Consumer complaint received 2019-06-18
Company: GREAT LAKES
State: IL
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Trouble with how payments are being handled

Complaint:
I have contacted Great Lakes Servicing repeatedly over the last year, asking for assistance in determining the monetary forgiveness amount in my eligibility for the Federal XXXX Loan Forgiveness program. 

Studentaid.ed.gov specifically states to direct all questions relating to XXXX Loan Forgiveness to the servicer of the loan. 

XXXX XXXX qualify for {$5000.00} in federal forgiveness, while XXXX XXXX who XXXX Math or Science can receive {$17000.00} in federal loan forgiveness. My previous co-worker, XXXX XXXX, also a XXXX XXXX science XXXX, directed the same exact question that I have t ( are we XXXX or XXXX   XXXX ) to his loan servicer ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) and received an immediate response. XXXX XXXX was able to complete the federal XXXX application and was awarded forgiveness of {$17000.00} in XX/XX/XXXX. I have attached a copy of the email response from XXXX XXXX XXXX stating that XXXX was eligible for the {$17000.00} forgiveness amount because he XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX grade in a XXXX district. 

I worked for the same XXXX  district as XXXX from XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ). That district wants to certify me as XXXX science on the XXXX Loan Forgiveness federal application because of the email from XXXX XXXX XXXX. My current district ( XXXX XXXX ) of which I have XXXX XXXX and XXXX grade computer science/stem classes for the last 4 years, is not sure how I should be certified on the federal XXXX Loan Forgiveness app, so you see, I can not consult my chief administrative officer for an answer. I have been filing complaints against Great Lakes for over a year as I am unable to complete a XXXX Loan Forgiveness application without their clarification. 

I have not received any assistance or solutions from Great Lakes. Instead, they continue to accrue interest on my loan and state, we have not received a completed XXXX loan application. 

I have received numerous contradictory responses from Great Lakes over the course of the last year. Their most recent response " Great Lakes is unable to determine whether you qualify as an XXXX or XXXX XXXX. Your Chief administration Office must certify your qualifications. As of XX/XX/XXXX, Great Lakes has not received a XXXX Loan Forgiveness Application from you. '' I can not complete a XXXX application to send to Great Lakes until they make the determination of XXXX or XXXX XXXX, just as the other federal student loan servicers are doing for their customers!! 

I called the Ombudsmen group to dispute the latest response from Great Lakes, just a few days ago. The Ombudsmen rep directed me to the Illinois XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, claiming that the state should decide my eligibility. I have included the email I received from XXXX. The State can not determine eligibility in XXXX XXXX XXXX   XXXX because it is a federal program! The State has its own program but I can not apply until the federal application has been processed by Great Lakes. I can not complete and submit the federal application to Great Lakes because I XXXX at 2 XXXX over the course of the last 5 years and neither XXXX is in agreement with the federal classification of XXXX or XXXX   science.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation