GovWire

If youre paid more student loan or grant than youre entitled to, the Student Loans Company (SLC) will write to you to tell you what you must pay back and how to pay.

You must repay this separately from the rest of your student loan.

Theres a different process if you applied for:

• student finance in Scotland
• student finance in Wales
• student finance in Northern Ireland

How overpayments happen

Youre paid your student loan and any grants in advance at the start of each term.

If your personal circumstances or course changes SLC will check youre still getting the right amount of finance. This is known as a reassessment.

If the reassessment finds the amount of grant or loan youre entitled to has gone down, youll have to pay back any extra moneyyouve received.

If youre an undergraduate

The amount you get depends on things like:

• your household income
• the type and length of your course
• your living arrangements

You may have been overpaid if any of the following happened:

• your estimated income was lower than your actual income, for example, if you applied using a current year income assessment
• you left your course or stopped studying
• you changed course, for example you switched to a shorter course
• you changed your college or university from one in London to one outside London
• you started living with your parents
• you were being paid a Childcare Grant but are no longer responsible for the same number of children

If youre a postgraduate

The amount you get is the amount you asked for before starting your course, up to the maximum allowed. Your eligibility for your loan depends on:

• your nationality and residence status
• the length and type of your course

You may have been overpaid if any of the following happened:

• you left your course or stopped studying
• you or your course are no longer eligible for a Masters loan or a Doctoral loan

How to repay

If youre still studying

Youll usually have to repay before the end of your course. Either:

• the amount youll get for the rest of your course will be reduced, to recover the amount that was overpaid
• you must arrange to repay the money separately, either as a lump sum or in instalments

If you leave your course before the amount is repaid

You must repay overpayments separately from your loan repayments.

You must arrange to repay as soon as possible - theres no minimum amount you must be earning before you have to repay.

You can repay the money:

• as a lump sum
• in instalments

If youre having difficulty repaying

Speak to your university or college. They may be able to offer help or advice, or direct you to other organisations that can help.

If youve left your course, contact SLC to discuss your situation. If youre in financial hardship they may be able to pause or delay any repayments.