Navient

Navient Reviews

Find a Best Student Loans partner
3.2(754)

Our promise. We provide a buying advantage with verified reviews and unbiased editorial research.

Starting college this year?

See our recommended student loan offers for 2023

Get started
Overall Rating3.2 out of 5
See all 754 reviews & ratings

About Navient Reviews

This profile has not been claimed by the company. See reviews below to learn more or submit your own review.

Navient offers and services federal and private student loans for qualified applicants. It allows students to manage their accounts via its website, providing access to educational tools and budgeting spreadsheets. Its rates are determined by Congress, but it offers a discount for students who set up automatic payments. Borrowers can pay on the website, over the phone or by mail.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Military benefits
  • User-friendly mobile app
  • Auto-pay discounts

Cons

  • 2017 lawsuit
  • Can’t pay by credit card

Bottom Line

Navient is a federal and private student loan servicer and collector. It’s known as one of the largest federal loan servicers in the country, and borrowers can take advantage of its reduced interest rates through auto-pay.

Featured Reviews

Verified
Reynoldsburg, OH

This company has been so easy to work with and the Customer Service is exceptional. There is always someone willing to help via email or a phone call away. There are so many optio...

Read full review
Verified
Richmond, CA

My loan was originally with Sallie Mae. When Navient came into the picture, they offered several repayment options, allowing one to choose the plan best suited for them. When my i...

Read full review

Starting college this year?

See our recommended student loan offers for 2023

Get started

What is Navient?

Based in Wilmington, Delaware, Navient was created in 2014 after it parted ways with Sallie Mae Bank. It currently manages over $300 million in student loans for over 12 million debtors.

The organization has a rich history, originating in 1973 as a government-sponsored enterprise called Sallie Mae. In 2004, Sallie Mae turned into a private sector organization; in 2009, the U.S. Department of Education elected Sallie Mae to receive federal loans on its behalf. The company separated into Navient and Sallie Mae in 2014.

Today, Navient helps service millions of student loans to assist students in successfully navigating their financial aid.

How does Navient work?

Navient works as a loan servicer between borrowers and their lenders (the U.S. government). Its services include sending bills and account statements, processing payments, assisting borrowers with payment plans and requesting deferment or forbearance. It also helps certify borrowers for loan forgiveness.

Students can set up accounts on its website for an easier loan management experience. Its website allows auto-pay, repayment change, loan forgiveness, due date changes, payoff time calculation and tax documentation.

Take advantage of its online interactive budgeting worksheets, financial blogs and educational tools. In addition, Navient has a mobile app for a user-friendly and convenient experience.

Navient student loan requirements

Student loan repayment options differ depending on the type of loan, the promissory note and the lender. Federal student loans generally follow three plans: Standard, Graduated and Extended.

Standard payment plans last up to 10 years with a fixed monthly payment amount of $50 minimum. Monthly payment amounts are based on your total loan amount — the more you owe, the higher your monthly payment will be.

Graduated repayment plans are lower at first and then increase, usually every two years. They’re set to an amount that helps ensure your loans are repaid within the remaining terms. Repayment is generally 10 years and can go up to 30 years for consolidated loans.

Extended repayment plans offer up to 25 years to repay loans. They’re available for most borrowers with more than $30,000 in direct or FFEL Program loan balances.

Navient student loan rates

Congress sets interest rates through legislation, but borrowers who sign up for autopay may be eligible to reduce their interest rate by 0.25%. For Federal Direct Student Loans disbursed between July 2020 and June 2021, the following rates are fixed:

  • Direct subsidized loans and direct unsubsidized loans for undergraduate students: 2.75%
  • Direct unsubsidized loans for graduate and professional students: 4.30%
  • Direct Plus loans for parents of undergraduate students and Direct Plus loans for graduate or professional students: 5.30%

Navient FAQ

Is Navient a federal or private loan lender?

Navient is one of the largest federal student loan servicers. It also services private student loans from various lenders.

How do I pay my Navient loan?

Navient acquires payments differently depending on whether you have a federal or private loan, the status of your loan and if you have multiple loans that are combined into one billing or loan group. In general, Navient accepts payments via its website by connecting your bank account, by telephone to pay by debit card or by mail to pay by check.

Can Navient garnish wages?

Navient can garnish wages for private student loans after they file a lawsuit and receive a judgment. For federal student loans, Navient typically will not garnish wages.

Will Navient settle student loans?

Navient has accepted settlement offers for private student loans. However, It will not settle a student loan in good standing.

Is Navient legit?

Navient is one of the largest and most well-known companies for managing federal and private student loans. It does offer a wide array of online services, including repayment plan options and account management. It also offers a military benefits program for active-duty and post-active service members. Borrowers can also take advantage of reduced interest rates through auto-pay.

Navient Reviews

ConsumerAffairs has collected 754 reviews and 1,229 ratings.

Recent
  • Recent
  • Oldest
  • Most helpful
Any
  • Any

A link has directed you to this review. Its location on this page may change next time you visit.

How do I know I can trust these reviews about Navient?
  • 4,313,826 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
  • We require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real.
  • We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
  • Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
Page 1 Reviews 0 - 10
Customer ServiceStaff

Reviewed Sept. 16, 2023

I don’t understand how Navient continues to do business! These have got to be the some of the Biggest CROOKS there are! How in the world can Navient be sued by [Several] Attorney Generals, and still be in business, doing the same exact thing?! Is ANYONE Monitoring Navient?! And, unfortunately, when I (who live in Somerville, Massachusetts) reached out to the Attorney General’s Office, they were of Absolutely NO Assistance, though I could (and still can) Prove over and over again, how dishonest this company has been towards me. Maybe it’s all politics… Really Sad that They (our politicians -of any sort-no matter the party) only want to hear “Your story” or help if it gets them in/on the news, or it’s time for election. Navient does NOT provide the correct information. They only respond to your request, of their choosing, and their response [Most Times] does Not help, in any way.

They give misleading information, and somehow they seem to always lose some of your past payments. Once an attorney, who was trying to assist me, made a payment on my behalf (because I refuse to give them my credit card information) and recently I looked, and I noticed that his payment does not show up. Only pay by certified mail or some means where you have proof/receipt of the payments, And Hold On To Them -Keeping them where you can find them for the next Class Action Lawsuit Against Navient. These “people” Are Straight-Up CROOKS! Don’t sign your soul over to the devil! Don’t use Navient! Also, we need to start getting together and sending these reviews to our Attorney General Offices in our state. Let’s get these people shut down! They cause more HARM, than any “help” they provide.

Thanks for your vote! Report
Staff

Reviewed Aug. 15, 2023

Navient always gives me inconsistent information. I applied for a forbearance due to moving related reasons a few months back. Then with a different rep it turned out it had only applied to one of my two loans, this was annoying but I managed to make the payments anyway despite I should have been on forbearance at this point. I talked to a rep who claimed it would start August but in late July I still got a Bill when I checked what had happened they back dated it without my permission, then told me there was nothing they could do. There are probably worse companies but this one is the worst I have to deal with by far.

Thanks for your vote! Report

Not sure how to choose?

Get buying tips about Student Loans delivered to your inbox.

    By entering your email, you agree to sign up for consumer news, tips and giveaways from ConsumerAffairs. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Thanks for subscribing.

    You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Enjoy reading our tips and recommendations.

    profile pic of the author
    Customer Service

    Reviewed July 2, 2023

    Updated on 07/07/2023: You've been told multiple times and I reported you for the harassment. But yet you still keep it up! You didn't follow through with the terms you offered when I first signed up back in 1999. You keep saying I qualify for relief and then say I don't. Make up your mind. Constantly call and email to get me to re-finance the loan. NO!! Why would I pay more and longer?? Last time I'm telling you to leave me alone. I'm on disability from an accident that almost killed me. And my health is very poor to where I go at any time. Leave me alone for the last time. I'm not joking!!!

    Original Review: They don't follow through with their promise when signing to go to school. They keep harassing me even when I'm literally dying. I don't care about their payments anymore. Next time they call my cell, house or email me. I swear to god I will flip out. Let a person die in peace. Go ahead and please call the Tarpon Springs police on me or sue me!!! You lie and harass. I have tried and so has my mother and your customer service is very stupid. I have the proof I need so please report me for my comments. Don't you dare contact me again.

    Thanks for your vote! Report

    Reviewed May 24, 2023

    I emailed them my forbearance form and paystubs but they denied it. I explained to them many times that I can’t afford the payments. They only care about money. They wants money and don’t care about us.

    Thanks for your vote! Report
    Customer Service

    Reviewed April 24, 2023

    You'd think the company would make sure their website works 24/7. Have had an account for +15 years. Out of the blue, it deletes my email address, sends me snail mail to update it--but their fricking system won't take any email address input. The kickers--their online chat is for ** and if you want to send an email to them--you have to have a listed email in your profile--the very problem I'm trying to resolve. There's no excuse for non-functioning websites in today's web environment.

    Thanks for your vote! Report
    Loan ProcessRates

    Reviewed Jan. 8, 2023

    I received a Private Student Loan for college in 2005 from then Sallie Mae. I was young and foolish, with no understanding of how loans and interest worked. This loan should not have been available to someone in my position. The loan was granted with a co-signer, my father. After failing out of college I started repayment. Every time I needed help I was mislead or otherwise. I now work in the trades and have been working diligently on repayment. My father needs released as co-signer for personal reasons. This is where it gets ridiculous. I reached out to Navient to have him released as a co-signer. I was Rejected. Reason: I didn’t graduate. I make 2x as much money with better credit than my co-signer but I couldn’t release him because I didn’t graduate college! Ability to repay wasn’t even a consideration in this case. If college is in your future I wish you the best. Navient is a great place to avoid for funding this dream.

    Thanks for your vote! Report

    Reviewed Nov. 29, 2022

    Distribution of funds for late/current payment difficult to read for non-finance majors. Have to search 'fine print' for definitions of 'wording' and 'concepts'. Bold faced/red numbers/words distracting and patronizing (similar to text jargon for "SHOUTING"). Overall, I detest making payments on this site!!! Truly unappealing, offensive, and just AWFUL!

    Thanks for your vote! Report
    Customer ServiceLoan Process

    Reviewed Nov. 20, 2022

    I have had a loan with Navient for way to long.. I try every month to log in and check my status to verify payments have been received etc. ... Every month I have to call to get logged in because the website doesn't recognize my login. It tells me my username if I ask the bot but the password is like trying to get into Fort Knox. This is the worst website and I know because I also use the Connect Colorado website for insurance and that one is bad but I believe this is the worst.

    Thanks for your vote! Report
    Customer ServiceStaffLoan ProcessRates

    Reviewed Sept. 20, 2022

    I have been making payments to Navient for a student loan over the past 15 years. During that time I have sporadically been unemployed or made less when starting a new position, but I've always made a point to pay this loan down as longs as it's economically feasible. I started with a loan amount of $23,000 and with interest over these years it ballooned to over $36,000. Currently I have the loan paid down to $20,000. Unfortunately I have recently become unemployed again and called to postpone or reduce my payments, but was informed that I have no forbearance options left to me. I asked to see what a reduced payment would look like and was offered a $150.00/month reduction. During the call with customer service I was asked to provide the amount in my savings account since I now have no income.

    I was also asked to provide a card to make the payments with even though I informed them I would continue to make payments online as usual. Apparently, they do not trust people enough to make payments and required me to make an automated withdrawal every month. This is something I simply cannot do without any income. I joked with the customer service representative that I guess I could not pay my mortgage or skip a few meals during the week. The reply was that they were not asking me to do that...yet they would force me to do that by now offering any meaningful assistance. The point here is to not expect Navient to care about your situation. They will literally take money from those who do not have it. Stay far, far away from this company if needing a private student loan. I've been paying for this mistake for 15 years and have nothing to show for it.

    Thanks for your vote! Report
    Customer ServiceStaffRates

    Reviewed Sept. 6, 2022

    This company is the worst. Payout??!! What payout?? Those of us who still have loans from Sallie Mae should of all been forgiven due to fraud and non-stop harassment!!! Those of us that still have the loans have the interest rates that keep going up so we are paying for those who "supposedly" qualified for loan forgiveness. BTW who are these ppl who qualified??? Are they real ppl bc every single person I have come across has not qualified for any forgiveness of any type from this company or the government. It's a scam!! The only thing that I can hope for is that I die before these idiots gets paid off and they have to wrote it off. Bc these have made 100% profit off of me already and I still owe them and will never be able to pay them off.

    BTW the account specialist I had today was a completely rude unprofessional and took God's name in vain when I was speaking with her. She lost her patience with me bc I was struggling to get thru the phone call that I could barely hear her on and I was coughing due to me having COVID and told to call back. I told her, "I needed to get this done today as I can not make my payment and it is due today." Nevermind the fact that I waited 40 minutes on the phone to get someone. Just another reason for me to not like this company.

    Thanks for your vote! Report
    Loading more reviews...

    Navient Company Information

    Company Name:
    Navient
    Website:
    www.navient.com