Navient is a US-based student loan servicer that manages both federal and private student loans. It was created in 1973 as part of the Student Loan Marketing Association (also known as Sallie Mae) to support the student loan program of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
However, Navient eventually decided to separate from Sallie Mae. The company was officially founded in 2014 as an education loan management provider while Sallie Mae went into the consumer banking business.
Today, Navient is a provider of educational loan services at the local, state, and federal levels. It is one of the student loan servicers that manage federal student loans together with the US Department of Education.
Navient claims to handle more than 10 million customers and $300 billion in student loans.
How Does Navient Work?
Your loan owner can assign Navient as your student loan servicer. When this happens, the company will be tasked with handling billing and other activities relevant to your private or federal loan at no additional cost on your part. Navient can also help consolidate your loans, change your repayment plan, and provide options for loan forgiveness or forbearance.
To know if Navient is the servicer for your federal student loan, you must first log in to the Federal Student Aid website with your designated FSA ID. The website will provide you with details regarding your loan and your current ED servicer.
It is also possible to visit the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website to check who your student loan servicer is. Lastly, you can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center for more information.
For private student loans, these are not listed on the FSA Information Center nor the NSLDS database. You will need to log in to your online account and look for details there to learn who your private student loan servicer is. Your credit report can also help you see which provider is listed as your loan holder.
How Are Navient Payments Made?
Student loan recipients who are assigned Navient as their servicer have several options with regards to making their monthly payments:
- Paying online – You can log in to your Navient online account and then make your payments using their portal. However, you need to provide your bank account details when scheduling a digital funds transfer.
- Paying through the phone – You can give Navient a call and proceed to make a payment using your debit card or bank account details. You can find the phone numbers assigned for each type of loan on the contact page of their website. Be sure to keep your account number at the ready before calling.
- Paying through US mail – The last payment option is by mailing Navient a check that has your account number listed in the memo line. Your remittance slip should also be included. You can find the addresses assigned for each type of loan on the Navient contact page.
So, is Navient a federal student loan? No, Navient is also a loan servicer of private student loans, handling administrative tasks such as enrolling new borrowers, sending bills, and collecting payments.
If you have Navient as your servicer, the company will manage your account and can assist you with any problems you may have with your private or federal student loan.