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LELA COVID-19 Notice
( Updated June 9, 2023)
The Lela offices are currently open and operating in accordance with any effective statewide mandates. Although not a requirement, we encourage anyone interested in visiting our offices to please contact us at 1-800-228-4755 for remote assistance or an appointment to ensure we can provide you with the best experience possible. We are pleased to continue offering our full programs and services in Louisiana.
NOTICE to LELA BORROWERS: Lela COVID-19 RELIEF FORBEARANCE OFFER ENDS, EFFECTIVE JUNE 9, 2023. The Louisiana Education Loan Authority (Lela) is no longer offering COVID payment relief forbearances to Lela Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) borrowers, effective immediately. In conjunction with this, we’ve transferred servicers for our federal loans from Edfinancial to Higher Education Servicing Corporation (HESC), effective June 9, 2023. Any COVID forbearance requests processed prior to June 9, 2023 will be honored through the approved forbearance period. For Lela borrowers who continue to experience any financial hardship repaying your federal student loan(s), please feel free to contact HESC, Lela’s servicing partner, to see if you qualify for any other federal relief assistance. To obtain more information, please contact Lela’s designated servicer for federal student loans, Higher Education Servicing Corporation (HESC) toll-free, 1-800-366-4372 or by email at service@hescloans.com.
For other details on general federal DIRECT student loans borrowed directly from the US Department of Education –apart from Lela– and for the latest updates and information on this topic and related topics such as federal forgiveness and payment pause, please go to the following resource links: www.Studentaid.gov or The Biden-Harris Administration’s Student Debt Relief Plan Explained | Federal Student Aid.
ASK LELA SERVICES TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES: Lela remains committed to continuing to provide complimentary Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion assistance, scholarship opportunities for high school seniors and college access resources. If you need assistance completing the FAFSA, please contact Lela, toll-free, at 1(844) 463-2372 or 1 (800)858-8198. You may also reach us via e-mail at info@lela.org.To register for scholarship opportunities and to learn more about college access resources, please visit www.lela.org.
If you are a Lela supplemental LelaCHOICE student loan borrower and need to view your account, please click the “Forms and Account” Tab within our (www.lela.org) site to access your account details through the Aspire servicing portal at lela.accountcenter.studentloan.org: Lela’s designate servicing partner for LelaCHOICE loans. To access information on your federal student loan, select the link through the Higher Education Servicing Corporation (HESC): Lela’s designated servicing partner for Lela federal student loans.
For information about refinancing your education loans to lower your interest rate or monthly payment, please visit www.lelarefihelp.org.
For information on supplementing your federal and/or state aid to help pay for college, please visit www.lelaCHOICE.org.
If you need immediate assistance, please contact Joni Leggio at leggio@lela.org, Ann Carmichael at carmichael@lela.org or Tricia Dubroc at dubroc@lela.org.
Stay safe and be well!
— The Lela Team