Many or all companies we feature compensate us. Compensation and editorial research influence how products appear on a page. Student Loans Aspire Federal and Private Student Loan Servicing Updated Sep 08, 2024 6-min read Written by Lindsay VanSomeren Written by Lindsay VanSomeren Expertise: Mortgages, personal loans, student loans, auto loans, banking, budgeting, debt, insurance, credit cards, credit Lindsay VanSomeren is a personal finance writer living in Suquamish, Washington. She's passionate about helping people learn how to manage their money better so that they can live the life they want. In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor adventures, reading, and learning new languages and hobbies. Learn more about Lindsay VanSomeren Learn More Student loan servicer Mobile app available Profits flow back to nonprofit lender Poor customer service reviews E-statements not offered for cosigners No weekend or evening customer support hours Types of loans servicedPrivate & FFEL federal student loansRepayment methodsVaries by lenderState availability Varies by lender Aspire is a student loan servicer that handles customer service for federal and private student loans. A student loan servicer isn’t a lender offering student loans; rather, it approves forbearance requests and ensures your payments are applied correctly. Aspire launched in 2001 as the for-profit division of the nonprofit lender ISL Education Lending, which it still operates under today. All profits are returned to its nonprofit parent company to benefit Iowa families. In 2012, it also began servicing federal student loans. What student loan services does Aspire offer? You can’t choose Aspire as your loan servicer unless you take out a private student loan through ISL Lending. Instead, your student loan provider chooses servicers. Aspire also handles servicing for a limited number of federal student loans. If you have Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) held by private lenders, they may have selected Aspire as your loan servicer. The FFEL program ended in 2010, but many borrowers are paying off these loans today. However, Aspire doesn’t handle servicing for any federal direct student loans, which make up most federal loans available today. Other student loan servicers, which the government designates, will handle servicing for those loans. Aspire’s specific services depend on the loan agreement you signed when you took out your student loans. Aspire uses this as its guidebook for the types of repayment and support options you’re eligible for. It doesn’t determine any of these policies or offerings independently—that’s up to your lender. Does Aspire service federal student loans? Yes, Aspire services federal loans—but not as many as in the past. Aspire began servicing federal direct student loans in 2012. These loans make up the bulk of the federal student loan program. By 2015, it had moved out of the direct loan servicing business, but it still services a small chunk of federal student loans in the form of FFEL loans from private lenders. These will become rarer over the years; no new FFEL loans were issued after 2010. How do you repay student loans through Aspire? Aspire offers several ways to make your student loan payments. The easiest option is to sign up for autopay from your bank account, which you can set up by logging into your online Aspire account. You can also make one-time payments from your bank account by logging into your online account, using the mobile app, or calling customer support. You can also send a paper check by mail. Aspire doesn’t accept credit card payments, but you may be able to use your debit card in certain cases. To qualify for debit card payments, check whether your bank participates in ATM bill payments. You’ll need a card with a NYCE, PULSE, or STAR logo on it. You can also make payments from Aspire’s mobile app, which offers the added advantage of being able to schedule payments for specific loans. This can be helpful if you have multiple Aspire-serviced student loans and want to pay down certain ones first, which can help you pay off your student loans faster. What do I do if I can’t pay my Aspire student loans? If you have trouble repaying your Aspire-serviced loans, contact the company to check your options. Remember, it’s not Aspire that determines how it can help; Aspire only interprets the contract you signed with the lender. So, your options depend on your lender, not Aspire. Most federal loan servicers and private lenders typically offer some help if you have trouble making payments. They may lower or even pause your payments for a period depending on your reasons for needing help, such as a temporary job loss or moving into a more permanent but lower-paying job. Federal loans tend to be more forgiving than private student loans regarding these programs but consult your loan agreement or contact Aspire to find out the details in your case. What do Aspire student loans customer reviews say about the company? Aspire reviews aren’t plentiful, but that’s easy to understand; most borrowers don’t choose to have Aspire service their loans. Our information paints a fair to poor picture of its customer service and mobile app functionality, but this is similar to other student loan servicing companies. PlatformRatingNumber of reviewsApple App Store4.0/5154Google Play Store3.7/522Better Business Bureau1.0/511Google1.1/541 Borrowers report a range of complaints, but problems using the website and mobile app to access their accounts—particularly after their account was transferred from another loan servicer—seem to be common issues. Does Aspire have a customer service team? Yes. Aspire’s business model involves handling customer service for student loans from other lenders. It offers several ways to get ahold of its customer support team: Fax: 1-515-471-3983. Mail: Send payments to Aspire Servicing Center, P.O. Box 659701, West Des Moines, IA 50265-0970. Send documents and forms to the same address, but use P.O. Box 659705 instead. Email: Use a secure form on the website. Phone: 1-800-243-7552, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central. Does Aspire offer student loan resources for borrowers? Aspire offers a basic interface for repaying student loans. Its website is bland, consisting of just a few pages with self-referencing links that make it seem larger than it is. FAQ Does Aspire service student loans in Iowa? Yes, Aspire services student loans in Iowa. Aspire Servicing Center is based in Iowa and provides loan servicing for borrowers across the state. Whether you have federal or private student loans, you can access its services and support if Aspire manages them. Does Aspire service FCU student loans? Aspire Servicing Center does not directly service Federal Credit Union (FCU) student loans. Most FCU student loans are managed by the credit union itself or through a third-party loan servicer specific to that credit union. Aspire primarily services private and federal student loans issued by specific lenders it partners with. Does Aspire service student loans in Montana? Yes, Aspire services student loans in Montana. Aspire Servicing Center provides loan servicing for borrowers in multiple states, including Montana. If Aspire services your loan, you can manage it through its online platform and access its customer support services regardless of location. If I refinance my student loans, will I still work with Aspire? Whether you continue working with Aspire depends on the lender you refinance with. If you refinance through a lender that partners with Aspire Servicing Center, Aspire may continue to service your new loan. However, if you refinance with a lender that uses a different servicer, your loan servicing will be transferred to that new servicer. It’s important to clarify this with your refinancing lender to understand who will manage your loan post-refinance.