First Marblehead (FMD) 10-K 2013 FY Annual report

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors and Stockholders

The First Marblehead Corporation:

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on Form S-8 (No. 333-177935, 333-153245, 333-129674, 333-110523 and 333-163141) of The First Marblehead Corporation of our reports dated September 13, 2013, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of The First Marblehead Corporation and subsidiaries as of June 30, 2013 and 2012, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive (loss) income, changes in stockholders’ equity (deficit) and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended June 30, 2013, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2013, which reports appear in the June 30, 2013 annual report on Form 10-K of The First Marblehead Corporation.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

September 13, 2013