Repaying Your Student Loan: When It Starts, How You Pay and How Much
UK student loan repayments in 2026/27, step by step, checked against GOV.UK.
You start repaying your student loan the April after you leave your course, but only when your income is over your plan's threshold. If you are employed, your employer takes 9% of your pay above the threshold (6% for a Postgraduate Loan) through PAYE, with your tax. If you are self-employed, HMRC collects it through Self Assessment. If you live abroad, you pay the Student Loans Company directly. Repayments stop when your income falls below the threshold, and for most borrowers any balance left is written off after 25 to 40 years, depending on your plan.
Written by Student Loan Calculator UK Editorial Team, reviewed by Student Loan Calculator UK Editorial Team ·
Key Takeaways
- What you owe does not change what you repay each month. Only your income does.
- You cannot choose your plan, but you should check your employer is using the right one.
- Extra repayments carry no penalty, but they are never refunded.
- If you repaid in a year when your total income was under the yearly threshold, you can claim it back once the tax year ends.
Looking for when student finance pays you? This page is about paying the loan back. For maintenance loan instalments while you study, see student finance payment dates.
In this article
Student loan repayments at a glance, by plan (2026/27)
Your plan sets your threshold, your repayment rate and when the loan is written off. You cannot choose it: it depends on where you lived and when your course started. If you have more than one loan, you can be on more than one plan.[source]
| Plan | Who is on it | Yearly threshold | Monthly | Weekly | You repay | Written off after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | England or Wales, course started before 1 September 2012; all Northern Ireland students | £26,900 | £2,241 | £517 | 9% above threshold | 25 yearsAt 65 instead if your first loan was paid before 1 September 2006 |
| Plan 2 | England, started 1 September 2012 to 31 July 2023; Wales, started on or after 1 September 2012 | £29,385 | £2,448 | £565 | 9% above threshold | 30 years |
| Plan 4 | Scotland (Student Awards Agency Scotland) | £33,795 | £2,816 | £649 | 9% above threshold | 30 yearsAt 65 or after 30 years, whichever is first, if your first loan was paid before 1 August 2007 |
| Plan 5 | England, undergraduate course started on or after 1 August 2023 | £25,000 | £2,083 | £480 | 9% above threshold | 40 years |
| Postgraduate Loan | Master's or Doctoral Loan from Student Finance England or Wales | £21,000 | £1,750 | £403 | 6% above threshold | 30 years |
Thresholds from GOV.UK for the 2026/27 tax year.[source] Write-off periods count from the April you were first due to repay.[source] Thresholds change on 6 April each year. The Plan 2 threshold stays at £29,385 until April 2030 (see the Plan 2 threshold freeze), and Plan 5 stays at £25,000 until April 2027. Not sure which plan you are on? Read what student loan plan am I on.
When do you start repaying your student loan?
The earliest you start is the April after you leave your course. Even then, you only repay when your income is over the threshold for your plan. Income here means what you earn before tax and other deductions, including bonuses and overtime.[source]
- You still have to repay if you leave your course early.[source]
- If you study more than one course at the same time, each can have its own start date.[source]
- If you study part-time, you start in the April 4 years after your course began, as long as the course is longer than 4 years and started before 1 January 2027.[source]
- Grants and bursaries do not have to be paid back. Only loans do.[source]
Work out your exact first April with the repayment start date calculator.
How you pay: PAYE, Self Assessment or direct to SLC
Who collects your repayments depends on how you earn and where you live.[source]
| Your situation | Who collects it | Worked out from |
|---|---|---|
| Employee | Your employer, through PAYE | Your pay in each pay period |
| Self-employed, or you file a Self Assessment return | HMRC, with your tax bill | Your income for the whole tax year |
| Living abroad for more than 3 months | The Student Loans Company, directly | The threshold for the country you live in |
If you are employed
Your employer takes repayments from your pay at the same time as tax and National Insurance. Your payslip shows each deduction and your P60 shows the total for the tax year. Keep both, because you need them to claim a refund.[source] Our guide to student loan repayments on your P60 and P45 shows where to look.
Check your employer has you on the right plan. Sign in to your online account and download your "active plan type letter". If it does not match your payslip, show the letter to your employer so they can fix it. If the wrong plan made you pay too much, you can get a refund.[source] See what to do if your employer is deducting the wrong plan.
If you are self-employed or file a Self Assessment return
HMRC works out your repayment from your Self Assessment tax return and you pay it at the same time as your tax. It is based on your income for the whole year. If you are also employed, HMRC uses your combined income and takes off anything your employer has already deducted. Pension income, including the State Pension, counts towards the total too.[source][source] Read PAYE vs Self Assessment student loan repayments for how the two routes fit together.
If you move abroad
If you leave the UK for more than 3 months, you must update your employment details with the Student Loans Company (SLC). SLC then sets your repayments using the threshold for the country you live in. You pay SLC directly, through your online account by card or Direct Debit, or by international bank transfer. You keep repaying unless you prove your overseas income is below the threshold, for example with a recent bank statement.[source]
If you do not update your details, arrears can build up that you must repay on top of your regular repayments. Update them again when you come back, or you may keep repaying at the overseas rate and be charged a higher interest rate.[source] Our guide to moving abroad with a UK student loan covers overseas thresholds country by country.
How much do you repay?
You repay 9% of your income above the threshold on Plans 1, 2, 4 and 5, and 6% above the threshold on a Postgraduate Loan. The amount you owe, including interest, has no effect on how much you repay each year.[source]
Monthly repayments at three salaries (2026/27)
| Plan | £30,000 a year | £40,000 a year | £50,000 a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £23 a month | £98 a month | £173 a month |
| Plan 2 | £4 a month | £79 a month | £154 a month |
| Plan 4 | £0 a month | £46 a month | £121 a month |
| Plan 5 | £37 a month | £112 a month | £187 a month |
| Postgraduate Loan | £45 a month | £95 a month | £145 a month |
Worked the GOV.UK way: monthly pay minus the monthly threshold, times the rate, rounded down to the pound. Assumes the same pay every month and no other income. For your own salary and plan, use our student loan calculator, and see every threshold in the student loan repayment thresholds guide.
If your pay changes during the year
Through PAYE, each pay period is checked on its own. If a bonus or overtime takes one month over the monthly threshold, you repay that month. If your income for the whole tax year ends up below the yearly threshold, you can ask for that money back after the year ends.[source] See why you paid student loan while under the threshold.
If you have more than one plan
- Two undergraduate plans, such as Plan 1 and Plan 2: you repay 9% above the lowest of your thresholds, taken as one deduction, which is then split between the loans.[source]
- A Postgraduate Loan as well: you repay 6% above the Postgraduate threshold on top of 9% above your undergraduate threshold.[source]
The combined repayment calculator handles both cases.
If you have more than one job
Through PAYE, you only repay from a job that pays you over the threshold on its own. Your pay from separate jobs is not added together. Self Assessment is different: it uses your combined income for the year.[source] More in student loans with more than one job.
Interest is added to your balance even in months when you repay nothing, and the rate depends on your plan.[source] Current rates are in student loan interest rates.
Making extra (voluntary) repayments
You can pay extra on top of your required repayments at any time, and there is no penalty for paying some or all of the loan off early. You cannot get extra repayments back. GOV.UK warns that you might not benefit from them, because any balance left is written off at the end of your loan term. Check when your loan will be written off first, and speak to a financial adviser if you are unsure.[source]
You can choose how an extra repayment is used, for example to cut your total balance or the balance on one plan. If you do not choose, SLC decides for you.[source] Before you pay, check your student loan balance and read should I overpay my student loan.
How to make an extra repayment
- Online account: pay by debit card or set up a Direct Debit. From overseas, you can use an international debit card.
- Bank transfer or standing order: pay the Student Loans Company using the bank details on GOV.UK, with your customer reference number (CRN) as the reference. From overseas, use international bank transfer (IBAN).
- Cheque: payable to Student Loans Company Ltd, with your CRN written on the back. Cheques take longer, but they are backdated so you do not build up extra interest.
- For someone else: you can make a card payment towards another person's loan without signing in, using their surname and CRN.
A payment without your reference number will not be applied to your loan.[source]
Paying off the whole loan
Contact SLC to get your settlement amount (the total you owe) and settlement date (when you must pay by). Have your CRN and, if you are employed, your latest payslip ready. You can then pay by debit card over the phone, bank transfer or cheque. If you miss the settlement date, contact SLC again, because the amount may have changed.[source]
When do student loan repayments stop?
- For now: repayments stop automatically if you stop working or your income falls below the threshold. They start again if your income goes back over it.[source]
- For good: when you have repaid the loan in full, or when it is written off or cancelled (see below).
When you clear the loan, HMRC tells your employer to stop deductions, but this can take around 4 weeks, so you may pay more than you owe. To avoid that, you can switch your final repayments to Direct Debit. SLC contacts you in the final year of repayments to explain how. If you do overpay, SLC tries to contact you or refunds you automatically; the payment shows in your bank as "SLC Receipts".[source][source] See getting money back after your loan is paid off.
Keep your contact details up to date in your online account so SLC can reach you. The account also shows your balance, what you have repaid and the interest added so far.[source]
When is your student loan written off?
Any balance left at the end of your plan's term is written off. You do not have to do anything. The clock starts from the April you were first due to repay.[source]
- Plan 1: after 25 years. At 65 instead if your first loan was paid before 1 September 2006.
- Plan 2: after 30 years.
- Plan 4: after 30 years. At 65 or after 30 years, whichever is first, if your first loan was paid before 1 August 2007.
- Plan 5: after 40 years.
- Postgraduate Loan: after 30 years.
SLC also cancels a loan if the borrower dies, once it gets evidence such as the death certificate and the customer reference number. It may cancel your loan if you can no longer work because of illness or disability and you claim certain disability benefits. Full-time students from Wales may be able to get £1,500 of their Maintenance Loan written off.[source]
Find your own date with the student loan write-off checker.
Getting a student loan refund
You can ask for a refund if:[source]
- you have paid more than the total you owe
- your income for the whole tax year was below the yearly threshold for your plan
- repayments were taken before you were due to start
- your employer had you on the wrong plan and you repaid too much
The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April. A below-threshold refund is only paid after the tax year has ended and SLC has confirmed your income with HMRC. If you repay a mix of Plan 1, Plan 2 and Plan 4 loans, your income must have been below the lowest of those thresholds.[source]
How to ask: for a below-threshold refund, sign in to your student loan repayment account and request it there. For any other reason, contact the Student Loans Company with your CRN. Extra repayments you chose to make are never refunded.[source] Our student loan refund guide walks through the claim.
Frequently asked questions
When do you start repaying your student loan?
The earliest is the April after you leave or finish your course, and only once your income is over your plan's threshold. If you study part-time on a course longer than 4 years that started before 1 January 2027, you start in the April 4 years after the course began. You still have to repay if you leave your course early.
How do you pay back a student loan in the UK?
If you are employed, your employer takes repayments from your pay through PAYE, at the same time as tax and National Insurance. If you are self-employed or file a Self Assessment tax return, HMRC works out what you owe from your return and you pay it with your tax. If you leave the UK for more than 3 months, you tell the Student Loans Company and pay it directly, online or by international bank transfer.
How much student loan do I pay per month on £30,000?
On a steady £30,000 salary in 2026/27, the monthly repayment is about: Plan 1 £23, Plan 2 £4, Plan 4 £0, Plan 5 £37, Postgraduate Loan £45. Each figure is 9% of monthly pay above the monthly threshold, or 6% for a Postgraduate Loan, which is paid on top of any undergraduate plan.
Can I make extra payments or pay off my student loan early?
Yes. There is no penalty for paying extra or clearing the loan early. You can pay through your online repayment account by debit card or Direct Debit, by bank transfer or by cheque, quoting your customer reference number. To clear it in full, ask the Student Loans Company for a settlement amount and date. Extra repayments cannot be refunded, and they may not save you money if your loan would be written off anyway.
When do student loan repayments stop?
Repayments stop automatically if you stop working or your income falls below the threshold. They stop for good when the loan is repaid, written off or cancelled. When you clear the loan, HMRC tells your employer to stop, which can take around 4 weeks, so switching to Direct Debit in your final year helps you avoid paying too much.
Do student loans get wiped after 25 years?
Only Plan 1 loans first paid on or after 1 September 2006, which are written off 25 years after the April you were first due to repay. Plan 2, Plan 4 and Postgraduate Loans are written off after 30 years, and Plan 5 loans after 40 years. Plan 1 loans first paid before 1 September 2006 are written off at 65, and Plan 4 loans first paid before 1 August 2007 at 65 or after 30 years, whichever comes first.
Can I get a refund on my student loan repayments?
Yes, if you paid more than you owed, your income for the whole tax year was below your plan's yearly threshold, deductions started before you were due to repay, or your employer had you on the wrong plan. For a below-threshold refund, sign in to your repayment account after the tax year ends. For anything else, contact the Student Loans Company with your customer reference number. Extra voluntary repayments are never refunded.
Is it worth paying off a student loan early?
It depends on whether you would clear the loan before it is written off. GOV.UK warns that you might not benefit from extra repayments, because the balance is written off at the end of the loan term, and suggests speaking to a financial adviser if you are unsure. Check your write-off date and your likely repayments before you pay extra.
Sources checked
Each GOV.UK page below was read in full on 26 September 2026. Thresholds, rates and write-off periods on this page come from this site's 2026/27 data, which matched GOV.UK on that date.
- GOV.UK, Repaying your student loan: overview
- GOV.UK, Repaying your student loan: which repayment plan you're on
- GOV.UK, Repaying your student loan: when you start repaying
- GOV.UK, Repaying your student loan: how much you repay
- GOV.UK, Repaying your student loan: how to repay
- GOV.UK, Repaying your student loan: make extra repayments
- GOV.UK, Repaying your student loan: getting a refund
- GOV.UK, Repaying your student loan: when your student loan gets written off or cancelled
- GOV.UK, Repaying your student loan: update your employment details
- GOV.UK, Manage your student loan balance
Student Loan Calculator UK is independent and is not part of the government or the Student Loans Company. For your own account, balance and plan, sign in on GOV.UK.
Student Loan Calculator UK Editorial Team
Editorial Team
This page is maintained by the Student Loan Calculator UK editorial team, checked against GOV.UK and Student Loans Company guidance. Read more about our editorial approach.