Trellis Company

What Trellis Company does

Trellis Company is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1979 and headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, that operates as a student loan guarantor under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). Under a formal agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Trellis administers default claims: when lenders file default claims on FFELP loans, Trellis pays the lender and assumes collection responsibility on behalf of the federal government. The organization also administers loan rehabilitation for defaulted borrowers, default aversion assistance for educational institutions, and NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System) data reporting for lenders and servicers.

The company's product portfolio centers on the myTrellis℠ platform, a digital servicing environment available via a web portal and mobile applications on iOS and Android. This platform enables borrowers to access loan accounts, set up repayment schedules, make payments (including no-fee automatic bank drafts and third-party-fee debit/credit card payments), view loan summaries, update personal information, check payment history, and download forms. Supplemental products include Student Loan Essentials educational content, a Borrower FAQ, downloadable Borrower Forms, School Solutions resources (default aversion notifications, calculators, simulators), and Trellis Strategies - a wholly-owned sub-brand launched in 2023 that delivers research and technical assistance to institutions, policymakers, and organizations seeking data-driven student success solutions.

Trellis serves three primary customer segments: individual student loan borrowers (the largest), educational institutions requiring default management support, and lenders/servicers needing NSLDS compliance reporting. As a nonprofit entity, Trellis provides borrower-facing services at no direct cost to users; revenue is generated through federal default claim administration, rehabilitation program fees, and ancillary collection services. Distribution channels include self-service digital tools (web and mobile), phone-based contact centers, mail-based correspondence, and direct partnerships with schools and lender counterparties. Operating geographies are domestic (United States only), with offices in Round Rock, TX and a payment mailing address in San Antonio, TX.

Name

Trellis Company

Legal name

Trellis Company

Website

https://trelliscompany.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Trellis Company is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) student loan guarantor administering FFELP defaults on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. It serves individual borrowers via the myTrellis digital platform, supports educational institutions with default aversion services, and reports NSLDS data for lenders, supplemented by the Trellis Strategies research sub-brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Loan Guarantee & Administration

NAICS

Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223), Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222)

SIC

Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)

akta.pro primary industry

Third-Party Collection Agencies (Consumer) (FSAKAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Collections, Delinquency Management & Bad Debt Recovery (EDALAJAG)

Keywords

• Student loan guarantor
• FFELP loan administration
• Loan rehabilitation services
• Default aversion assistance
• NSLDS reporting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Round Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. FFELP Guarantor Services: Trellis Company operates as a guarantor for Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans, with an agreement with the US Department of Education to administer the program. When lenders file default claims, Trellis pays the lender and becomes responsible for collecting the loan on behalf of the federal government.
2. Loan Rehabilitation Services: Provides loan rehabilitation programs allowing defaulted borrowers to restore their loans to good standing through sequential payments, with associated fees for collection services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Trellis Company is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) student loan guarantor that administers the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) under agreement with the U.S. Department of Education. It pays default claims to lenders, collects on defaulted loans, and operates the myTrellis digital platform (web and mobile) for borrower account management and payments. It also delivers loan rehabilitation, default aversion assistance to schools, and NSLDS reporting services to lenders and servicers, and—through Trellis Strategies—provides research and technical assistance to higher education stakeholders.

Product overview

Trellis Company is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that serves as a student loan guarantor for the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), with over 45 years of experience. The company offers a unified platform combining borrower-facing tools (myTrellis web portal and mobile app for account management and payments) with institutional services (NSLDS reporting, school solutions, and lender manifest services). In 2023, the company expanded through Trellis Strategies, a sub-brand providing research and technical assistance. The product portfolio centers on empowering borrowers through post-secondary education guidance while supporting schools, servicers, and lenders with compliance and reporting tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Trellis Strategies: A dedicated brand providing high-quality research and technical assistance to institutions, policymakers, and organizations seeking data-driven solutions for student success.

Products and services

• myTrellisSM Online Account Management Portal Web-based platform for FFELP student loan borrowers to access accounts, set up repayment schedules, make payments, view loan summaries, update personal information, check payment history, and download forms. Available 24/7 to Trellis borrower portfolio customers.
• myTrellisSM Payment App Mobile application for iOS (Apple App Store) and Android (Google Play) allowing FFELP borrowers to make payments, manage account information, and view balances on their mobile devices.
• NSLDS Lender Manifest Reporting Services Monthly data submission service to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) for federal student loan lenders and servicers, supporting NSLDS reporting compliance on scheduled dates throughout 2026.
• School Solutions / Default Aversion Assistance Default aversion assistance and default management support for educational institutions, including notifications when FFELP borrowers are subject to default aversion requests, with options for blanket notifications across a school's current and former borrowers.
• Loan Rehabilitation Services Rehabilitation program enabling borrowers with defaulted federal student loans to restore their loans to good standing through sequential qualifying payments, with associated collection fees for services rendered.
• Trellis Strategies Dedicated Trellis sub-brand providing research and technical assistance engagements to higher education institutions, policymakers, and organizations, leveraging Trellis's NSLDS data assets for data-driven student success outcomes.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• US Department of EducationcoreOthers · 1 January 1965Trellis Company operates under a formal agreement with the US Department of Education to administer the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). As a guarantor, Trellis pays default claims from lenders and collects loans on behalf of the federal government. This is a regulatory/governance partnership fundamental to Trellis's operations as a student loan guarantor.
• Educational Institutions/SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrellis Company partners with schools to provide default aversion assistance notifications when FFELP borrowers are subject to default claims. Schools can request blanket notifications for all their current and former student borrowers. This partnership supports institutional default management programs and student success initiatives.
• Lenders and Loan ServicerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrellis Company works with student loan lenders and servicers to collect and report loan data through the NSLDS Lender Manifest process. Trellis provides reporting instructions and maintains monthly submission schedules. This partnership ensures accurate federal student loan data and regulatory compliance.
• Federal Student Aid (FSA)coreOthersIntegration with Federal Student Aid systems enables Trellis to direct borrowers to official resources including loan simulators, repayment plan calculators, and forgiveness/discharge programs. Trellis references FSA platforms for borrower guidance and redirection.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA): A fellow nonprofit FFELP guarantor and federal student loan servicer, directly comparable to Trellis in mandate, customer base (US student borrowers), and revenue model (guarantor fees plus servicing). One of the closest analogues in the guarantor space.
• Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC): Nonprofit organization that has historically operated as a FFELP guarantor and now provides student loan servicing, default aversion, and education-focused programs — closely aligned with Trellis's mission and service lines.
• Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA / FedLoan): State-affiliated student loan guarantor and former Direct Loan servicer with overlapping borrower services, default management, and NSLDS reporting responsibilities — directly comparable to Trellis's school and lender-facing services.
• Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC): Nonprofit state-based organization administering education loans, grants, and borrower services — overlapping with Trellis's mission of borrower guidance and loan rehabilitation in a nonprofit structure.
• Edfinancial Services: Student loan servicer managing federal loan portfolios, including default prevention and rehabilitation workflows — directly comparable in operating model and borrower base to Trellis.

Broad incumbents

• Nelnet: Large, publicly traded student loan servicer and FFELP successor with significant federal contract exposure. Comparable to Trellis in target market (student borrowers, schools, lenders) but far broader in scale and capital base.
• Maximus: Federal contractor operating student loan servicing contact centers and default-related programs for the Department of Education. Competes with Trellis for similar government contract mandates at greater scale.
• Navient / Aidvantage: One of the largest US student loan servicers (Direct Loans via the Aidvantage brand). Comparable customer base and federal servicing mandates to Trellis, though at materially greater scale and with a for-profit structure.

Emerging players

• SoFi: While primarily a private student loan originator and refi lender, SoFi competes with Trellis for borrower attention around repayment strategy and forgiveness programs, making it a partial functional competitor in borrower guidance.

Others

• Federal Student Aid (FSA): The US Department of Education office that funds and oversees Trellis's guarantor role. Not a competitor but the principal counterparty whose policy decisions shape Trellis's operating envelope and contract scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trelliscompany
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• Facebookfacebook.com/trelliscompany

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trellis Company