Student Debt Management & Collections

Overview of Student Debt Management

Student Debt Management (SDM) assists students with unpaid tuition balances, institutional loans, and delinquent student accounts. If a tuition account is not paid by the end of a semester, it may be referred to SDM for collection.

Under Colorado law, unpaid balances may:

• Be transferred to a private collection agency
• Be certified to the Colorado Department of Revenue (CDOR) Tax Offset Program
• Accrue additional fees, service charges, and legal and/or collection agency recovery fees and costs.

Students may:

• Set up automatic monthly payments
• Make a one-time payment

Late Fees, Service Charges & Financial Holds

Monthly Service Charges & Late Fees

• All students who register for classes at the University of Colorado | Anschutz are held responsible for payment as described in the  Tuition and Fee Agreement Disclosure.
• Students accept the terms of this agreement during the registration process in their UCD Access student portal.
• 1% monthly service charge on unpaid balances
• One-time late fee per semester

Financial Holds

A financial hold prevents:

• Class registration
• Add/Drop activity
• Transcript release
• Diploma issuance

*** Enrollment is allowed if your prior term balance is less than $1,500. If your balance is $1,500 or more, the balance must be paid below $1,500 to enroll. The entire amount must be paid in full for the financial stop to be removed.

If you believe a late charge on your account is incorrect, you may submit a Charge Petition to request a review.

Bursar FAQ: I need to order a transcript, but I have a past-due balance

In accordance with Colorado House Bill 22-1049, you may submit a Transcript Hold Appeal Form to request a review of your circumstances for the release of your transcript at CU Denver | Anschutz.

In-House Collections (SDM)

Past-due accounts from prior semesters are transferred to SDM for internal collections. Students have approximately six months to establish a payment arrangement before the account is sent to an external collection agency.

Flywire Payment Plans for Delinquent Accounts

Extended payment options are available through Flywire Collections Management.

Benefits

• No new late fees or interest during the plan
• Avoid third-party collectors
• One-time $30 setup fee

How to Access Flywire:

1. Visit the Flywire portal
2. Create a new account
3. Select “Yes, I am a current or former student”
4. Verify your email
5. Enter your Student Account ID & Date of Birth

External Collection Agencies & Additional Costs

If referred to a third-party agency:

• Collection fees (up to 30% of the debt) may be added
• Attorney fees and court costs may apply
• Service charges may continue
• Credit bureaus may receive delinquency reporting
• The university cannot negotiate or accept payment directly

To confirm which agency holds your account:
📧 collections@ucdenver.edu

Colorado Department of Revenue (CDOR) – Tax Offset Program

Under C.R.S. § 23-5-115, the university may submit unpaid student debt for the Tax Offset Program.

• Your Colorado income tax refund may be intercepted
• Offset funds are applied to your university balance
• You will receive written notice of any intercepted refund
• You may request a formal hearing for an administrative account review if you believe the offset is an error

Student Privacy (FERPA)

The university cannot share your account information without your written consent. You may authorize a third party in UCDAccess:

UCDAccess → Profile → FERPA Information Release

Tuition Appeals

CU Denver Students: Tuition Appeals Website
📧 tuitionappeals@ucdenver.edu

CU Anschutz Students: Contact your school or college program office.

CU Denver Housing & Dining

Need information about on-campus housing, dining plans, meal plans, or living options at CU Denver? Visit the Housing & Dining website for details on residence halls, meal plans, costs, and important deadlines.

CU Succeed (High School Students)

CU Denver CU Succeed Program Website

📧 cusucceed@ucdenver.edu
📞 303-315-7030

Institutional Loans 

Counseling, Repayment, Default & Rehabilitation

Applicable Loans: Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Health Profession Loans, and all Institutional Loans. These loans are campus-based and do not include Stafford Loans, Direct Loans, or PLUS Loans.

Overview

Student loans are a serious financial responsibility. You are required to repay your loans even if you:

• Do not complete your education
• Are not employed after graduation
• Are dissatisfied with the education received

Failure to repay may negatively impact your credit, result in collection actions, or affect future financial aid eligibility. Student loans generally cannot be discharged through bankruptcy.

Loan Servicing – Heartland ECSI

Student loans managed through the University of Colorado are serviced by Heartland ECSI. For questions regarding your institutional loans, including Perkins Loans and other campus-based loan programs, you may contact Heartland ECSI directly:

Website:https://heartland.ecsi.net/

Phone: 1-888-549-3274

Heartland ECSI can assist with:

• Loan account questions and statements
• Repayment options and schedules
• Deferment or forbearance requests
• Perkins Loan cancellation or rehabilitation

Entrance Counseling

Before receiving funds for campus-based loans, in addition to signing a promissory note, you must complete an Entrance Counseling session to review your repayment obligations and responsibilities.

Exit Counseling

When you graduate or drop below half-time enrollment, you are required to complete Exit Counseling. This session explains:

• Loan repayment obligations
• Grace period details
• Options for deferment, forbearance, cancellation benefits and prepayment

Key Points:

• Once your grace period expires, repayment begins.
• You may prepay all or part of your loan at any time without penalty, reducing interest costs.
• If you cannot make a payment, you may apply for a deferment, temporarily suspending payments. Most deferments do not accrue interest.

Continue making payments until you receive official notification approving a deferment or forbearance.

Hardship & Forbearance

If you are temporarily unable to make full payments:

• You may request a hardship or forbearance.
• Payments are temporarily reduced or paused, but interest continues to accrue.
• You may pay the interest as it accrues or at the end of the hardship/forbearance period.
• Eligibility depends on your loan type.

Important: Notify Student Debt Management immediately if you anticipate difficulty making payments. Failure to pay may result in:

• Late charges
• Reporting to credit bureaus
• Referral to collection agencies

Consequences of Default

• Your loan being accelerated, to become due in full.
• Damage to your credit rating
• Collection actions, including additional fees
• Wage garnishment or withholding of state tax refunds
• Civil lawsuits and court costs
• Loss of deferment and forbearance benefits
• Suspension of eligibility for further financial aid
• Suspension of professional license (if applicable)

Loan Counseling Access

Complete your counseling sessions using the buttons below:

Loan Consolidation

Loan consolidation allows borrowers to combine multiple federal student loans into a single loan with one interest rate and repayment schedule. Consolidation provides greater repayment flexibility.

Eligible Loan Programs:

• Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized Loans
• Federal Stafford Loans (Subsidized & Unsubsidized)
• Direct PLUS Loans & FFEL PLUS Loans
• Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS)
• Federal Perkins Loans
• Federal Nursing Loans
• Health Education Assistance Loans
• Certain existing consolidation loans

Advantages:

• Extended repayment period (up to 30 years)
• Lower monthly payments
• One convenient monthly payment
• May protect your credit rating

Disadvantages:

• Higher total interest paid over life of loan
• Interest rates may be higher than original loans
• Some loan types may lose cancellation benefits, discuss your options with your loan servicer prior to consolidating.

Eligibility:

• Loans must be in grace or repayment status
• No other consolidation application pending

More info: Federal Student Aid – Loan Consolidation

Perkins Loan Cancellation

Eligible borrowers in public service areas may qualify for cancellation of up to 100% of their Perkins Loan:

• Years 1–2: 15% per year
• Years 3–4: 20% per year
• Year 5: 30%

Questions? Contact Heartland ECSI: 1-888-549-3274

Perkins Loan Rehabilitation

If you default on a Perkins Loan, you may rehabilitate the loan one time by:

1. Requesting rehabilitation
2. Making nine consecutive, on-time monthly payments

Benefits of Rehabilitation:

• Default removed from credit history
• Restores deferment, forbearance, and cancellation benefits
• Up to nine additional years to repay remaining balance

Questions? Contact Heartland ECSI: 1-888-549-3274

Download Forms

All loan forms are available via: ECSI – Downloadable Forms

Financial Aid & Federal Student Loan Support

Need assistance managing your financial aid or student loans? Use the links below for guidance on accepting aid, reviewing awards, and managing repayment options.