This page explains Postgraduate Loan student-loan repayments for the 2025/26 tax year and lets you work out your own repayment. Master’s and Doctoral loans (England & Wales). Sometimes called ‘Plan 3’. Repaid alongside any undergraduate plan.
Postgraduate Loan at a glance (2025/26)
| Postgraduate Loan | |
|---|---|
| Repayment rate | 6% of income above the threshold |
| Annual threshold | £21,000 |
| Monthly threshold | £1,750 |
| Weekly threshold | £404 |
| Write-off | Written off 30 years after the April you first became due to repay. |
| Interest | Interest is charged at RPI+3%. |
You repay 6% of everything you earn over £21,000 a year — nothing on the part of your income at or below the threshold.
Worked examples on Postgraduate Loan
| Gross salary | Over threshold | Repayment / year | Repayment / month | % of salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £26,000 | £5,000 | £300.00 | £25.00 | 1.15% |
| £36,000 | £15,000 | £900.00 | £75.00 | 2.50% |
| £46,000 | £25,000 | £1,500.00 | £125.00 | 3.26% |
So on a salary of £36,000 a Postgraduate Loan borrower repays £75.00 a month in 2025/26 — only 2.50% of the whole salary, because the first £21,000 is protected.
How Postgraduate Loan repayments are collected
If you are employed, repayments come out of your pay through PAYE automatically once you earn over £1,750 in a month (SLC uses the per-period threshold, so a one-off bonus can trigger a deduction even if your annual pay is lower). If you are self-employed, repayments are calculated through Self Assessment. You only ever repay 6% of the slice above the threshold.
Postgraduate Loan vs the other plans (2025/26)
| Plan | Threshold | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,065 | 9% |
| Plan 2 | £28,470 | 9% |
| Plan 4 | £32,745 | 9% |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | 9% |
| Postgraduate Loan (this page) | £21,000 | 6% |
You can be on the Postgraduate Loan at the same time as an undergraduate plan — that adds a separate 6% deduction above £21,000. Use the toggle in the calculator to model both together.
2025/26 and 2026/27
The Postgraduate Loan threshold is £21,000 and is unchanged for 2026/27. This page uses the 2025/26 figure throughout.
Sources & as-of
- Repayment rate and threshold: GOV.UK — Repaying your student loan (what you pay).
- 2025/26 / 2026/27 thresholds: House of Commons Library CBP-10654.
- Write-off and interest basis: GOV.UK — Student loans terms & conditions 2025/26; interest-rate announcement (RPI 3.2%).
- Tax year 2025/26 (6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026). Page data as-of 2026-06-18. Confirm current figures on GOV.UK.