To request a limited interest rate, submit a written request via mail or email, along with a copy of your military orders, to ECSI at:

University of Iowa
c/o ECSI
PO Box 1289, Coraopolis, PA 15086
Phone: 888-549-3274
E-mail:  cservice@ecsi.net
https://heartland.ecsi.net
Hours: 7:30 am to 9:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday