Confused about when student loan repayments start? You are not alone. Many UK students mix up two completely different calendars: the termly instalments Student Finance England (SFE) pays while you study, and the later repayments deducted from your wages after you finish.
This guide is about Student Finance England repayment — when SFE loan repayment becomes due, the April rule, Plan 5 repayments from April 2026, and the repayment threshold for tax year 2026/27. It is not about when your Maintenance Loan lands in your bank. For living-cost payment timing, see Student Finance payment dates and when your first Student Finance payment arrives.
Still deciding whether funded study is right for you? Start with a free check: check if you qualify for Student Finance England.
This article is general information for UK home students exploring Student Finance England. It is not tax, debt or financial advice, and it is not advice from Student Finance England, the Student Loans Company (SLC) or HMRC. Thresholds and plan rules can change — always confirm on GOV.UK: Repaying your student loan and your online repayment account before budgeting.
Important: AF Education helps UK home students with funding applications and funded-degree pathways. We do not give tax advice, calculate personal repayments for employers, or replace HMRC / SLC. Only official GOV.UK rules and your payslip / Self Assessment decide what you repay.
Repayment vs instalments — do not mix these up
Two different “payment” journeys cause most confusion around SFE loan repayment:
- While you study — SFE usually pays a Maintenance Loan in three termly instalments into your bank (and pays Tuition Fee Loans to your university). That is money coming in.
- After you finish or leave — you may start making student loan repayments through PAYE or Self Assessment once your income is over the threshold for your plan. That is money going out.
Searching “when do student loan repayments start” means the second journey. If you need living-cost amounts or how to apply, see how much Maintenance Loan you could get and how to apply for Student Finance step by step.
Tip: An April date on your repayment account is about when you become liable to repay if you earn enough — not when SFE drops your next Maintenance Loan. Living-cost instalments and repayments are separate systems.
When do student loan repayments start? The April rule
According to GOV.UK: When you start repaying, the earliest you will start repaying is the April after you leave or finish your course. You still only repay if your income is over the repayment threshold for your plan (unless you have been overpaid and must repay that separately).
Official guidance also notes that income is measured before tax (including bonuses and overtime); thresholds change on 6 April each tax year; concurrent courses can have separate start dates; and repayments stop if you stop working or drop below the threshold (and can restart if income rises). For a typical full-time undergraduate finishing in summer, Student Finance England repayment liability usually begins the following April — for example finish summer 2027, earliest window from April 2028 — and only if you earn above the threshold then in force.
Plan 5 repayments start April 2026 (at the earliest)
If you started an undergraduate course (or certain Advanced Learner Loan courses) on or after 1 August 2023, you are normally on repayment Plan 5. The official Student loans: a guide to terms and conditions 2026 to 2027 states you will not be expected to make repayments on a Plan 5 student loan until April 2026 at the earliest, even if you leave your course early.
So Plan 5 repayments start April 2026 only as the earliest window — not an automatic deduction for every Plan 5 borrower that day. You still need the April-after-you-leave rule and income above the Plan 5 threshold. Finish earlier and earn enough, and April 2026 can be relevant; keep studying past that date and you wait until the April after you leave.
Reassurance: Leaving early does not create a special “immediate full repayment” demand for Plan 5 under the published terms — GOV.UK still points to April 2026 as the earliest Plan 5 repayment expectation. Overpayments of grant or loan while studying are a separate recovery process.
Repayment threshold 2026/27 (tax year)
Figures below are the UK income thresholds published on GOV.UK: How much you repay and confirmed in the 2026 to 2027 terms guide for Plan 5. Label them as tax year 2026/27 (from 6 April 2026) — not as academic-year Maintenance Loan rates.
| Plan type | Yearly threshold | Monthly | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | £2,241 | £517 |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | £2,448 | £565 |
| Plan 4 | £33,795 | £2,816 | £649 |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | £2,083 | £480 |
| Postgraduate Loan | £21,000 | £1,750 | £403 |
For Plan 5, the terms guide explicitly labels the repayment threshold for the 2026-27 tax year as £25,000 a year (£2,083 a month / £480 a week). You repay 9% of income over that threshold on Plans 1, 2, 4 and 5, and 6% over the Postgraduate threshold.
Example (Plan 5, tax year 2026/27): on GOV.UK’s worked figures, about £28,000 a year equates to roughly £22 a month (9% of income over £25,000). Earn at or under the yearly threshold and you should not owe Plan 5 repayments for that year — though weekly/monthly spikes can still trigger deductions you may need to reclaim.
Caution: Do not DIY a personal tax or mortgage figure from this table. Thresholds can be updated; overseas thresholds can differ; multiple plan types stack in specific ways. Use GOV.UK and your employer / HMRC for live amounts. AF Education does not provide tax advice.
How SFE loan repayment is collected
Once you are due to repay and your income is over the threshold, employees usually see deductions through PAYE (tell new employers your plan via the starter checklist or P45). If you are self-employed or file a Self Assessment return, HMRC works out the amount from that return. You can make voluntary extra repayments with no early-repayment penalty, but that does not stop normal PAYE deductions if you are still due to repay through the tax system. Official overview: Repaying your student loan.
Part-time courses and other timing nuances
GOV.UK notes that some part-time students start repaying in the April that falls four years after the course started (course longer than four years and started before 1 January 2027). Plan 2 terms also use “April after you leave, or April four years after start — whichever comes first.” Match your plan letter to live GOV.UK wording. If you already hold a degree, previous-study rules affect funding first — see second degree and previous study rules — then repayment follows the plan(s) you hold.
Mature students, Universal Credit and planning ahead
Age alone does not rewrite the April rule. Mature learners on Plan 5 still wait until April 2026 at the earliest and the April after they leave, then only repay above the threshold — see going to university at 30, 40 or 50 and funded degrees for mature students. Universal Credit interactions with living-cost student income while you study are a separate DWP question from post-study repayments — see student finance on Universal Credit and benefits. AF Education helps with SFE applications, not DWP or tax decisions.
What AF Education helps with (for free)
AF Education (47 Cavell Street, London E1 2BP · 020 7377 8844 · info@afeducation.co.uk) offers free help for UK home students with SFE and funded undergraduate / foundation-year applications — including a free eligibility check. We help with funding pathways before you borrow. We do not give tax advice, forecast payslip deductions, or replace SLC / HMRC.
Common myths about when repayments start
- “Repayments start the month I graduate.” False — earliest is usually the April after you leave, and only over the threshold.
- “Plan 5 means I repay while still at university.” False — April 2026 is the earliest published Plan 5 expectation, still tied to leaving and income.
- “SFE repayment dates equal Maintenance Loan payment dates.” False — instalments while studying and repayments after studying differ.
- “Under the yearly threshold means no possible deduction.” Not always — weekly/monthly spikes can trigger deductions; request a refund if annual income stays under the yearly threshold.
- “My university can change my repayment start date.” No — follow GOV.UK and your repayment account.
Frequently asked questions
When do student loan repayments start in the UK?
The earliest is usually the April after you finish or leave your course, and only if your income is over the threshold for your repayment plan. Check GOV.UK “When you start repaying” and your SLC repayment account for your plan.
Is Student Finance England repayment the same as my Maintenance Loan instalments?
No. Maintenance Loan instalments are money SFE pays you while you study. Student Finance England repayment is money you may pay back later through the tax system after you leave, if you earn enough.
When do Plan 5 repayments start?
GOV.UK terms for 2026 to 2027 state you will not be expected to make Plan 5 repayments until April 2026 at the earliest, even if you leave early. You still need income above the Plan 5 threshold, and the April-after-you-leave rule still applies.
What is the Plan 5 repayment threshold for 2026/27?
For tax year 2026-27, GOV.UK lists Plan 5 at £25,000 a year, £2,083 a month or £480 a week in the UK. You repay 9% of income above that threshold. Re-check live GOV.UK tables before relying on any figure.
What are the other SFE loan repayment thresholds for 2026/27?
Published UK yearly thresholds include Plan 1 £26,900, Plan 2 £29,385, Plan 4 £33,795 and Postgraduate Loan £21,000 (with matching monthly/weekly figures on GOV.UK). Thresholds change on 6 April each year.
Do I repay if I leave my course early?
Yes — you still have to repay the loan amounts you became liable for. Timing still follows your plan’s April rules (including Plan 5’s earliest April 2026 expectation). Overpayments of student finance can be recovered separately and earlier.
I’m a mature student — does age change when repayments start?
No. Age does not rewrite the April-after-you-leave rule or Plan 5’s earliest April 2026 date. Your plan type, course end date and income threshold decide timing and amounts.
What’s the first step if I’m still applying for funding?
Use the free eligibility checker, then get free AF Education help with course choice and the SFE application. Understand repayment rules on GOV.UK so you borrow with eyes open — AF Education does not give tax advice.
Next steps
Remember the split: when do student loan repayments start is the April-after-you-leave rule (Plan 5: not before April 2026), gated by the repayment threshold 2026/27 for your plan — not the termly Maintenance Loan calendar. For instalment timing while studying, use the payment-dates and first-payment guides linked above.
Ready to check whether funded undergraduate study could work for you?
Prefer to talk? Request a callback from AF Education — we help UK home students with funded courses and SFE applications. Confirm dates and thresholds on GOV.UK and your SLC account.
