How Much Will I Repay on My Student Loan?

Plan 2 total repayment simulator — 30-year projection including interest, write-off, and verdict.

Based on 2025-26 threshold (£27,295) · RPI 4% interest · 2.5% annual wage growth

The student loan paradox

Most Plan 2 graduates will never repay their loan in full. Because repayments are only 9% of income above £27,295, lower earners with large debts will have the remainder written off after 30 years — meaning the total they repay may be far less than the original amount borrowed. Higher earners with moderate debts may clear their loan in 10–15 years and pay significantly more in interest.

Select your starting salary and debt amount

£20,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £44,631 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £29,311 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £10,143 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 Paid off in 29 yrs Total repaid: £41,258 Starting salary: £35,000 Paid off in 21 yrs Total repaid: £32,323 Starting salary: £40,000 Paid off in 16 yrs Total repaid: £28,301 Starting salary: £45,000 Paid off in 12 yrs Total repaid: £26,166 Starting salary: £50,000 Paid off in 10 yrs Total repaid: £24,901

£25,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £60,849 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £45,534 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £26,362 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £12,612 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 Paid off in 25 yrs Total repaid: £44,638 Starting salary: £40,000 Paid off in 19 yrs Total repaid: £38,213 Starting salary: £45,000 Paid off in 15 yrs Total repaid: £34,774 Starting salary: £50,000 Paid off in 13 yrs Total repaid: £32,700

£30,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £77,063 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £61,750 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £42,576 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £28,825 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 Paid off in 29 yrs Total repaid: £59,110 Starting salary: £40,000 Paid off in 22 yrs Total repaid: £49,490 Starting salary: £45,000 Paid off in 18 yrs Total repaid: £44,357 Starting salary: £50,000 Paid off in 15 yrs Total repaid: £41,270

£35,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £93,276 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £77,965 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £58,791 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £45,047 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 £10,680 written off Total repaid: £64,595 Starting salary: £40,000 Paid off in 26 yrs Total repaid: £62,341 Starting salary: £45,000 Paid off in 21 yrs Total repaid: £55,015 Starting salary: £50,000 Paid off in 17 yrs Total repaid: £50,636

£40,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £109,501 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £94,189 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £75,012 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £61,260 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 £26,894 written off Total repaid: £64,595 Starting salary: £40,000 Paid off in 29 yrs Total repaid: £76,969 Starting salary: £45,000 Paid off in 23 yrs Total repaid: £66,877 Starting salary: £50,000 Paid off in 19 yrs Total repaid: £60,873

£45,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £125,710 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £110,401 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £91,230 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £77,478 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 £43,107 written off Total repaid: £64,595 Starting salary: £40,000 £8,728 written off Total repaid: £84,354 Starting salary: £45,000 Paid off in 26 yrs Total repaid: £80,109 Starting salary: £50,000 Paid off in 22 yrs Total repaid: £72,115

£50,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £141,932 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £126,613 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £107,445 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £93,692 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 £59,322 written off Total repaid: £64,595 Starting salary: £40,000 £24,944 written off Total repaid: £84,354 Starting salary: £45,000 Paid off in 29 yrs Total repaid: £94,823 Starting salary: £50,000 Paid off in 24 yrs Total repaid: £84,414

£55,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £158,151 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £142,836 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £123,662 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £109,909 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 £75,537 written off Total repaid: £64,595 Starting salary: £40,000 £41,170 written off Total repaid: £84,354 Starting salary: £45,000 £6,786 written off Total repaid: £104,109 Starting salary: £50,000 Paid off in 26 yrs Total repaid: £97,868

£60,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £174,366 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £159,048 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £139,880 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £126,129 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 £91,756 written off Total repaid: £64,595 Starting salary: £40,000 £57,380 written off Total repaid: £84,354 Starting salary: £45,000 £23,009 written off Total repaid: £104,109 Starting salary: £50,000 Paid off in 29 yrs Total repaid: £112,670

£65,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £190,582 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £175,265 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £156,097 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £142,346 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 £107,972 written off Total repaid: £64,595 Starting salary: £40,000 £73,597 written off Total repaid: £84,354 Starting salary: £45,000 £39,222 written off Total repaid: £104,109 Starting salary: £50,000 £4,845 written off Total repaid: £123,867

£70,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £206,798 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £191,483 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £172,313 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £158,562 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 £124,193 written off Total repaid: £64,595 Starting salary: £40,000 £89,819 written off Total repaid: £84,354 Starting salary: £45,000 £55,440 written off Total repaid: £104,109 Starting salary: £50,000 £21,063 written off Total repaid: £123,867

£80,000 student debt

Starting salary: £22,000 £239,235 written off Total repaid: £15,629 Starting salary: £25,000 £223,914 written off Total repaid: £25,569 Starting salary: £28,000 £204,747 written off Total repaid: £36,937 Starting salary: £30,000 £190,996 written off Total repaid: £44,842 Starting salary: £35,000 £156,623 written off Total repaid: £64,595 Starting salary: £40,000 £122,250 written off Total repaid: £84,354 Starting salary: £45,000 £87,873 written off Total repaid: £104,109 Starting salary: £50,000 £53,497 written off Total repaid: £123,867

Total repaid over 30 years — at a glance

Green = paid off before write-off. Purple = amount written off after 30 years.

Debt ↓ / Salary → £22,000£25,000£28,000£30,000£35,000£40,000£45,000£50,000
£20,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £41,258 £32,323 £28,301 £26,166 £24,901
£25,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £44,638 £38,213 £34,774 £32,700
£30,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £59,110 £49,490 £44,357 £41,270
£35,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £64,595 £62,341 £55,015 £50,636
£40,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £64,595 £76,969 £66,877 £60,873
£45,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £64,595 £84,354 £80,109 £72,115
£50,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £64,595 £84,354 £94,823 £84,414
£55,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £64,595 £84,354 £104,109 £97,868
£60,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £64,595 £84,354 £104,109 £112,670
£65,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £64,595 £84,354 £104,109 £123,867
£70,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £64,595 £84,354 £104,109 £123,867
£80,000 £15,629 £25,569 £36,937 £44,842 £64,595 £84,354 £104,109 £123,867

Frequently asked questions

Will my Plan 2 student loan be written off?

Plan 2 student loans (taken out between September 2012 and July 2023) are written off 30 years after the April you were first due to repay — typically 30 years after graduation. If your balance has not reached zero by then, the remainder is cancelled automatically with no tax consequences.

How much of my student loan will I actually repay?

It depends on your starting salary and the size of your debt. Lower earners (under £30,000 starting salary) with large debts (over £50,000) will typically repay far less than they borrowed before write-off. Higher earners (£40,000+) with moderate debts may pay off the loan in full and pay additional interest.

Does student loan affect my credit score?

No. UK student loans do not appear on your credit file and do not affect your credit score. They are collected through PAYE like a tax. Mortgage lenders may factor student loan repayments into affordability calculations as it reduces your monthly take-home, but the loan itself is not a credit product.

What interest rate applies to Plan 2 student loans?

Plan 2 loans accrue interest at RPI plus up to 3% depending on your income. While studying, interest is RPI + 3%. Once repaying: below £27,295 it is RPI only; between £27,295 and £49,130 it scales up to RPI + 3%; above £49,130 it is RPI + 3%. Our simulator uses RPI at 4%.

Should I make overpayments on my student loan?

Usually not — especially if your balance will be written off. If you overpay a loan that would have been cancelled anyway, you lose that money. Overpayments only make sense if you are projected to clear the loan before write-off. Check your scenario in the calculator above to decide.

Related:

Student Loan Monthly Repayments Graduate Salary Calculator Income Tax Guide National Insurance