Which student loan plan am I on?
The plan depends on where a course was studied and when it started: English or Welsh undergraduate courses from August 2023 are Plan 5 (£25,000 threshold, 9 per cent), from September 2012 are Plan 2 (£29,385), and Postgraduate Loans are charged at 6 per cent above £21,000, under gov.uk's rules on repayment plans.
How is my student loan plan decided?
Two things set the plan: the funding body that lent the money, and when the course started. Scottish loans are always Plan 4 and Northern Irish loans are always Plan 1, whatever year the course started, under gov.uk's page on which repayment plan you are on. For England and Wales the start date matters, because the rules changed in September 2012 and again, for England, in August 2023 when Plan 5 arrived.
Postgraduate borrowing sits outside that structure. An English or Welsh Master's or Doctoral Loan is a Postgraduate Loan, charged at 6 per cent above £21,000, and it runs alongside any undergraduate plan already held. Scotland and Northern Ireland fold postgraduate borrowing into their single plan instead.
| Plan | Annual threshold | Repayment rate | Written off after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | 9% | 25 years |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | 9% | 30 years |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £33,795 | 9% | 30 years |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | 9% | 40 years |
| Postgraduate Loan | £21,000 | 6% | 30 years |
Can I be on the wrong plan?
This does happen. When someone changes job, a new employer sometimes applies a default plan rather than the correct one, and a higher-threshold plan applied as a lower one takes too much. If more has come off than the correct plan allows, the Student Loans Company refunds it. Checking the plan shown here against the one in an online repayment account is the first step, and gov.uk's page on getting a student loan refund sets out the route to use rather than a paid claims service.
Common questions
How do I know which student loan plan I am on?
It depends on where you studied, whether the loan was undergraduate or postgraduate, and the year the course started. English undergraduate courses from August 2023 are Plan 5, from September 2012 are Plan 2, and before that are Plan 1. Scotland is Plan 4 and Northern Ireland is Plan 1 regardless of start date.
Can I be on the wrong plan?
Yes, and it is more common than people expect. A payroll error, or a new employer defaulting you to the wrong plan, can mean too much is deducted. If you have overpaid, the Student Loans Company refunds the difference, so it is worth checking against your online account.
Can I be on more than one plan?
Yes. If you took an undergraduate loan and later a Postgraduate Loan, you repay both at the same time, each with its own threshold and rate. That is two deductions, not one combined plan.
What is the difference between Plan 2 and Plan 5?
Both are English undergraduate plans, but Plan 5 (courses from August 2023) has a lower repayment threshold and a longer 40-year write-off, against 30 years for Plan 2. So Plan 5 borrowers often start repaying sooner and for longer.
How do I get a student loan refund?
Contact the Student Loans Company. If you repaid before you needed to, were on the wrong plan, or paid past the point the loan was cleared or written off, they refund the overpayment. You do not need a claims company.
How is my student loan plan decided?
Two things decide the plan: the nation that funded the course, and when it started. Scotland is always Plan 4 and Northern Ireland is always Plan 1, whatever year the course began. In England and Wales the start date decides it, because the rules changed in September 2012 and, for England, again in August 2023 when Plan 5, with its £25,000 threshold, began.
Sources & Rate Verification
Rates verified against official statutory guidance on 6 September 2026.