International: repaying student loans from abroad
Many graduates assume that moving abroad means pausing their student loan repayments. This is a myth. In fact, the Student Loans Company (SLC) has specific systems in place to collect repayments from borrowers all over the world.
How it works
When you leave the UK for more than 3 months, you must notify SLC. They will assess your repayment obligation based on:
- Your Overseas Income: You must provide evidence of your earnings abroad.
- Country Banding: Every country is assigned a "Band" (A to G) based on its cost of living relative to the UK.
- Threshold Adjustment: The repayment threshold for your plan is adjusted up or down based on this band.