Student Loan CalculatorsSL Calculators

    Plan 4 Student Loan Repayment Calculator

    The Plan 4 calculator is for Scottish graduates. Plan 4 has the highest repayment threshold of all UK student loan plans, meaning you start repaying later and repay less at any given salary than graduates on other plans.

    Enter Your Annual Salary

    £
    £20,000£100,000
    £39.41
    Monthly Repayment
    £472.95
    Annual Repayment
    1.24%
    % of Salary
    £1.30
    Daily Cost

    Plan 4 vs Plan 2 Comparison

    At £38,000 on Plan 4 you pay£39.41/month

    At £38,000 on Plan 2 you would pay£71.48/month

    Plan 4 saves you£32.06/month

    No repayments are due if your income is at or below £32,745

    Will you repay your loan before write-off?

    Adjust your starting balance and interest rate to see a projected repayment timeline.

    £
    £1,000£40,000
    Scottish students pay no tuition fees at Scottish universities, so Plan 4 loans typically cover living costs only — meaning balances are usually lower than Plan 2 loans.
    YearEstimated BalanceCumulative RepaidStatus
    Year 5£11,400£2,365Ongoing
    Year 10£10,705£4,729Ongoing
    Year 15£9,899£7,094Ongoing
    Year 20£8,965£9,459Ongoing
    Year 25£7,882£11,824Ongoing
    Year 30£6,626£14,189Written off — Year 30

    At this salary and balance, your loan is projected to be written off in Year 30 with an estimated £6,626 remaining. Total repaid: £14,189.

    Plan 4 has a lower interest rate than Plan 2 (capped at RPI or BoE base rate + 1%, whichever is lower). Combined with typically smaller loan balances, many Plan 4 graduates repay their loan in full before the 30-year write-off point.

    Who Is on Plan 4?

    You have a Plan 4 student loan if you are from Scotland and took out a student loan from the academic year 2006/07 onwards. This includes students from other parts of the UK who attended Scottish universities if their loan was issued under Scottish rules. Check your Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) account to confirm your plan type.

    How Plan 4 Repayments Are Calculated

    You repay 9% of your income above the repayment threshold. For 2025/26, the Plan 4 threshold is £32,745 per year (£2,728.75 per month) — the highest of any UK plan.

    Example: If you earn £38,000 per year, you repay 9% of (£38,000 minus £32,745) = 9% of £5,255 = £472.95 per year, or about £39.41 per month.

    When Does a Plan 4 Loan Get Written Off?

    Your Plan 4 loan is written off 30 years after the April following the year you left your course. The write-off age of 65 does not apply to Plan 4 loans.

    Interest on Plan 4 Loans

    Like Plan 1, interest on Plan 4 loans is set at the lower of the RPI or the Bank of England base rate plus 1%. This is generally more favourable than the Plan 2 rate.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    I studied in Scotland — am I definitely on Plan 4?

    Not necessarily. Students who studied in Scotland before 2006 may be on Plan 1. Check your SAAS account or your Student Loans Company account to confirm.

    Can I have both a Plan 4 and a Postgraduate loan?

    Yes. If you completed a Scottish undergraduate degree and then took out a Postgraduate loan, you will repay both simultaneously — Plan 4 at 9% above £32,745 and Postgraduate at 6% above £21,000.

    Not sure which plan you're on? Use our plan finderSee all calculators