What Is CRI Student Loans?

CRI stands for Central Research Inc., a federal student loan servicer contracted by the U.S. Department of Education. Think of them as the middleman.

The Department doesn’t directly manage the day-to-day operations of its $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio. Instead, it pays servicers like CRI, MOHELA, Nelnet, and EdFinancial over $1 billion annually to handle account management, billing, and customer service for approximately 42 million borrowers.

What’s notable about cri student loans: the company is relatively new to federal servicing. The Department began transferring accounts to CRI in mid-2025, gradually moving borrowers from established servicers. According to the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program, this transition happened without advance email notification to many borrowers – messages appeared only in servicer account inboxes that most people rarely check.

Here’s what matters: your loan terms don’t change with a servicer transfer. Interest rates, principal balance, and repayment timeline stay identical. Only your payment address and account login portal change from your previous servicer to CRI’s system at cri.studentaid.gov.

2025-26 Federal Student Loan Interest Rates

The question “what is the interest rate on student loans” gets complicated because it depends on loan type and disbursement date.

For loans first disbursed between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026, the Department of Education set these fixed rates based on the May 2025 Treasury auction (4.34% yield):

That 0.14 percentage point drop matters more than it looks. Take a $12,500 undergraduate loan (maximum annual amount):

• At 6.53% (2024-25): $4,555 total interest over 10-year standard repayment
• At 6.39% (2025-26): $4,448 total interest over 10 years
• Savings: $107 over the loan’s life

Scale that up. A graduate student borrowing the maximum $20,500 per year at 7.94% instead of 8.08% saves roughly $175 in interest over 10 years. Not life-changing, but it’s money staying in your pocket instead of going to the government.

Historical Context: Why Rates Matter Now

Federal undergraduate loan rates sat at just 2.75% in 2020-21. The current 6.39% represents a 132% increase in five years. For a $5,000 loan:

• 2.75% rate (2020-21): $5,725 total repayment, $48 monthly payment
• 6.39% rate (2025-26): $6,779 total repayment, $56 monthly payment
• Difference: $1,054 more in total cost

That’s why borrowers who took out loans before 2022 have significantly better terms than current students. The Treasury note auction drives these rates annually, and with inflation pressures from 2021-2023, the formula pushed student loan costs higher. The 2025-26 decrease is modest but marks the first downward movement in four years.

CRI Student Loans Login Guide

The cri student loans login process differs depending on whether you’re a new CRI customer (transferred from another servicer) or accessing your account for the first time.

For Borrowers Transferred to CRI

Step 1: Check for Transfer Notification

• Log into your previous servicer account (Nelnet, EdFinancial, etc.)
• Check your account inbox for a letter titled “Loan Transfer to CRI”
• Note the effective transfer date (typically 10-15 days after notification)

Step 2: Create Your CRI Account

• Visit cri.studentaid.gov
• Click “Create an Account”
• Provide: Social Security Number, date of birth, loan account number
• Set up username and password (minimum 8 characters, mix of letters/numbers)
• Verify email address through confirmation link

Step 3: Access Your Loan Information

• Return to cri.studentaid.gov and log in
• Verify your loan balance matches your previous servicer’s records
• Download payment history (important: save this PDF)
• Confirm next payment due date

Troubleshooting Login Issues

Based on borrower reports from September-December 2025:

Problem: “Account Not Found”
Solution: Wait 24-48 hours after the official transfer date. CRI’s system may need time to fully process your account data. If the issue persists after 3 days, call CRI’s customer service line.

Problem: Payment History Missing
Solution: Contact your previous servicer immediately to download records. You have a 60-90 day window while they maintain archived data. CRI receives balance and current status but may not import full payment history initially.

Problem: Different Loan Balance Than Expected
Solution: Compare your previous servicer’s final statement with CRI’s opening balance. Interest accrues daily, so a few days’ difference in timing can add $10-50 depending on your principal. If the discrepancy exceeds normal daily interest, dispute in writing.

Understanding Servicer Transfers to CRI

The Department of Education doesn’t ask borrowers for permission before transferring accounts. This surprises people.

Federal Student Aid contracts with multiple servicers to balance the workload across its 42 million borrower accounts. When one servicer reaches capacity or when the Department wants to redistribute portfolios, it authorizes transfers. CRI entered federal servicing in 2025, and the Department has gradually moved accounts from established servicers like Nelnet and EdFinancial to CRI throughout the second half of 2025.

Why Transfers Happen

• Capacity Balancing: Ensuring no single servicer handles a disproportionate share of accounts
• Contract Management: New servicers like CRI need portfolios to fulfill their federal contracts
• Performance Issues: If a servicer underperforms on customer service metrics, the Department may reduce their portfolio
• Cost Efficiency: Competition among servicers can reduce the government’s servicing costs

What Stays the Same

• Interest rate (fixed when you borrowed)
• Principal balance
• Repayment plan (Standard, Graduated, Income-Driven)
• Loan forgiveness progress (PSLF qualifying payments transfer)
• Deferment or forbearance eligibility

What Changes

• Payment address for checks or money orders
• Customer service phone number
• Online account portal (from old servicer to cri.studentaid.gov)
• Auto-pay setup (must re-enroll with CRI for 0.25% rate discount)

Repayment Options Through CRI

CRI administers the same repayment plans available through any federal servicer. Your options don’t change because of the transfer.

Standard Repayment

Term: 10 years (120 monthly payments)
Payment Amount: Fixed monthly payment
Best For: Borrowers who can afford higher payments and want to minimize total interest

Example: $30,000 loan at 6.39%

• Monthly payment: $338
• Total interest: $10,560
• Total repayment: $40,560

Income-Driven Repayment Plans

Four plans cap your payment at 10-20% of discretionary income:

How Payments Are Calculated:

Discretionary income = Your adjusted gross income (AGI) minus 225% of the federal poverty guideline for your family size.

Real Example:
Single borrower, $45,000 AGI, $30,000 loan balance

• Poverty guideline (2025): $15,060
• 225% threshold: $33,885
• Discretionary income: $45,000 – $33,885 = $11,115
• SAVE payment (10%): $11,115 ÷ 12 = $93/month

Compare that to the $338 standard payment. Income-driven plans offer significant monthly relief but extend your repayment timeline and often result in higher total interest paid.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

If you work for a government or qualifying nonprofit employer, PSLF forgives remaining federal Direct Loan balances after 120 qualifying monthly payments under an income-driven plan.

Final PSLF regulations published October 30, 2025, take effect July 1, 2026. New rules expand employer eligibility and clarify payment counting. If you’re pursuing PSLF, verify your employer qualification annually through the Federal Student Aid PSLF portal.