Calculation of your monthly instalments
Usually, when calculating your monthly instalments, we automatically take your income into account. If you are a single parent, we take that into account too.
Statutory monthly instalment
We first calculate how much you need to pay back every month to pay off your debt precisely within the prescribed term. This is called the ‘statutory instalment’.
The minimum statutory instalment is €45.41 if the repayment rules from SF15-old or from SF15 apply, or if you are repaying a lifelong learning credit debt. If the SF35 repayment rules apply, the minimum instalment is €5.
If you are repaying both a student debt and a lifelong learning credit debt, a statutory instalment will be calculated for both debts. The total statutory instalment then amounts to €50.41 or €90.82, depending on the repayment rules that apply to the debts.
Financial capacity
Once we have calculated how much your statutory instalment is, we look at your financial capacity or ability to pay. We then calculate how much you are able to repay every month based on your income. We repeat this every calendar year. If your ability to pay is lower than the statutory instalment, you will pay this lower sum. You never have to pay more than your ability to pay allows.
If the SF15-old repayment rules apply, we do not automatically look at your income. In that case you have request a reduction in your monthly instalments yourself.
Calculation of financial capacity
How we calculate your ability to pay depends on the repayment rules that apply to you. If you are a single parent, we take that into account too.
- If you are single without children, the part of your income that we disregard amounts to 100% of the minimum wage Link opent externe pagina in the reference year. In all other situations, the part of your income that we disregard amounts to 143% of the minimum wage.
- Your financial capacity is 4% of your income above this amount.
- If you are single without children, the part of your income that we disregard amounts to 84% of the minimum wage Link opent externe pagina in the reference year. In all other situations, the part of your income that we disregard amounts to 120% of the minimum wage.
- Your financial capacity is 12% of your income above this amount.
- If you are single without children, the part of your income that we disregard amounts to 50% of the minimum wage Link opent externe pagina in the reference year. In all other situations, the part of your income that we disregard amounts to 100% of the minimum wage.
- The remainder of your income is divided into income brackets. There are 4 brackets. The percentage that is considered part of you financial capacity is 7,9%, 15,8%, 23,7% and 30% respectively.
- If you are single without children, the part of your income that we disregard amounts to 84% of the minimum wage Link opent externe pagina in the reference year. In all other situations, the part of your income that we disregard amounts to 120% of the minimum wage.
- Your financial capacity is 12% of your income above this amount.
Reference year
Your income from two years ago, the ‘reference year’, is important for the calculation of your ability to pay. If your income has decreased since then, you may ask for a more recent year to be used instead. This is referred to as 'changing the reference year'.
Estimate your monthly instalments
Use the monthly instalment calculation tool to estimate your monthly instalments.