An official website of the State of North Dakota
We welcome your questions because we want you to have a complete understanding of your student loans. We’ve listed the most frequently asked questions from our customers below, but if you have a different question or need more information, please contact us, call us at (833) 397-0311 or use the chat feature in the lower right corner.
Go here to the BND Connect page and click on “Log In” in the upper right corner.
- Your username is the email address we have on file.
- If you forgot your Password, select “Forgot Password.” Once you provide the requested information, a temporary password will be emailed to the email address we have on file.
If you have changed your email address or cannot answer your security questions, please contact us.
If you’d like all correspondence to be sent electronically, log in to your online account, click “My Account” in top right corner, and then “Account Settings.” This page will allow you to update your communication preferences, how to apply overpayments, and much more.
Log in to your account, click “My Account” in the top right corner and select “Contact Information” to provide BND the updated information.
Contact us Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT to discuss your name change.
You are still responsible for making your payment by the due date and failing to make your monthly payment(s) may result in fees and potentially require us to turn your account over for collection. Check your “spam” or “junk email” folder for the email or verify your information to make sure the email address on file is correct.
Payments submitted online by 3 p.m. CT will be processed that day. Payments submitted after 3 p.m. will be processed the following business day. The withdrawal may not be reflected immediately on your bank account.
Any borrower or cosigner may sign up for automatic payments provided they are not delinquent on their student loan(s). Whether the loan(s) is in repayment status with a payment due each month or the payments are temporarily postponed such as when you are in school, you can choose to sign up for automatic payments.
Yes, there are benefits. Automatic payments help simplify your life. You can choose your payment due date from the 1st through the 28th of the month, and by making payments on time, you could build a positive credit history on your loan(s).
If you are in school, grace or a period when no payments are required, you can choose to have payments withdrawn monthly or quarterly. You are not required to make payments during these periods; however, making payments may help reduce your balance and payment amount when you enter repayment status.
Signing up for automatic payments also decreases your interest rate by 0.25% and helps you avoid late fees.
- Access your online account. After logging in, click “My Account” in the upper right corner of the screen and select “Payment Methods.” Add your bank account information and click “Save.” Once this information is added, use this information to set up automatic payments for any of your loans by using the “Manage Recurring Payment” option in the Useful Links section of your loan. Select “Create Recurring Payment.” Here you can manage the frequency, date and amount of all your loan payments.
- Complete and return the Authorization for Automatic Payments Form (PDF) to BND.
Click here to see an example of your routing number and account number (PDF). This information may also be available through your online bank account, if applicable, or by contacting your bank for assistance.
Your request must be received by BND at least five business days prior to your payment due date.
Your payment will be applied to your student loan on the date you selected for the recurring payment or the following business day if the selected date falls on a weekend or holiday.
Yes, you have the ability to customize your repayment schedule to fit what works best for you. You can do this when you set up a Recurring Payment on your account.
You may access your account online and update the bank information saved under your Payment Methods. You may also complete a new Authorization for Automatic Payments Form (PDF) or contact BND at (833) 397-0311.
Yes, you can pay an additional amount. However, the payment will always apply to the current billing cycle. If your recurring payment is set to draw the minimum amount due, the system will recognize the extra payment was made to satisfy all or part of the current billing cycle and will adjust the amount drawn accordingly.
You may cancel your automatic payment by logging in to your online account and clicking “Manage Recurring Payments” and deleting the automatic payment. You may also contact BND. In either case, please complete the request at least five days prior to the due date.
BND student loans start accruing interest as soon as the loan funds are disbursed to the school. You may make payments at any time toward your balance. At the end of your in-school deferment and grace period, any unpaid interest is capitalized (added to your principal balance). The more interest that is capitalized, the higher your loan payment may be when you finish school. If you can afford it, make a smart move by making payments while you are in college.
As long as your account is not past due, you may change your payment due date from the 1st through the 28th of the month by contacting BND. If your loans are past due, contact us for assistance.
No, we do not accept debit or credit cards. We can debit your account using your bank routing number and your checking or savings account number.
If you are paying extra, in addition to the required monthly payments, the payment will always apply to the current billing cycle. It will cover any outstanding interest first, then the remaining is applied to the principal of the loan. We do not have an option for principal-only payments.
Bank of North Dakota
Student Loans
PO Box 5536
Bismarck, ND 58506-5536
DEAL Student Loans have a six-month grace period. During a grace period, payments are not required on the loan; however, interest continues to accrue.
Grace periods are meant to help students while they transition from college into their career and toward successfully repaying their student loans. Typically, students will have a six-month grace period right before they enter repayment. A loan enters a grace period after one of the following occurs:
- The student graduates.
- The student falls below half-time enrollment when they were previously enrolled half-time or more.
- The student withdraws from school.
If a student begins half-time enrollment status or more while they are still within their grace period and have not exhausted the full six months, the grace period will not be considered used. If the full six-month grace period passes before the student returns to half-time enrollment status or more, they will not receive another grace period.
To be eligible for in-school deferment, you must be attending a Title IV eligible school and have half-time enrollment status or more. If you meet this criteria, it may be that BND has not received an enrollment status update from your school.
There may be several weeks between the date you begin classes and the date we receive the update. Once we receive the update, your loan will go into deferment effective the day you started classes and you will be notified. If we do not automatically receive the update from your school, you may complete and return the In-School Deferment Form (PDF) to our office.
Repayment status means payments are required, typically each month. A loan enters repayment immediately after one of the following:
- The student’s six-month grace period ends.
- The student ceases to be enrolled at least half time and has previously used the six-month grace period.
- The student refinances student loans with BND.
If you are a North Dakota resident and you or a creditworthy cosigner meet specific credit criteria, the DEAL One Loan allows you to refinance all of your student loans, including federal student loans, and combine them into one loan.
Yes. If, for some reason, your statement doesn’t arrive as planned or you have signed up for electronic correspondence, you are still responsible for making your payment by the due date and failing to make your monthly payment(s) may result in late fees. If you would like a copy of your statement, please contact us or access your online account to obtain a copy.
BND proudly supports our servicemembers and offers the following military benefits.
- Deferment – As a servicemember, you have the opportunity to postpone payments on your student loans while you are deployed.
- Interest rate limits – The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) ensures the interest rate on your student loan does not exceed 6%.
- Late fee limits – BND does not assess late fees on your student loans during your period of military service.
Contact a tax professional or the IRS at (800) 829-1040 or IRS.gov. We cannot advise you on tax matters.
BND is only required to report to the IRS the amount of interest that was paid in the name of the primary borrower. The 1098-E tax form is automatically sent to the primary borrower each year.
If your loan(s) become 15 days delinquent, you will be assessed a late fee not to exceed 6% of the unpaid portion of the installment or a maximum of $5.00 on DEAL Loans and $15.00 on DEAL One, Career Education & Alternative Learning, and Addiction Counselor Internship Loans.
Cosigners also have the ability to set up a back-up automatic payment should a situation arise where the borrower’s payment has an issue to ensure monthly payments are still being made.
At the time you received a phone call or letter, our records indicated your account was past due. Please contact us to verify the current status of your account. If your loan(s) becomes 30 days past due, this will be reported as late to consumer reporting agencies.
Default occurs if your loan payment is 270 days late. It is never a good idea to default on a student loan. Your credit may be harmed. You may have difficulty renting an apartment or purchasing a car. Some employers check your credit before hiring. You can be sued in civil court for non-payment. Depending on the type of loan, up to 25% of your wages can be garnished and federal or state tax refunds may be intercepted for payment. There are a number of options available to prevent default. Contact us to determine which payment option would work best for you.
In the event you default on your BND student loan, you will be contacted by Student Loans of North Dakota (SLND). SLND is the loan guarantor and serves borrowers in BND’s loan guarantee portfolio. Its role is to assist borrowers who have defaulted on their BND student loans and are unable to make payments.
Have questions about a cosigned student loan? Click here for information for cosigners.
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studentloans@nd.gov
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