If I move abroad do I still have to pay off my student loan?

A_fiend_for_life

Thanks for that epiphone - I may well look at Europe for a job as there seems to be more opportunities over there - or should I say on the mainland? Good to know how the SLC handle it.

A_fiend_for_life

Folk who are considering defaulting on their student loan should also note that someone, probably a family member, signed as guarantor. Would you want them to pick up the tab?

Also bare in mind what happens when you want to return because of family events such as marriage, serious illness etc.

argood

Some good information here, but I think that anyone considering moving abroad to work should visit the Student Loan Repayment site http://www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk/portal/page?_pageid=93,3866794&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

It contains advice on how to manage your repayments from overseas, and I think I'm correct in saying that it has the forms for you to download and send in regarding your employment status overseas.

The earning threshold for repayments in this country is £15,000 for loans taken out post-1998, but other countries have different thresholds depending on the cost of living in that particular country. The above website also contains information for the threshold in your new country.

I hope this is of help.

princesslizzie

If I could, I'd probably do what you're doing. But I hate the American politics to move too much, plus I hate knowing I'd owe money. I heard that they take out re-payments via your NI number (when they know you are paying tax etc) so I guess if you don't use your NI number, you don't get it taken out.

What pees me off is that I will be in so much debt when I finish uni (rounding up to £25,000 without my OD) and years ago, people were given money to go to uni, and we are apparently "all money dodgers" now. Yeah, right. I have worked hard during my degree, I'll pay my loan off because I hate being in debt and I don't take, uneccessarily, from the state like some other people in this country. But I do agree, if there is a way round it, and if you're not paying tax to this country then yeah, go for it. Personally, I couldn't do it though.

A_fiend_for_life

If your volunteering you might not have to pay anything back though you would still need to defer each year and provide evidence.

Makes you wonder what happens if you are volunteering and teaching English as a sideline. Presumably if your not over the threshold for that country you should be fine.

A_fiend_for_life

princesslizzie wrote: »

What pees me off is that I will be in so much debt when I finish uni (rounding up to £25,000 without my OD) and years ago, people were given money to go to uni, and we are apparently "all money dodgers" now. Yeah, right. I have worked hard during my degree, I'll pay my loan off because I hate being in debt and I don't take, uneccessarily, from the state like some other people in this country. But I do agree, if there is a way round it, and if you're not paying tax to this country then yeah, go for it. Personally, I couldn't do it though.

Yes students get an unfair press unfortunately. Some older graduates I've spoken to used to get a grant, course fees paid, income support(?) and (heavily) subsidized meals. That was back in the seventies mind. There seems to be the impression that students get thousands in free hand outs.

Oldernotwiser

A_fiend_for_life wrote: »

Yes students get an unfair press unfortunately. Some older graduates I've spoken to used to get a grant, course fees paid, income support(?) and (heavily) subsidized meals. That was back in the seventies mind. There seems to be the impression that students get thousands in free hand outs.

Grants were always assessed on your parents' income and if they didn't pay up you got nothing! You could claim IS in the holidays only, up to the mid 70s, but I've never heard of subsidised meals. Also at that time, very, very few students ever dreamt of running a car, rooms in older halls of residence were often shared, en suite facilities were unknown and you made telephone calls by queuing up at a public phone booth. Most modern students would consider the lifestyle then as living in poverty!

Oldernotwiser

princesslizzie wrote: »

years ago, people were given money to go to uni, .........and I don't take.. from the state like some other people in this country.quote]

Don't you think that these 2 statements are rather contradictory?

echelon_2

Can I just point out that at no point has the original poster said they're not going to pay back their student loan debt.

Seems to me they were just asking whether they had to immediately start making student loan repayments if they moved abroad after graduating.

Fair question; why so much hate on this thread???

princesslizzie

A_fiend_for_life wrote: »

Yes students get an unfair press unfortunately. Some older graduates I've spoken to used to get a grant, course fees paid, income support(?) and (heavily) subsidized meals. That was back in the seventies mind. There seems to be the impression that students get thousands in free hand outs.

And it's rubbish, some students, yeah they don't do much but get drunk. But not all students, I work hard on my degree and I have a job because I couldn't live off just my loan. I'm having to give up my job for my last semester and I will struggle. But I think it is totally unfair and justified to think that students are just lay abouts or indeed money dodgers.

To a fiend for life, I'd like to point out, we have one phone box on campus, we have no shared halls available and I don't drive. Furthermore, I am at uni in London so yes, I do know what it's like to scrimp and save. Get off your high horse, times have changed and it costs me £105 a week to rent my halls.