Repaying Student Loans more quickly and getting refunds

If you want to, you can pay off your loan more quickly by making repayments directly to the Student Loans Company, even if your income is below the repayment threshold. You may also be entitled to a refund if your income changes during the tax year.

Making additional repayments to clear your Student Loan

If you took out a Student Loan in or after 1998, and want to repay it more quickly, you can make voluntary repayments. These will be made as well as any repayments collected through the tax system. The repayments which you make on the basis of your income will not be reduced, but you will pay off your loan more quickly by making these extra repayments.

Different rules apply if you took out a Student Loan for a course starting before 1998. For more information, see the link below.

Repaying student loans (courses starting before 1998)

Repayment methods

Debit or credit card

You can make repayments using a Maestro, Switch, Delta or credit card. Credit card payments will attract a surcharge. You can use your card to pay online or by telephoning a Student Loans Company customer advisor. There is no minimum repayment amount unless you fall into arrears.

Repaying your student loan

Cheque or postal order

If you would like to make an additional repayment by cheque or postal order, write your customer reference number on the back of your cheque or postal order and send it to the Student Loans Company.

Direct Debit

You can set up additional repayments by Direct Debit. To do so, contact a Student Loans Company customer adviser.

Standing order

To set up a standing order agreement, complete and print the standing order form from the link below and forward it to your bank.

Refunds

If your income varies or falls during the tax year, it is possible that your total for the year will fall below the repayment threshold even if your earnings exceed the weekly or monthly threshold.

The repayment threshold for academic year 2022-2023 is £20,195.

Your income may vary as a result of receiving a bonus payment or working overtime, for example, but earn below the threshold for the rest of the time. In this situation you will be able to apply to the Student Loans Company for a refund of all repayments made in the applicable year, or simply the 'overpayments'.

You may also decide not to apply for a refund which will allow you to clear your loan balance more quickly. If you have repaid your loan but deductions continue, you should write to the Student Loans Company enclosing your wage slips to show these extra deductions, and any overpayments will be refunded to you with interest. Interest is paid at the same rate as it is charged to your account and is tax free.

The Student Loans Company does not refund any voluntary payments that you have made unless you have finished repaying the loan and these are in fact 'overpayments'.

Student Loans Company Ltd

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?

report a problem

leave feedback

ask a question

Report a problem

Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

A link, button or video is not working

There is a spelling mistake

Information is missing, outdated or wrong

I can't find what I'm looking for

Another issue

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

Tell us more about the problem you're having with the nidirect website.

Enter your feedback

What is your question about?

Choose a topic for your question:

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit. Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme, email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about 60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly. We don't have access to information about you.

Extra comments (optional)