FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * HEIMES TERRY J   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol NELNET INC [NNI] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chief Financial Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) 121 SOUTH 13TH STREET, SUITE 201 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/09/2012 (Street) LINCOLN, NE 68508 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Class A Common Stock 03/09/2012   A   9,695 (1) A $ 0 161,656 (2) D   Class A Common Stock 03/09/2012   F   5,323 (3) D $ 26.69 (4) 156,333 (2) D   Class A Common Stock               3,285 (5) I By 401(k) plan Class A Common Stock               50,083 I By spouse

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
HEIMES TERRY J 121 SOUTH 13TH STREET SUITE 201 LINCOLN, NE 68508			Chief Financial Officer

Signatures

/s/ Angie R. Miller, Attorney-in-Fact for Terry J. Heimes		03/13/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Issued pursuant to the issuer's Restricted Stock Plan, as personal production incentive compensation paid in stock, which the reporting person became entitled to receive on March 9, 2012.
(2)	Includes 4,889 shares issued pursuant to the issuer's Employee Share Purchase Plan.
(3)	Shares that were tax-withheld by the issuer to satisfy the reporting person's tax obligation resulting from the March 9, 2012 award by the issuer of 9,695 shares of bonus compensation stock.
(4)	Per share value assigned by the issuer to the tax withholding shares under the tax withholding arrangement, and based on the average of the high and low market sales prices of the shares on February 29, 2012.
(5)	The reporting person has acquired a total of 88 shares under the issuer's 401(k) plan since February 14, 2012.

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