What Student Loan Plan Am I On? UK GOV.UK Check Guide

UK borrowers who don’t verify their student loan plan risk overpaying by hundreds of pounds each year. Your repayment plan is assigned based on course start date and location, and checking it takes minutes through your GOV.UK account—here’s exactly how to confirm which of the four main plans applies to you.

Main plans: Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5 · Official check: Sign into gov.uk account · Download proof: Active plan type letter · Repayment source: Student Loans Company (SLC)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts

GOV.UK sign-in is the official method to verify your plan (GOV.UK guidance)
You can download a plan type letter directly from your SLC account (GOV.UK guidance)
You repay 9% of income over the threshold on Plans 1, 2, 4, and 5 (GOV.UK repayment rates)

2What’s unclear

Whether postgraduate students in Scotland or Northern Ireland have different plan assignments than England (GOV.UK guidance)
Exact timeline for processing refund claims when wrong plan type is identified (GOV.UK guidance)

3Timeline signal

Plan 1: courses started before 1 August 2012 (GOV.UK guidance)
Plan 2: courses from 1 September 2012 through 31 July 2023 (GOV.UK guidance)
Plan 5: courses from 1 August 2023 onwards (GOV.UK guidance)

4What’s next

Download your active plan type letter and compare it against your PAYE code (GOV.UK guidance)
If there’s a mismatch, show the letter to your payroll team to correct deductions (GOV.UK guidance)
You may be eligible for a refund of overpayments if the wrong plan was used (GOV.UK guidance)

Detail	Information
Authority	Student Loans Company (SLC)
Check method	GOV.UK personal account
Proof document	Active plan type letter
Plans available	Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5

How do I find out which student loan plan I am on?

Your repayment plan isn’t something you choose—it’s assigned based on when you started your course and where you studied. The most reliable way to check is through your official online account.

Sign into your gov.uk account

Log in to your account on GOV.UK to view your current repayment plan details. The Student Loans Company (SLC) administers the account and keeps your official record up to date. Once signed in, you can see your balance, repayment history, and the specific plan you’re assigned to.

Visit the SLC online account portal
Navigate to your repayment plan information
Verify the plan name and effective dates

Download active plan type letter

Within your account, you can download an official “active plan type letter” that confirms exactly which plan you’re on. This letter is your documented proof and the document your employer should be using to determine correct deductions.

Check with employer

Your PAYE code will reflect your plan type, but employers don’t always get this right. If your official letter shows a different plan than what your payroll system is using, you should show the letter to your HR or payroll team so they can update your details. You’ll be entitled to a refund if you’ve overpaid due to an incorrect plan assignment.

Why this matters

Plan differences affect your monthly repayments. A borrower on Plan 1 earning £30,000 repays £280.50 monthly, while the same income on Plan 2 triggers £52.50 in monthly repayments. That gap compounds quickly if your employer has you on the wrong plan.

What is the difference between Plan 1, Plan 2 and Plan 4 student loans?

The four plans differ primarily in their income thresholds and interest rates. Here’s how they stack up against each other.

These threshold and rate differences directly impact how much you repay each month and when your loan gets written off.

Plan	Who it’s for	Annual threshold	Monthly threshold	Repayment rate
Plan 1	Pre-August 2012 courses; Northern Ireland students	£26,900	£2,241	9%
Plan 2	August 2012 – July 2023 courses	£29,385	£2,448	9%
Plan 4	Scotland students (undergraduate and postgraduate)	£33,795	£2,816	9%
Plan 5	August 2023 onwards (undergraduate)	£25,000	£2,083	9%
Postgraduate Loan	Postgraduate courses in England/Wales	£21,000	£1,750	6%

Five plans, one pattern: threshold levels determine how much income you keep before repayment kicks in. Plan 4 has the highest threshold, which means Scottish borrowers keep more of their salary before paying anything back.

Repayment thresholds

Each plan sets a yearly income level above which you start repaying. These thresholds are reviewed annually and typically rise with inflation. If you’re self-employed, your threshold applies to your profits after tax.

Interest rates

Interest rates vary by plan and are tied to either the Retail Prices Index (RPI) or the Bank of England base rate plus a margin. Plan 1 and Plan 2 both apply interest while you’re studying and after, but the exact rate depends on your income and whether you’re still studying.

Write-off periods

All UK student loans are ultimately written off—whether after 30 years for older plans or 40 years for newer ones. The implication is that most borrowers never repay their full balance, but the amount you repay monthly still depends on which plan you’re on.

The upshot

Because thresholds and repayment percentages differ across plans, two borrowers earning £35,000 can have very different monthly deductions. Knowing your plan lets you budget accurately and spot errors before they cost you money.

What is Plan 1 or Plan 2 student loan?

Plan 1 details

Plan 1 applies to students who started their course before 1 August 2012. It also applies to all students who applied through Student Finance Northern Ireland, regardless of when they studied. With a yearly threshold of £26,900, borrowers on Plan 1 start repaying at 9% of income above that level.

Annual repayment threshold: £26,900
Repayment percentage: 9% of income over threshold
Write-off period: typically 30 years from first repayment

Plan 2 details

Plan 2 covers students who started their course between 1 September 2012 and 31 July 2023 for undergraduate study in England. The threshold is slightly higher at £29,385 annually. Like Plan 1, repayments sit at 9% of income above the threshold.

Annual repayment threshold: £29,385
Repayment percentage: 9% of income over threshold
Write-off period: typically 30 years from first repayment

The paradox

Plan 2’s higher threshold sounds better, but it comes with a longer write-off window for many borrowers. The trade-off isn’t obvious until you’re deep into repayment.

How do I check what plan my student loan is?

Online account steps

The SLC online account is your central hub for all things repayment. Once logged in, you can view your plan assignment, check your balance, see applied interest, and download official correspondence including your plan type letter.

Go to the GOV.UK sign-in page for student loan balance management
Authenticate using your Government Gateway credentials
Select “Repayment plan” from the account menu
Locate and download your active plan type letter

Contact SLC directly

If you can’t access your account or need clarification, contact the SLC directly through their official channels. They can confirm your plan assignment and send you a paper copy of your plan type letter if needed.

PAYE deductions check

Your PAYE code on your payslip references your student loan plan. Cross-reference this against your official letter. If your employer has coded you as Plan 2 when your letter confirms Plan 1, you’re likely repaying more than necessary.

What to watch

Some borrowers have multiple loans from different study periods—meaning they could be on Plan 1 for an older loan and Plan 2 for a newer one. Your employer code will reflect the most recent plan, but your official account will list all active plans separately.

When was Plan 1 student loan and when did Plan 2 start?

The shift from Plan 1 to Plan 2 marks a significant change in how UK student loans are structured. Understanding the timeline helps you pinpoint which plan applies to you based on your course start date.

The milestone table below shows the key transition dates that determine which plan you fall under.

Milestone	Date	Significance
Plan 1 eligibility cutoff	Before 1 August 2012	Students starting courses before this date assigned to Plan 1
Plan 2 introduced	1 August 2012	New undergraduate students in England moved to Plan 2
Plan 2 runs until	31 July 2023	Last date for Plan 2 eligibility for new undergrads
Plan 5 introduced	1 July 2023	Newest plan for undergrads starting from this date

Three eras, three different plan rules: borrowers from before August 2012 carry Plan 1, those who studied between 2012 and 2023 are on Plan 2, and anyone starting from August 2023 is on Plan 5.

Plan 1 introduction

Plan 1 was the original student loan repayment structure in England, running from the system’s inception. Its lower threshold (£26,900) means earlier repayment for mid-to-high earners, but it’s paired with a 30-year write-off window.

Plan 2 rollout

The 2012 reforms introduced Plan 2 with a higher earnings threshold to delay repayment until borrowers were earning more. This change affected hundreds of thousands of students who started university from autumn 2012 onwards.

Bottom line: Plan 1 borrowers who started before August 2012 face earlier repayments due to a lower threshold. Plan 2 borrowers from the 2012–2023 period benefit from a higher threshold but a longer repayment track. Anyone starting from August 2023 is on Plan 5 with the lowest threshold of all, meaning they start repaying sooner.

Interest rates and thresholds by plan

Beyond the basic threshold differences, each plan applies different interest rates and repayment rules that affect your total cost over time.

These figures show how repayment costs vary across plans, helping you understand the financial implications of your assigned plan.

Plan	Annual threshold	Monthly threshold	Repayment %	Interest rate basis
Plan 1	£26,900	£2,241	9%	RPI or base rate + margin
Plan 2	£29,385	£2,448	9%	RPI or base rate + margin
Plan 4	£33,795	£2,816	9%	Income-contingent
Plan 5	£25,000	£2,083	9%	RPI or base rate + margin
Postgraduate Loan	£21,000	£1,750	6%	Base rate + 3%

Six data points, one takeaway: Plan 5’s £25,000 threshold is the lowest of all undergraduate plans, meaning borrowers start repaying sooner than with Plan 1 or Plan 2. The Postgraduate Loan’s lower 6% rate partially offsets its lower threshold.

Steps to verify and correct your repayment plan

Follow this sequence to confirm your plan and fix any errors with your employer.

Log into your SLC account via GOV.UK and navigate to your repayment plan details
Download your active plan type letter as official proof of your assigned plan
Check your payslip for the student loan deduction code and note which plan it references
Compare the payslip code against your official letter to identify any mismatch
Contact your payroll team with the letter if you find a discrepancy and request a correction
Request a refund calculation from the SLC if you’ve overpaid during the period of incorrect deductions
Keep records of payslips from the period where deductions were wrong to support your refund claim

The catch

Getting a refund isn’t instant. The SLC needs evidence that the wrong plan was applied and typically processes refund claims over several weeks. Documenting the error early speeds up the process.

Confirmed facts versus rumours

What we know for certain

GOV.UK is the authoritative source for plan identification
Your plan is assigned based on course start date, not chosen
You can download an official active plan type letter
Northern Ireland borrowers are always on Plan 1
Scotland borrowers are always on Plan 4
Threshold values are reviewed annually

What needs more clarity

Refund processing timeline once a plan error is reported
Whether postgraduate students in all UK regions have equivalent plan rules
Exact interest rate calculations during study periods

Check which plan you’re on by signing in to your online account on GOV.UK—your official record is there, and you can download a letter confirming your plan.

— GOV.UK (Official UK Government Guidance)

Knowing which student loan plan you’re on is crucial because it determines how much you repay and when the loan is written off.

— MoneySavingExpert (Personal Finance Resource)

The question “what student loan plan am I on?” has a clear answer waiting in your GOV.UK account. The stakes go beyond curiosity: your monthly take-home pay depends on getting this right, and overpayment errors can take months to resolve. Download your plan type letter today, compare it against your payslip, and correct any discrepancy before the next payroll cycle. Borrowers who leave errors uncorrected continue losing money with every payday.

Additional sources

gov.uk, portefinance.com, studentloanplanner.com, youtube.com, gov.uk, catalog.nyit.edu, manage-student-loan-balance.service.gov.uk, studentloanborrowerassistance.org, gov.uk, studentaid.gov

Once you’ve identified your plan on GOV.UK, note the repayment thresholds for 2026/27 that dictate when repayments kick in above certain earnings levels.

Frequently asked questions

What student loan plan am I on if I studied before 2012?

If you started your course before 1 August 2012, you’re on Plan 1. This also applies to anyone who applied through Student Finance Northern Ireland, regardless of their course start date.

Is there a student loan plan calculator?

GOV.UK doesn’t offer a dedicated calculator, but you can use your annual income and the plan thresholds to estimate monthly repayments. The threshold values are listed on the repayment amounts page and updated yearly.

What if my employer has the wrong plan?

If your employer is deducting based on the wrong plan, show them your active plan type letter downloaded from your SLC account. They must update your payroll details. You’re entitled to a refund for any overpayments made during the period of incorrect deductions.

How do voluntary repayments affect my plan?

Voluntary repayments reduce your outstanding balance but don’t change your plan type or threshold. Your plan assignment remains the same regardless of whether you make extra payments.

What are student loan interest rates by plan?

Interest rates vary by plan and fluctuate with either the Retail Prices Index (RPI) or the Bank of England base rate. Plan 1 and Plan 2 use RPI or base rate plus a margin, while Postgraduate Loans apply base rate plus 3%.

When is my student loan written off?

Student loans are written off after a set period—typically 30 years for older plans and 40 years for newer plans. Plan 1 and Plan 2 are generally written off after 30 years of repayment, while Plan 5 has a longer write-off window.

Can I switch student loan plans?

No—you cannot choose or switch your repayment plan. Your plan is assigned based on when you started your course and your location when you applied. If you have multiple loans from different study periods, each loan may be on a different plan.