If the news this week about student loan reform made you wonder whether to delay applying for university next September, here is the short version most articles do not mention.

If you start a full-time undergraduate course in England in the 2026/27 academic year, you are on Plan 5, not Plan 2. The debate going through MPs and the press is mostly about Plan 2 borrowers who are already repaying. The terms for Plan 5 are already published on GOV.UK and they apply to your application today: a £25,000 repayment threshold, 9% above that, RPI-only interest, and a 40-year write-off.

The bigger risk for an adult applicant is not the loan terms changing. It is missing the September 2026 intake because the news made the decision feel too uncertain, and then waiting another year while childcare, work and life keep moving.

Full breakdown of what is confirmed, what might change, and what to do this month: link in the first comment.