Heartland ECSI - Your Loan Servicer
Puget Sound has partnered with Heartland ECSI (Educational Computer Systems, Inc), to be the loan servicer for your Perkins Loan. Please complete your deferment/forbearance form and mail directly to Heartland ECSI for processing.
Economic hardship deferments can be granted for periods of up to one year at a time, not to exceed a total of three years. Borrowers must provide satisfactory documentation showing that they are within any of the following categories:
Borrowers may defer repayment up to three years if seeking and unable to find full-time employment. Borrowers must provide satisfactory documentation and register with an employment agency.
Borrowers may defer repayment if enrolled at least half-time in a degree-granting program at an institution of higher education.
Borrowers may defer their loans for enrollment in a graduate fellowship program approved by the Education Department or engaged in a graduate or postgraduate fellowship-support study (such as a Fulbright grant) outside the United States.
A borrower may defer repayment if he or she is enrolled in a course of study that is part of a Department-approved rehabilitation training program for disabled individuals.
Deferment is available to Armed Forces Reservists and National Guard personnel called to duty and to regular military personnel assigned to duty stations other than their normal stations due to war, military operation, or national emergency.
Forbearance is a temporary postponement of payments. Unlike during deferment, interest continues to accrue on the account during forbearance. Interest may be paid as it accrues or may be deferred.
Forbearance may be granted for a period of up to one year at a time, not to exceed a total of three years.
Borrowers must request forbearance in writing, stating the reason for the forbearance and provide supporting documentation. Forbearance can be granted to borrowers experiencing the following: