Which Student Loan Plan Am I On?
Updated January 2025
Quick answer: Your plan depends on when you started your course and where you studied. Most English graduates from 2012-2023 are on Plan 2. Those starting from August 2023 are on Plan 5.
Find Your Plan Type
Plan 1
You're on Plan 1 if you:
- Started an undergraduate course in England or Wales before 1 September 2012
- Started an undergraduate course in Northern Ireland at any time
- Started a postgraduate course in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland before 1 September 2012
Plan 2
You're on Plan 2 if you:
- Started an undergraduate course in England or Wales between 1 September 2012 and 31 July 2023
- Started an Advanced Learner Loan course in England between 1 August 2013 and 31 July 2023
Note: Plan 2 is the most common plan for recent graduates and has the frozen threshold controversy.
Plan 4
You're on Plan 4 if you:
- Started an undergraduate course in Scotland from 1 September 1998 onwards
- Received a postgraduate loan from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS)
Plan 5
You're on Plan 5 if you:
- Started an undergraduate course in England from 1 August 2023 onwards
- Started an Advanced Learner Loan course in England from 1 August 2023
Key difference: Plan 5 has a 40-year write-off period (vs 30 for Plan 2) but lower interest (RPI only vs RPI+3%).
Postgraduate Loan
Separate from undergraduate plans. You have a Postgraduate loan if you:
- Received funding for a postgraduate Master's course from 2016/17 onwards
- Received funding for a postgraduate Doctoral course from 2018/19 onwards
You can have a Postgraduate loan alongside an undergraduate loan (Plan 1, 2, 4, or 5).
Plan Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | Plan 1 | Plan 2 | Plan 4 | Plan 5 | Postgrad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threshold (2024/25) | £24,990 | £27,295 | £31,395 | £25,000 | £21,000 |
| Repayment rate | 9% | 9% | 9% | 9% | 6% |
| Interest | Lower of RPI/BoE+1% | RPI + 0-3% | Lower of RPI/BoE+1% | RPI only | RPI + 3% |
| Write-off | 25 yrs or age 65 | 30 years | 30 years | 40 years | 30 years |
How to Check Your Plan
Not sure which plan you're on? Here's how to find out for certain:
- Check your payslip — It should show your plan type next to the student loan deduction
- Log into your SLC account — Visit GOV.UK to see your account details
- Check your P60 — Your annual tax summary shows which plan was used for deductions
What If I Have Multiple Loans?
You can have loans on different plans simultaneously:
- Undergraduate + Postgraduate: Most common. You repay both — 9% on undergraduate above its threshold, 6% on postgraduate above its threshold
- Plan 1 + Plan 4: If you studied in both England and Scotland at different times
- Plan 2 + Plan 4: If you started in Scotland then transferred to England, or vice versa
Our UK student loan calculator handles multiple concurrent loans.
The Plan 2 Threshold Freeze
If you're on Plan 2, you're affected by the threshold freeze:
- The threshold has been frozen at £27,295 since 2021
- Without the freeze, it would have risen with average earnings
- This effectively increases how much you repay without any announcement
Use our student loan repayment calculator to see exactly how much extra the freeze costs you.