Update 2019: Last December, the Scottish government announced changes to when the loans are wiped, which mean many will clear what they owe sooner. The changes are noted in the table below. Remember, it's the country in which you lived in at the time you applied for your student loan that determines when your loan will be wiped.
It’s a question I’m asked all the time. Many know that current students no longer need to repay their loans 30 years after the April following graduation, yet for those who started university before 2012, there are a variety of options.
This information has been a long-term part of my Should I repay my student loan? guide (where you’ll find lots more info on interest rates and more) but I thought it’s worth breaking it out as an easy one-off form of reference.
So the table below explains, regardless of how much you still have left in your loan account, after what point repayments stop.
When are outstanding loans wiped?
| HIGHER EDUCATION START DATE | AGE AT WHICH LOAN IS WIPED | DEATH | UNFITNESS TO WORK |
| 1990 – 1997 (If aged under 40) (1) |
Earlier of 25 years after your first payment of your last loan agreement (usually the start of your final year), or when you reach age 50 | Yes | Yes |
| 1990 – 1997 (If aged 40+) (1) |
When you reach age 60 | Yes | Yes |
| 1998 – 2005 (1998 – 2006 in Scotland) | When you reach age 65 (In Dec 2018, this was changed to the earlier of “when you reach age 65 or 30 years from the April you graduated” - Scotland only) |
Yes | Yes |
| 2006 – 2011 | 25 years from the first April of graduation (when you were first due to repay) | Yes | Yes |
| 2007 – 2011 (Scotland) |
35 years (in Dec 2018, the good news is this was reduced to 30 years) from the first April of graduation (when you were first due to repay) | Yes | Yes |
| 2012+ | England & Wales: 30 years from the first April after graduation (when you were first due to repay) Scotland: 35 years (in Dec 2018, the good news is this was reduced to 30 years) from the first April of graduation (when you were first due to repay) NI: 25 years from the first April of graduation (when you were first due to repay) |
Yes | Yes |
| (1) This is the age you were when your last agreement for a loan was made – usually your last year of study. | |||
