Example result based on the prefilled values.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Postgrad monthly | £70.00 |
| Undergrad monthly | £42.11 |
| Combined monthly | £112.11 |
Continue your plan
Useful next calculations
Rates & sources2026/27
2026/27 Postgraduate Loan (Plan 3) at 6% of income above £21,000, with optional undergraduate Plan 1/2/4/5 at 9%.
| Band / figure | Rate |
|---|---|
| Postgraduate threshold | £21,000 |
| Postgraduate rate | 6% |
| Plan 2 undergraduate threshold | £29,385 |
| Undergraduate rate | 9% |
Source: HMRC — 2026 to 2027 student and postgraduate loan deduction tables — source checked for 2026/27.
When to use this calculator
- When you need a fast estimate before making a bigger decision.
- When you want to compare a few scenarios using the same assumptions.
- When you need a clearer starting point before using a detailed quote or formal document.
- When you want to sanity-check a figure you have seen elsewhere before you rely on it.
- When you are preparing for a conversation with an adviser, supplier, or lender and want to arrive with realistic numbers.
A realistic UK planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual income (£) | £35,000 |
| Undergraduate plan (0=none, 1, 2, 4, 5) | Enter your own figure |
After entering these figures, review postgrad monthly, undergrad monthly and combined monthly together rather than in isolation — each metric tells a different part of the story. Then rerun the tool with one input adjusted to see which variable has the biggest effect on all three outputs before you settle on a plan.
How to read your results
Postgrad monthly
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Undergrad monthly
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Combined monthly
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources
UK Postgraduate Loans (Plan 3) repay 6% of income above £21,000 in 2026/27. That is separate from any undergraduate Plan 1, 2, 4 or 5 deduction of 9% above that plan’s threshold. If you have both, payroll takes both.
This estimate uses annual income and HMRC’s 2026/27 student and postgraduate loan deduction tables. It does not model overseas thresholds, extra payments, or write-off dates. Check your SLC account and GOV.UK for official figures.
Official references
Common mistakes
- !Using optimistic assumptions without testing a more cautious scenario as well.
- !Comparing outputs from different tools without checking that the inputs match.
- !Treating the result as a final quote instead of a planning estimate.
- !Rounding inputs too aggressively, which can produce an output that is noticeably different from your actual situation.
- !Stopping at a single run of the tool rather than adjusting the key variable up and down to understand the range of plausible outcomes.
What to do next
- Try at least one more scenario so you can compare a realistic range instead of a single estimate.
- Use the related calculators below to cross-check the decision from another angle.
- Open one of the linked guides if you need more context before you act on the result.
- Write down the key outputs from your best two or three scenarios so you have something concrete to compare when you make the final decision.
- If the result surprises you, change one input at a time to isolate which variable is driving the outcome before drawing conclusions.
Frequently asked
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