Consumer complaint received 2025-03-07 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Private student loan
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Problem with customer service
Company: SLM CORPORATION
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
I am filing a complaint against Sallie Mae for repeatedly denying my student loan deferment since XX/XX/XXXX, despite providing all required and authenticated documentation. 

Sallie Mae refuses to accept my official Certificate of Enrollment from XXXX XXXX, which includes a verification reference number and authentication websitethe standard authentication process for XXXX XXXX. The Certificate of Enrollment even includes clear instructions on how to authenticate the document using the website and reference number. My university does not complete third-party forms or provide handwritten signatures, yet Sallie Mae has consistently rejected my deferment request for nearly a year, citing these as required elements. 

Due to their ongoing refusal to accept verifiable documentation, I was forced to enroll part-time in a XXXX XXXX from XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX and take out additional federal student loans just to defer my Sallie Mae loans . After withdrawing from that program due to conflicting schedules with my intended university, I attempted to resubmit my deferment request in XX/XX/XXXX, only for it to be denied once again in XX/XX/XXXX. Sallie Maes continued obstruction has caused unnecessary financial hardship, forced me into additional student debt, and placed and undue burden on me as an international student. 

Since XX/XX/XXXX, I have submitted several deferment requests, each accompanied by my official Certificate of Enrollment and eventually my transcript, tuition bill, proof of tuition payments, and immigration-related enrollment documentation. Despite this, Sallie Mae continuously denied my requests, stating that my university must complete their printed form and provide a manual signaturesrequirements that do not exist in XXXX enrollment verification system. 

Even before months of rejections and escalated calls, I attempted to comply by further filling out my section of XXXX XXXX form and attaching my Certificate of Enrollment. This too was denied without justification. Facing no alternative, I enrolled part-time at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX online program from XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX, taking out the last remaining federal student aid that I had left solely to meet Sallie Maes deferment requirements. In XX/XX/XXXX, I again submitted my deferment request based on my international university enrollment, yet Sallie Mae denied it again in XX/XX/XXXX. 

As a result of Sallie Maes refusals, I have : - Accumulated unnecessary federal student loan debt just to remain in deferment.

- Paid tuition at a U.S. institution that I would not have otherwise attended. 
- Continued accruing interest on my Sallie Mae loans when I should have been in deferment. 
- Spent nearly a year resubmitting documents, calling customer service, and escalating my case without resolution. 

Sallie Maes refusal to recognize authenticated documentation creates an unfair barrier for international students, imposing unnecessary financial burdens and preventing borrowers from obtaining deferments they qualify for under standard policies. 

I have attached the following : - Official Certificate of Enrollment from XXXX XXXX  ( contains verification reference number, authentication website, and instructions for verifying ) - Completed deferment request form ( with my section filled out ) + Certificate of Enrollment - Tuition bill, proof of tuition payments, and immigration-related enrollment documents- Proof of U.S. university enrollment and tuition ( demonstrating the unnecessary financial step I was forced to take ) - Correspondence from Sallie Mae rejecting my deferment

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief