A student loan is a type of loan designed to help students pay for post-secondary education and the associated fees, such as tuition, books and supplies, and living expenses.
Types of student loans:
Plan 1
You’re on Plan 1 if you’re:
an English or Welsh student who started an undergraduate course anywhere in the UK before 1 September 2012
a Northern Irish student who started an undergraduate or postgraduate course anywhere in the UK on or after 1 September 1998
an EU student who started an undergraduate course in England or Wales on or after 1 September 1998, but before 1 September 2012
an EU student who started an undergraduate or postgraduate course in Northern Ireland on or after 1 September 1998
Plan 2
You’re on Plan 2 if you’re:
an English or Welsh student who started an undergraduate course anywhere in the UK on or after 1 September 2012
an EU student who started an undergraduate course in England or Wales on or after 1 September 2012
someone who took out an Advanced Learner Loan on or after 1 August 2013
Plan 4
You’re on Plan 4 if you’re:
a Scottish student who started an undergraduate or postgraduate course anywhere in the UK on or after 1 September 1998
an EU student who started an undergraduate or postgraduate course in Scotland on or after 1 September 1998
Postgraduate Loan
You’re on a Postgraduate Loan repayment plan if you’re:
an English or Welsh student who took out a Postgraduate Master’s Loan on or after 1 August 2016
an English or Welsh student who took out a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan on or after 1 August 2018
an EU student who started a postgraduate course on or after 1 August 2016