Repaying your student loan
When you start repaying
You鈥檒l only repay your student loan when your income is over the threshold amount for your repayment plan, unless you鈥檝e been overpaid.
Your income is the amount you earn (including things like bonuses and overtime) before tax and other deductions.
The threshold amounts change on 6 April every year.
The earliest you鈥檒l start repaying is:
- the April after you leave your course
- the April 4 years after the course started if you鈥檙e studying part-time and your course is longer than 4 years
- April 2026 if you鈥檙e on Plan 5
Your repayments automatically stop if either:
- you stop working
- your income goes below the threshold
You鈥檒l make a repayment if your income goes over the weekly or monthly threshold for your plan (for example, if you鈥檙e paid a bonus or overtime). You can ask for a refund at the end of the tax year if your annual income was less than the yearly threshold for your plan.
If you have a Plan 1 student loan
You鈥檒l only repay when your income is over 拢480 a week, 拢2,082 a month or 拢24,990 a year.
If you have a Plan 2 student loan
You鈥檒l only repay when your income is over 拢524 a week, 拢2,274 a month or 拢27,295 a year.
If you have a Plan 4 student loan
You鈥檒l only repay when your income is over 拢603 a week, 拢2,616 a month or 拢31,395 a year.
If you have a Plan 5 student loan
You鈥檒l only repay when your income is over 拢480 a week, 拢2,083 a month or 拢25,000 a year.
If you鈥檙e on a Postgraduate Loan repayment plan
If you took out a Master鈥檚 Loan or a Doctoral Loan, you鈥檒l only repay when your income is over 拢403 a week, 拢1,750 a month or 拢21,000 a year.
Early repayments
There鈥檚 no penalty for paying some or all of your loan off early.
Repaying an overpayment
The Student Loans Company (SLC) will write to you if you鈥檙e paid more student loan or grant than you鈥檙e entitled to.
You must repay this separately from the rest of your student loan.
Read more about repaying an overpayment.