Your loan details
Enter your current balance, gross pay and forecast assumptions. Results update as you change a field.
Full breakdown
Forecast balance over time
Advanced analysis
| Scenario | Total paid | Written off | Outcome |
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How to estimate your student loan repayments
Use your current loan details and editable assumptions to estimate compulsory payments and explore long-term repayment scenarios.
Choose a pay frequency and enter your salary
Select annual, monthly or weekly, then enter gross salary before tax; the calculator annualises monthly or weekly input for the estimate.
Select your loan plan and assumptions
Choose Plan 1, 2, 4, 5 or Postgraduate, then review the threshold, interest assumption, salary growth and years until expected write-off.
Review repayments and scenarios
Read the monthly compulsory repayment, forecast balance, projected write-off and total paid; use the analysis tabs to compare salary growth and voluntary overpayments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will I repay in 2026/27?
For undergraduate Plans 1, 2, 4 and 5, the annual rate is 9% of earnings above the applicable threshold. For a Postgraduate Loan it is 6% above £21,000. Actual PAYE deductions use weekly or monthly pay-period rules, so an annualised estimate can differ slightly from payslips.
Why can my balance rise while I am making repayments?
Interest can be added faster than compulsory repayments reduce the balance. The updated forecast allows this negative amortisation: unpaid interest increases the projected balance rather than being treated as repaid.
Is Plan 5 for Welsh students?
Plan 5 applies to eligible borrowers funded by Student Finance England who started courses from August 2023. Eligible Welsh undergraduate borrowers generally use Plan 2. Confirm your actual plan through your Student Loans Company account.
Does the calculator know my exact write-off date?
No. Rules depend on plan, jurisdiction and when the loan became repayable. Enter the years remaining based on your own records or SLC information. The displayed defaults are starting assumptions only.
Should I overpay my UK student loan?
It depends on whether you are likely to clear the balance before write-off. Overpaying can reduce interest for likely full repayers, but may merely replace an amount that would have been written off. Compare scenarios and consider regulated financial advice before making a large payment.
Where can I estimate the effect on take-home pay?
Use the UK Salary Calculator for an integrated estimate of Income Tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan deductions. This standalone tool focuses on long-term balance and overpayment scenarios.
How does salary frequency affect the estimate?
Monthly and weekly salary inputs are annualised before the calculator estimates the annual repayment and divides it by twelve for the headline monthly figure.
Does my loan balance determine the compulsory repayment?
No. The compulsory percentage is based on earnings above the selected plan threshold; the balance is used for the longer-term forecast.
Are future thresholds included in the forecast?
The forecast holds the selected 2026/27 threshold constant, so future policy changes should be considered when interpreting the result.