William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
Direct Loans
The Direct Loan Program includes government-backed (or guaranteed) federal student or parent loans to help pay for college. Although VGCC does not participate in the Direct Loan Program, students who previously borrowed loans through this program will find the information below to be very beneficial.
Loan Information
There are several ways students have access to their federal student loan information including the types of loans received, total loan balance and loan servicer contact information. To access their loan information, students will need their Federal Student Aid PIN before visiting one of the websites listed below.
Loan Servicers
A loan servicer is a company that handles the billing and other services on students’ federal student loans. They help students manage the repayment of their federal student loans. So, it is very important to maintain contact with the loan servicer especially if a student’s circumstances change during the repayment period. The U.S. Department of Education assigns a student’s loan(s) to a loan service after it is first disbursed. To resolve a loan problem, request payment relief, cancellation or discharge, students should contact their loan servicer.
For a complete list of loan servicers, visit the Loan Servicer Information on the Federal Student Aid website.
Repayment Plans and Loan Consolidation
To make payments more affordable, there are different repayment options for student loan borrowers. Information about the different repayment plans is available on the Federal Student Aid website . Students should contact their loan servicer to discuss repayment plan options or to change their current plan. If a student has multiple federal student loans, he/she may want to consider consolidating them in order to have one single payment, rather than several payments for different loans or to different lenders. Learn about the possible advantages and disadvantages of consolidation before consolidating. For more information, click Loan Consolidation .
Additional Resources
If you have further questions, contact the VGCC Financial Aid Office. Students may also contact the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman, for any concerns or complaints, at 1-877-557-2575 or at FSA Student Loan Ombudsman Group. The FSA Student Loan Ombudsman Group may also be reached via telephone at 877-557-2575, via fax at 202-275-0549 or via mail at 830 First Street, N. E., Mail Stop 5144, Washington, D.C. 20202-5144.
