Maintenance Loan Calculator

A maintenance loan is a type of student loan in the UK designed to help cover living costs while studying. Unlike tuition fee loans, maintenance loans are paid directly to students to help with accommodation, food, travel, and other daily expenses. The maintenance loan calculator UK helps students understand their eligibility and repayment obligations based on their household income, region, and academic year.

Maintenance loans are part of the UK student finance system, administered by Student Finance England (SFE) for students in England and Wales, Student Finance Wales for Welsh students, Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI) for Northern Ireland students, and the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for Scottish students. These loans are repaid through an income-contingent repayment system, meaning repayments begin once you earn above a certain threshold, which varies depending on your repayment plan (Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, or Plan 5).

The amount you can borrow depends on several factors: your household income, where you study (England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland), whether you're an undergraduate or postgraduate student, and which academic year you're applying for (2025/26 or 2026/27). For undergraduate students in England and Wales, the maximum maintenance loan for the 2025/26 academic year is £13,844 for students living away from home outside London, while postgraduate students can access up to £12,882. Scottish students have different maximum amounts, typically around £9,500 for undergraduates, while Northern Ireland students can access up to £8,500.

The repayment system is designed to be affordable, with payments calculated as a percentage of your income above the threshold. For most plans, you'll repay 9% of your income above the threshold. Plan 2 loans (for students in England and Wales who started after 2012) have a threshold of £27,295 for the 2025/26 academic year, while Plan 5 loans (for students starting from 2023) have a threshold of £25,000. Plan 1 loans (for students in Northern Ireland and pre-2012 England and Wales) have a threshold of £22,015, and Plan 4 loans (for Scottish students) have a threshold of £27,660. If your income drops below the threshold, repayments stop automatically.

Interest rates on maintenance loans vary by plan and are typically linked to inflation (RPI) plus a percentage. Plan 2 loans, for example, have interest rates that vary based on income, ranging from RPI (when earning below the threshold) to RPI + 3% (when earning above £49,130). Plan 5 loans have a fixed rate of RPI, while Plan 1 and Plan 4 loans also use RPI-based rates. The maintenance loan calculator gov.uk provides official guidance, but this calculator helps you estimate your repayments based on your specific circumstances.

For masters students and other postgraduate students, maintenance loan eligibility follows similar principles but with different maximum amounts. Postgraduate students can typically access maintenance loans up to £12,882 for the 2025/26 academic year, regardless of region. The household income calculation is crucial for determining eligibility, with lower household incomes resulting in higher maintenance loan amounts. Students from households with incomes below £25,000 typically receive the maximum amount, while those from households with incomes above £70,000 receive the minimum amount, with a sliding scale in between.

This maintenance loan calculator helps you understand how much you'll repay, when your loan will be paid off, and how different income levels affect your monthly payments. You can also see how extra payments or lump sum payments can reduce your total interest and shorten your repayment period. Whether you're an undergraduate student in England, a masters student in Wales, or a postgraduate student in Scotland or Northern Ireland, this calculator provides instant results for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 academic years, helping you plan your student finance effectively.