Student Loans · 2025/26
Student Loan Repayment Calculator by Plan and Salary
The UK has five active student loan plans — Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5 and the Postgraduate Loan. Each has its own annual repayment threshold and rate. Repayments are collected via PAYE, deducted from gross pay above the threshold at 9% (or 6% for postgraduate). Pick your plan below to see pre-computed repayments at common salaries.
Plan 1 (pre-2012)
Threshold £26,065 · Rate 9%English/Welsh students who started before 1 Sept 2012, and Northern Ireland students who started before 2024.
Plan 2 (2012–2023, England/Wales)
Threshold £28,470 · Rate 9%English/Welsh students who started between 1 Sept 2012 and 31 July 2023.
Plan 4 (Scotland)
Threshold £32,745 · Rate 9%Scottish students under SAAS funding since 2007 (also pre-2007 plans migrated here).
Plan 5 (England, post-2023)
Threshold £25,000 · Rate 9%English students who started a course on or after 1 August 2023.
Why are there so many plans?
UK student loans have evolved through repeated policy reforms. Each cohort of students gets assigned to a plan based on country of study and the year their course started. Once assigned, you stay on that plan for the life of the loan — you cannot move between plans. Postgraduate loans run on a parallel track so a Master’s borrower with a prior undergraduate loan repays both at the same time.
Thresholds are normally uprated each April. Repayments are calculated each pay period (not just annually), so weekly and monthly thresholds matter for PAYE. Anything earned below the threshold attracts no repayment; anything above is taxed at the plan rate.
Plans at a glance (2025/26)
| Plan | Annual threshold | Rate above |
|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,065 | 9% |
| Plan 2 | £28,470 | 9% |
| Plan 4 | £32,745 | 9% |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | 9% |
| Postgraduate | £21,000 | 6% |