The awarding of the Federal Perkins loans is suspended because the program expired on September 30, 2017.
The Federal Perkins Loan is a need-based low-interest fixed rate (5%) loan for students. No interest is charged while students are enrolled in school at least half time. UNC Asheville is the lender and we have contracted with Heartland ECSI to service the Perkins loans once a student leaves school. The Financial Aid Office awards the Perkins Loans to eligible students; however, there are limited funds available. Once a Perkins Loan has been awarded to a student, they must complete loan documents with the Student Accounts Office.
Perkins Loan Exit Interview & Repayment
An exit interview is a Federal Requirement when exiting the Perkins Loan Program. A student exits the Perkins Loan Program at the time they graduate or stop attending UNC Asheville. Failure to complete this requirement will result in a hold being placed on the student’s account which restricts transcripts and registration. To fulfill the exit interview requirement, contact the Student Accounts Office at 828-251-6664.
Repayment:
While the University maintains your Perkins loan, Heartland ECSI will be responsible for sending you billing statements, receiving and processing your payments, reviewing and processing deferment and cancellation forms, and addressing all of your other customer service needs.
You may access the website at www.heartlandecsi.com, where you can obtain instructions on using borrower services, obtain and review the various types of deferments and cancelations available to Perkins loan borrowers, and download borrower forms. The phone number for Heartland ECSI is (888) 549-3274.
Address:
WH3-UNCA
Heartland ECSI
P.O. Box 718
Wexford, PA 15090-0718
You may also contact UNC Asheville Student Accounts at studentaccounts@unca.edu.
Tips:
- At nine months after separation from UNCA, your grace period ends and the repayment of your Perkins Loan begins. You will receive three notifications from Heartland ECSI that the billing process will begin. Should you have problems with repayment, you should contact Heartland ECSI or the Student Accounts Office as soon as possible. Some circumstances will require the completion of a deferment form. Deferment forms can be found at the website www.heartlandecsi.com.
- If you continue your education at UNCA or another school /university, you must have an in-school deferment in order to stop the repayment process during this time.
- It is very important that you notify Heartland ECSI or UNCA if your address or phone number changes.
- It is extremely important to keep your Perkins Loan current. Otherwise your delinquent loan will be charged late fees, the Credit Bureaus will be notified, and the account may be referred to the following places:
- North Carolina Attorney General’s Office
- North Carolina state approved collection agency
- NC Setoff Debt Collection Department for garnishment of State Taxes or any State refund such as lottery monies