Student Loan Ombudsman: Complete List & How to Get Help (2025)

• A student loan ombudsman helps you fix serious problems with your lender or servicer—like wrong balances, denied forgiveness, or unanswered disputes—when customer service hits a dead end.

• You’ll get better results from a state ombudsman or the CFPB than from the federal office, which has been gutted and is often unresponsive under current leadership.

• If your state doesn’t have an ombudsman, file a complaint with the CFPB or your Attorney General’s office. You can also get help from a student loan consultant if things stay stuck.

A student loan ombudsman is a neutral, third-party official who helps borrowers resolve disputes and complaints with loan servicers, lenders, or debt collectors. They act as mediators, investigating issues, identifying unfair practices, and providing unbiased guidance to borrowers stuck in frustrating situations.

Ombudsmen do not represent borrowers or make decisions about specific loan forgiveness or repayment plans. Effectively, Ombudsmen act as a final resource after borrowers look for help through other customer service channels.

Many states have dedicated student loan ombudsman offices that focus specifically on borrower rights, but there’s also a federal ombudsman within the U.S. Department of Education. If you’re having trouble resolving a student loan issue directly with your lender or servicer, contacting a student loan ombudsman can be a helpful next step.

Related: How to Dispute Student Loans

A student loan ombudsman investigates borrower complaints about loan servicers, lenders, and collection agencies. They act as a neutral mediator, aiming to resolve disputes related to incorrect payments, unexpected charges, credit reporting errors, loan forgiveness denials, or poor customer service.

Here’s exactly what an ombudsman can help with:

• Investigate your complaint to identify errors or unfair practices.

• Facilitate communication between you and your loan servicer or lender.

• Recommend solutions to disputes based on your rights and loan policies.

• Report systemic problems to regulators and policymakers to prevent similar issues in the future.

Related: Who Do You Contact If You Have Questions About Repayment Plans?

Yes, but your results depend largely on where you file your complaint.

During the Trump administration, filing a complaint directly with the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman hasn’t been particularly effective. Most of the experienced staff in that federal office have been let go or reassigned, and borrowers typically receive minimal or no meaningful response.

But complaints submitted through state-level student loan ombudsmen have generally yielded better outcomes.

State ombudsmen often coordinate directly with the current head of the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman Group (the role previously held by Bonnie Luttrell), helping borrowers achieve resolutions through informal, direct channels.

That said, this process is inconsistent and informal. While it’s helpful on an individual basis, it’s unreliable as a systemic solution for the 43 million federal student loan borrowers nationwide, especially since not every state has its own ombudsman office.

Related: Attorney for Student Loan Lawsuit

Reach out to a student loan ombudsman after you’ve tried—and failed—to fix a loan issue directly with your lender or servicer. The ombudsman is your next step when communication breaks down or you’re stuck going in circles.

Here are common scenarios when contacting an ombudsman makes sense:

• Your servicer keeps giving you conflicting information about your loan.

• You discover errors in your payment history or loan balance, but can’t get them corrected even after sending a student loan dispute letter.

• Your loan forgiveness application is denied without clear justification.

• You suspect your lender or collector is violating your rights (like making unauthorized withdrawals or misreporting to credit bureaus).

• You’ve repeatedly requested documents or explanations from your servicer, and they aren’t responding.

Related: Who Can Help With Student Loan Forgiveness?

If you’re ready to file a complaint, here’s how to get started. You have three primary options:

• Federal Student Aid (FSA) Ombudsman

• CFPB Student Loan Ombudsman

• State-level student loan ombudsmen

Here’s what you need to know about each:

1. Federal Student Aid (FSA) Ombudsman

The FSA Ombudsman is part of the U.S. Department of Education and deals specifically with federal student loan disputes. But under the Trump administration, this office has significantly downsized, limiting its effectiveness and responsiveness.

• Website: studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman

• Phone: 1-877-557-2575

• Mailing Address: U.S. Department of Education, FSA Ombudsman Group, P.O. Box 1854, Monticello, KY 42633

Given the current state of this office, direct federal complaints may not yield prompt or meaningful resolutions.

2. CFPB Student Loan Ombudsman

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Student Loan Ombudsman addresses complaints involving both federal and private student loans, loan servicers, and debt collectors. As of 2024, the CFPB Ombudsman is Julia Barnard, who was recently reinstated by federal court order after an attempted dismissal by the Trump administration in early 2025.

Julia Barnard and her team are particularly effective in complex disputes, including Public Service Loan Forgiveness denials, issues involving payment errors, and refunds for overpayments.

• Website: consumerfinance.gov/complaint

• Phone: 1-855-411-2372

• Mailing Address: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, P.O. Box 27170, Washington, DC 20038

This office currently offers one of the strongest advocacy avenues for borrowers facing complex or systemic issues.

3. State-Level Student Loan Ombudsmen

State-level student loan ombudsmen are usually your best bet for reliable help, especially during the Trump administration. These offices often maintain direct communication channels with federal offices and can advocate effectively on your behalf.

California

Ombudsman: Celina Damian
Title/Office: Student Loan Services Ombudsperson, Department of Financial Protection & Innovation
Phone: (866) 275-2677
Email: Ask.DFPI@DFPI.ca.gov
Website: dfpi.ca.gov

Colorado

Ombudsman: Kelsey Lesco
Title/Office: Student Loan Ombudsperson, Office of the Attorney General
Phone: (720) 508-MySL (6975)
Email: kelsy.lesco@coag.gov
Website: Colorado Student Loan Ombudsperson

Connecticut

Ombudsman: Michelle Jarvis-Lettman
Title/Office: Student Loan Ombudsperson
Email: michelle.jarvis-lettman@ct.gov
Website: Connecticut Student Loan Ombudsperson

District of Columbia

Ombudsman: Jessica Meyers
Phone: (202) 727-8000
Email: dcloanhelp@dc.gov
Website: DC Student Loan Ombudsman

Illinois

Ombudsman: Margaret E. McWhorter
Title: Student Loan Ombudsman, Office of the Attorney General
Phone: (800) 455-2456
Email: Margaret.McWhorter@ilag.gov
Website: illinoisattorneygeneral.gov

Maine

Ombudsman: Stephanie Roux
Phone: (207) 624-8527
Email: stephanie.roux@maine.gov
Website: Maine Student Loan Resources

Maryland

Ombudsman: Amy Hennen
Title/Office: Assistant Commissioner and Student Loan Ombudsman at the Maryland Office of Financial Regulation
Email: studentloan.ombudsman@maryland.gov
Website: Maryland Student Loan Ombudsman

Massachusetts

Ombudsman: Arwen Thoman
Title/Office: Student Loan Ombudsman, Attorney General’s Office
Deputy Student Loan Ombudsman: Erica Harmon
Phone: (888) 830-6277
Email: arwen.thoman@state.ma.us
Website: mass.gov/ago/studentloans

Minnesota

Ombudsman: Jabra Kawas
Title/Office: Student Loan Advocate, Enforcement Division, Minnesota Department of Commerce
Email: jabra.kawas@state.mn.us
Website: Minnesota Student Loan Advocate

Nevada

Ombudsman: Evelyn Castro
Title/Office: Student Loan Ombudsman, Office of Nevada State Treasurer
Phone: (702) 486-3384 or (888) 477-2667
Email: SLO@nevadatreasurer.gov
Website: Student Loan Ombudsman

New Jersey

Phone: (800) 446-7467
Website: Department of Banking and Insurance

New York

Ombudsman: Scott Ahrens
Title/Office: Student Advocate & Assistant Deputy Superintendent, NYS Department of Financial Services
Phone: (212) 480-4918
Email: students@dfs.ny.gov
Website: dfs.ny.gov

North Carolina

Website: North Carolina Student Loan Relief

Oregon

Ombudsman: Lane Thompson
Title/Office: Student Loan Ombudsperson, Division of Financial Regulation, Department of Consumer and Business Services
Phone: (888) 877-4894 (toll-free)
Email: dfr.bankingproducthelp@dcbs.oregon.gov
Website: dfr.oregon.gov

Rhode Island

Ombudsman: Attorney General’s Office
Phone: (401) 274-4400
Email: studentloans@riag.ri.gov
Website: riag.ri.gov/forms/student-loan-servicing-complaint

Virginia

Ombudsman: Scott W. Kemp
Title/Office: Student Loan Advocate, State Council of Higher Education
Phone: (804) 786-2832
Email: studentloan@schev.edu
Website: Virginia Student Loan Ombudsman

Washington

Ombudsman: Jessica Manfredi
Title: Student Loan Advocate
Phone: (360) 753-7781
Email: loanadvocate@wsac.wa.gov
Website: wsac.wa.gov

PSLF Advocate: Amber Hay

If your state doesn’t have its own student loan ombudsman, you still have options for help, though admittedly, they’re less straightforward.

Your best bet is to contact the CFPB Student Loan Ombudsman, especially for serious disputes or complex issues involving loan servicers or debt collectors. Julia Barnard, who leads the office, and her team have a solid track record helping borrowers navigate tough situations.

Another option is filing a complaint directly with your state’s Attorney General’s office or consumer protection division. While they may not specialize in student loans specifically, they handle consumer complaints broadly and can often intervene with lenders and servicers on your behalf.

Lastly, you can still file a complaint with the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Ombudsman, but be aware their effectiveness has significantly declined under the Trump administration due to staffing cuts.

And if none of those things work, maybe contact a student loan consultant for help.

Sources:

• Federal Student Aid – State Ombudsman Offices: https://studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman/disputes/state-ombudsman

• Student Borrower Protection Center – State-Based Student Loan Ombudsmen: https://protectborrowers.org/state-based-student-loan-ombudsmen/