<Page>

                                                                   Exhibit 4.1.2

EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN SECTION 2.15 OF THE INDENTURE, THIS NOTE MAY BE
TRANSFERRED IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, ONLY TO ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY
OR TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR TO A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.
UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) TO THE ISSUER OR
ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE
ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED
BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY AND ANY PAYMENT
IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL, SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF,
CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

REGISTERED

No. ____                                                     $________________

                                                             CUSIP ___________


                               USA EDUCATION, INC.

                           MEDIUM TERM NOTE, SERIES A
                          DUE ______________ ___, 20__
                                  (FIXED RATE)



<Table>
<S>                                                             <C>
Original Issue Date:  ___________ ___, 20___                    Interest Rate:  ________%

Principal Payment Date(s):                                      Interest Payment Dates: *

Maturity Date: ___________ ___, 20___                           Interest Accrual Period: **

Optional Repayment Date(s):                                     Maximum Interest Rate: Maximum
                                                                permitted by law

Redeemable On and After:                                        Accrual Method:  Actual/360
</Table>

* _________, _________, _________and _________of each year, except that the
first Interest Payment Date is _________, 20___, and the Maturity Date.
** The period from and including the previous Interest Payment Date (or Original
Issue Date, in the case of the first Interest Accrual Period) through the
calendar day before current Interest Payment Date (or Maturity Date, in the case
of the last Interest Accrual Period).

<Page>

         USA EDUCATION, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), for value
received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns on each
Principal Payment Date, if any, and on the Maturity Date, as applicable, the
principal amount then due and payable as shown above and interest on the
principal amount stated above at the rate PER ANNUM equal to the Interest Rate
shown above, until the principal hereof is fully paid or duly made available for
payment. The Company hereby promises to pay on each Interest Payment Date the
interest, if any, then due and payable, and on the Maturity Date, PROVIDED if
any Interest Payment Date, other than the Maturity Date, would otherwise be a
day that is not a Business Day, such Interest Payment Date will be postponed
until the next calendar day that is a Business Day. If the Maturity Date is a
day that is not a Business Day, principal and interest will be paid on the next
succeeding Business Day, with the same force and effect as if made on the
Maturity Date, and no interest on such payment shall accrue from or after the
Maturity Date. "Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
Legal Holiday in New York City.

         The interest so payable, will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid to
the Person in whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on the
Regular Record Date for such interest, PROVIDED that interest payable on the
Maturity Date will be paid to the Person to whom the principal of this Note is
payable. The "Regular Record Date" for each payment is [the date one calendar
day immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date, Principal Payment Date or
Maturity Date][or the date specified in the Pricing Supplement for the Note].
Any such interest which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided
for, on any Interest Payment Date shall forthwith cease to be payable to the
Holder on such Regular Record Date, and may be paid to the Person in whose name
this Note is registered at the close of business on a special record date for
the payment of such defaulted interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice
whereof shall be given to the Holder of this Note not less than ten days prior
to such special record date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful
manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on
which the Notes may be listed and upon such notice as may be required by such
exchange, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. The Company shall pay
interest at the applicable interest rate on overdue principal and, to the extent
permitted by law, on overdue interest.

         Payments of principal and interest will be made at the office or agency
of the Trustee maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City
of New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the
time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debt, by
check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall
appear in the register for this Note, PROVIDED that so long as this Note is
represented by a Global Security, each payment shall be made by wire transfer of
immediately available funds, if the registered holder has provided the Trustee
appropriate instructions for such payment.

         The principal hereof and interest due at maturity will be paid upon
maturity by wire transfer of immediately available funds against presentation of
this Note at the office or agency of the Trustee maintained for that purpose in
the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.

                                       2

<Page>

         REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE TO THE FURTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS NOTE SET
FORTH ON THE REVERSE HEREOF, WHICH FURTHER PROVISIONS SHALL FOR ALL PURPOSES
HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS IF SET FORTH ON THE FACE HEREOF.

         This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law
of the State of New York.

         Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
The Chase Manhattan Bank, the Trustee under the Indenture, or its successor
thereunder by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, this
Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or
obligatory for any purpose.



                                       3

<Page>


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly
executed.

                      Dated: _________ ___, 20__


                                          USA EDUCATION, INC.


                                          By:
                                             -----------------------------------
                                          Name:
                                          Title:


                                          By:
                                             -----------------------------------
                                          Name:
                                          Title:



                                               CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

                          This is one of the Notes referred to in the
within-mentioned Indenture.


                                          THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, as Trustee


                                          By:
                                             -----------------------------------
                                                      Authorized Signature

                                       4


<Page>


                                [Reverse of Note]

                               USA EDUCATION, INC.

                           MEDIUM TERM NOTE, SERIES A

                           DUE ____________ ___, 20___

                                  (FIXED RATE)

         This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of notes of the Company
issued under the Indenture, dated as of October 1, 2000 (the "Base Indenture"),
as amended or supplemented prior to the date hereof (collectively, the
"Indenture"), between the Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as trustee (the
"Trustee," which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to
which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made
for a statement of the respective rights and limitations of rights thereunder of
the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes, and the terms upon which
the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. Capitalized
terms used and not otherwise defined in this Note have the meanings ascribed to
them in the Indenture.

         This Note is designated as a Medium Term Note, Series A due ___________
___, 20___. The Interest Accrual Period for each Interest Payment Date begins on
each Interest Payment Date and ends on the calendar day before the next Interest
Payment Date, PROVIDED that the first Interest Accrual Period begins on
___________ ___, 20__ and ends on ___________ ___, 20__, the calendar day before
the first Interest Payment Date. The interest rate in effect during each
Interest Accrual Period will be the Interest Rate specified on the face hereof.
Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number
of days elapsed in the applicable Interest Accrual Period. All percentages
resulting from any calculations will be carried to five decimal places (that is,
to the one hundred-thousandths place), with the five one-millionths being
rounded upwards, if necessary. In addition, the interest rate hereon shall in no
event be higher than the maximum rate, if any, permitted by applicable law.

         The Trustee shall calculate the interest payable hereon in accordance
with the foregoing and will confirm in writing such calculation to the Company
and the Paying Agent (if other than the Trustee) immediately after each
determination. All determinations made by the Trustee shall be, in the absence
of manifest error, conclusive for all purposes and binding on the Company and
Holders of the Notes.

         If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall occur and be
continuing, the Trustee, by notice to the Company, or the Holders of at least
25% in principal amount of all of the outstanding Notes, by notice to the
Company and the Trustee, may declare the principal of all the Notes due and
payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

         The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Notes at any time by the Company
and the Trustee with the consent of the


                                       5

<Page>

Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time
outstanding. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of
specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time
outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Notes, to waive compliance by the
Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under
the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder
of this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon future
Holders of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer
hereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu hereof whether or not notation of such
consent or waiver is made upon this Note.

         Holders of Notes may not enforce their rights pursuant to the Indenture
or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. No reference herein to the
Indenture and no provision of this Note or the Indenture shall alter or impair
the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the
principal of and interest on this Note at the time, place, and rate, and in the
coin or currency, herein prescribed.

         As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, the transfer of this Note may be registered on the Note register of
the Company, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the
office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New
York, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in
form satisfactory to the Company, and this Note duly executed by, the Holder
hereof or by his attorney duly authorized in writing and thereupon one or more
new Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal
amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

         The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in
denominations of $1,000 or any amount in excess thereof which is an integral
multiple of $1,000. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain
limitations therein set forth, this Note is exchangeable for a like aggregate
principal amount of Notes of different authorized denomination as requested by
the Holder surrendering the same.

         No service charge will be made for any such registration of transfer or
exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

         Prior to the due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer,
the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat
the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.


                                       6

<Page>

                                  ABBREVIATIONS

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this
instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according
to applicable laws or regulations:

TEN COM           -        as tenants in common

TEN ENT           -        as tenants by the entireties

JT TEN            -        as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not
                           as tenants in common

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - ________________________ Custodian ________________________
                            (Cust)                               (Minor)

                        Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act


                         -------------------------------------

                         ------------------------------(State)

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

                         ------------------





                                       7

<Page>


                                   Assignment

                       FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned
                       hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting
and appointing

______________________________________________________________________ Attorney
to transfer said Note on the books of the Company, with full power of
substitution in the premises.

Dated:  __________________________          ________________________________



----------------------------------------------------------
                  (Signature Guarantee)






                                       8