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HECS-HELP Repayment Calculator

Work out your compulsory HECS-HELP repayment for 2026–27, how indexation adds to your debt, and how long it will take to pay off.

$

Usually your taxable income

$
More options
%
%

Repayment this year

$1,571

About $60 a fortnight, taken from your pay

Paid off in
10 years
Total you’ll repay
$29,478
What you’ll repay
  • Loan now$25,000
  • Indexation$4,478

What this means

Repayments depend on what you earn, not what you owe: they’re taken through the tax system once your income passes the threshold, and stop if it falls below.

On these numbers you clear it in full, so paying extra early would save some of the growth on the balance.

Year by year

YearIncomeRepaidOwed at the end
1$80,000$1,571$24,129
2$82,400$1,931$22,874
3$84,872$2,302$21,213
4$87,418$2,684$19,123
5$90,041$3,077$16,582
10$104,382$1,431$0

About your loan

You repay 15% of your repayment income over $69,528, and more at higher incomes, through your pay and tax return.

There's no interest. Instead, your debt grows with indexation each 1 June: 2.8% in 2026, the lower of price or wage growth.

Debts were cut by 20% in 2025. The ATO applied it automatically, so check your current balance in myGov.

Assumptions in this estimate
  • Your pay rises by 3% a year. Repayment thresholds stay at today’s levels.
  • Indexation of 2.8000000000000003% is added each 1 June, before that year's repayment is taken off.
  • Repayment income is your taxable income plus some other amounts, such as reportable fringe benefits and super contributions.
  • Extra voluntary repayments aren’t included.
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How the calculator works

  1. Your repayment: worked out from your repayment income with the 2026–27 rates: 15 cents for each dollar over $69,528, and more at higher incomes.
  2. Year by year: indexation is added each 1 June, that year’s repayment comes off, and your income rises by the amount you choose under More options.

2026–27 repayments

Repayment income Yearly repayment Years to repay $25,000
$60,000 Nothing 21
$80,000 $1,570.80 10
$100,000 $4,570.80 5

Years to repay assume 3% pay rises and 2.8% indexation a year. At $60,000, repayments start once pay rises take you over the threshold.

More on how repayments, indexation and the 20% debt cut work in HECS-HELP repayments explained.

Last updated

Frequently asked questions

How much will I repay on $80,000?

$1,570.80 for 2026–27: 15% of the $10,472 over $69,528, or about $60 a fortnight. With a $25,000 debt, 3% pay rises and 2.8% indexation, it would be paid off in about 10 years.

Is there interest on a HECS debt?

No. Instead, your debt is indexed each 1 June by the lower of price or wage growth: 2.8% in 2026.

When do I start repaying?

Once your repayment income is over $69,528 in 2026–27. Below that, you repay nothing, but indexation is still added.

Should I pay it off early?

There’s no discount for voluntary repayments. It mainly makes sense if indexation is likely to be higher than what your money could earn elsewhere.