Exhibit 5.1

[Letterhead of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP]

March 17, 2017

Navient Corporation

123 Justison Street, Suite 300

Wilmington, Delaware 19801

Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Navient Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the public offering of $93,044,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.875% Senior Notes due 2021 (the “Notes”) to be issued under the Indenture, dated as of July 18, 2014 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended by a second supplemental indenture, dated as of March 27, 2015 (the “Second Supplemental Indenture”), and a sixth supplemental indenture, dated as of March 17, 2017 (the “Sixth Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Base Indenture and the Second Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”).

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

In rendering the opinions stated herein, we have examined and relied upon the following:

(a) the registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-197516) of the Company relating to debt securities and other securities of the Company filed on July 18, 2014 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act allowing for delayed offerings pursuant to Rule 415 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act (the “Rules and Regulations”) including the information deemed to be a part of the registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Rules and Regulations (such registration statement being hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”);

(b) the prospectus, dated July 18, 2014 (the “Base Prospectus”), which forms a part of and is included in the Registration Statement;

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March 17, 2017

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(c) the prospectus supplement, dated March 14, 2017 (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”), relating to the offering of the Notes, in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;

(d) an executed copy of the Purchase Agreement, dated March 14, 2017 (the “Purchase Agreement”), between the purchaser of Notes named therein, on behalf of certain funds, and the Company, relating to the sale by the Company to such purchaser of the Notes;

(e) an executed copy of the Indenture;

(f) the global certificate evidencing the Notes registered in the name of Cede & Co. (the “Note Certificate”) in the form delivered by the Company to the Trustee for authentication and delivery;

(g) an executed copy of a certificate of Mark Heleen, Secretary of the Company, dated the date hereof (the “Secretary’s Certificate”);

(h) a copy of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as of March 13, 2017, and certified pursuant to the Secretary’s Certificate;

(i) a copy of the Company’s bylaws, as amended and in effect as of the date hereof and certified pursuant to the Secretary’s Certificate; and

(j) a copy of the Secretary’s Certificate, dated February 27, 2017, which verifies the 2017 Business Plan, duly adopted by the Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) of the Company on February 23, 2017.

We have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records of the Company and such agreements, certificates and receipts of public officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of the Company and others, and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions stated below.

In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, including endorsements, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. As to any facts relevant to the opinions stated herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others and of public officials, including those in the Secretary’s Certificate and the Purchase Agreement.

We do not express any opinion with respect to the laws of any jurisdiction other than (i) the laws^, of the State of New York and (ii) the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) (all of the foregoing being referred to as “Opined-on Law”).

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As used herein, “Transaction Agreements” means the Purchase Agreement, the Indenture and the Note Certificate.

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated herein, we are of the opinion that:

1. The Note Certificate has been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of the Company and duly executed by the Company under the DGCL, and when duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Purchase Agreement and the Indenture, the Note Certificate will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms under the laws of the State of New York.

The opinions stated herein are subject to the following qualifications:

(a) the opinions stated herein are limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer, preference and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law);

(b) we do not express any opinion with respect to any law, rule or regulation that is applicable to any party to any of the Transaction Agreements or the transactions contemplated thereby solely because such law, rule or regulation is part of a regulatory regime applicable to any such party or any of its affiliates as a result of the specific assets or business operations of such party or such affiliates;

(c) except to the extent expressly stated in the opinions contained herein, we have assumed that each of the Transaction Agreements constitutes the valid and binding obligation of each party to such Transaction Agreement, enforceable against such party in accordance with its terms;

(d) we do not express any opinion with respect to the enforceability of any provision contained in any Transaction Agreement relating to any indemnification, contribution, exculpation, release or waiver that may be contrary to public policy or violative of federal or state securities laws, rules or regulations;

(e) we call to your attention that irrespective of the agreement of the parties to any Transaction Agreement, a court may decline to hear a case on grounds of forum non conveniens or other doctrine limiting the availability of such court as a forum for resolution of disputes; in addition, we call to your attention that we do not express any opinion with respect to the subject matter jurisdiction of the federal courts of the United States of America in any action arising out of or relating to any Transaction Agreement; and

(f) to the extent that any opinion relates to the enforceability of the choice of New York law and choice of New York forum provisions contained in any Transaction Agreement,

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March 17, 2017

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the opinions stated herein are subject to the qualification that such enforceability may be subject to, in each case, (i) the exceptions and limitations in New York General Obligations Law sections 5-1401 and 5-1402 and (ii) principles of comity and constitutionality.

In addition, in rendering the foregoing opinions we have assumed that, at all applicable times:

(a) neither the execution and delivery by the Company of the Transaction Agreements nor the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder, including the issuance and sale of the Notes: (i) constituted or will constitute a violation of, or a default under, any lease, indenture, instrument or other agreement to which the Company or its property is subject (except that we do not make the assumption set forth in this clause (i) with respect to those agreements or instruments which are listed in Part II of the Registration Statement or the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016), (ii) contravened or will contravene any order or decree of any governmental authority to which the Company or its property is subject, or (iii) violated or will violate any law, rule or regulation to which the Company or its property is subject (except that we do not make the assumption set forth in this clause (iii) with respect to the Opined-on Law); and

(b) neither the execution and delivery by the Company of the Transaction Agreements nor the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder, including the issuance and sale of the Notes, required or will require the consent, approval, licensing or authorization of, or any filing, recording or registration with, any governmental authority under any law, rule or regulation of any jurisdiction.

We hereby consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations. We also hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K being filed on the date hereof and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement. This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof unless otherwise expressly stated, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable laws.