Student loans do get written off, but the timing depends heavily on which UK repayment plan you’re on, when you started studying, and your age in some cases. Many people never fully repay before the write‑off point, especially on the newer plans where write‑off is after 30 or even 40 years.

When does a student loan get written off?

First big distinction: country & system

The rules below apply to UK student loans (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) under the government-backed Student Loans Company style system. Other countries (like the US or EU states) have totally different rules and usually no automatic “time-based” write‑off, so if your question is about another country the timelines will not match this.

UK undergraduate loans: Plan 1, 2, 4, 5

The key to answering “when does student loan get written off” is knowing what plan you’re on.

Plan 1 (older undergrad loans)

You’re normally on Plan 1 if you started your course before 2012 in England/Wales, or for many loans in Northern Ireland.

  • If your first loan was paid before 1 September 2006
    • Written off when you turn 65.
  • If your first loan was paid on or after 1 September 2006
    • Written off 25 years after the April you were first due to repay.

So if you became due to repay in April 2010, your Plan 1 loan would usually be written off in April 2035.

Plan 2 (most students starting 2012–2022 in England/Wales)

Plan 2 covers most English and Welsh undergraduates who started from September 2012 until the new Plan 5 came in.

  • Loans are written off 30 years after the April you were first due to repay.
  • For example, if your repayments were due to start in April 2020, the write‑off date is around April 2050.

Plan 4 (Scottish undergrad loans)

Plan 4 is mainly for Scottish students with undergrad loans.

  • If your first loan was paid on or after 1 August 2007
    • Written off 30 years after the April you were first due to repay.
  • If your first loan was paid before 1 August 2007
    • Written off when you turn 65 , or 30 years after the April you were first due to repay – whichever comes first.

Plan 5 (new system for England from 2023 starters)

Plan 5 is the latest big change and is a big part of the “latest news” and trending topic around student loans, because it keeps you repaying for longer.

  • Plan 5 loans are written off 40 years after the April you were first due to repay.
  • That means someone whose repayments start in April 2028 could be repaying until around April 2068 before any remaining balance is written off.

Many recent forum discussions and news pieces highlight that this shifts student loans closer to a “long-term graduate tax” feel, because a large chunk of people will pay for most of their working life.

Postgraduate loans (masters/doctoral)

For postgraduate loans, the write‑off is slightly simpler (in England and Wales).

  • England & Wales: Postgraduate loans are written off 30 years after the April you were first due to repay.
  • Northern Ireland: Postgrad borrowing is effectively on Plan 1 rules.
  • Scotland: Postgrad borrowing is on Plan 4 rules.

So, a postgraduate loan due from April 2024 in England would usually be written off around April 2054.

Special situations: earlier cancellation

Beyond time limits, student loans can sometimes be cancelled earlier.

Common examples include:

  • Death : The loan balance is normally wiped on the borrower’s death.
  • Permanent disability / incapacity : In some cases, if you are permanently unfit to work and meet evidence thresholds, loans can be written off early.

These are sensitive, case‑by‑case situations where documentation is required, and they show up regularly in personal stories on forums discussing hardship and loan relief.

“Do they just fall off after 7 years?”

A very common forum discussion is whether student loans just “drop off” like a credit card default after a certain number of years.

  • Credit report vs actual debt :
    • Many debts (including student loans in some systems) can fall off your credit report after around 6–7 years of default or last activity.
* That does **not** always mean the actual **legal debt** itself has been wiped; it may simply be less visible on your credit file.

In the UK income‑contingent system, the important dates for “when student loan gets written off” are the 25/30/40‑year rules or age‑65 rules , not the credit file drop‑off date.

How to work out your write‑off date

To turn the general rules into your personal timeline:

  1. Identify your plan
    • Check your online Student Loans account to see if you’re on Plan 1, 2, 4, 5, and/or Postgraduate.
  1. Find your first “due to repay” April
    • Usually the April after you left or finished your course, even if your income was too low to actually pay.
  1. Apply the rule for your plan
    • Plan 1: 25 years or age 65 depending on when you first borrowed.
 * Plan 2: 30 years after that April.

 * Plan 4: 30 years or age 65, whichever applies.

 * Plan 5: 40 years after that April.

 * Postgrad: 30 years after that April (England/Wales).

Mini FAQ and “trending topic” angles

Because “when does student loan get written off” keeps trending in UK money forums and news, a few recurring questions come up.

  • Will my loan definitely be written off at that date?
    • Under current rules, yes: once your term ends, the Student Loans Company reviews your account and cancels any remaining balance.
  • Could the government change the rules again?
    • Policy has already changed several times (e.g., introduction of Plan 5 and longer 40‑year terms), and commentators often point out that future governments could tweak thresholds, interest, or terms.
  • Is it worth paying off early if it will be written off?
    • Many financial writers argue that if you’re unlikely to fully clear the balance before the write‑off date, overpaying may not be financially optimal, whereas high earners who expect to clear the full amount might benefit from early repayment.

These debates feature heavily in current “latest news” explainers and forum discussions around whether student loans are really “debt” in the traditional sense or more like a long‑term extra tax band.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.

If you share when and where you studied, it’s possible to pin down a much more precise write‑off year for your own loan.