HECS-HELP Repayment Calculator
Your compulsory HECS-HELP repayment for 2026–27 and a year-by-year estimate of when your debt will be cleared, with indexation each 1 June and any voluntary repayments.
Your repayments
Compulsory repayment, 2026–27
$1,420.80
Repaid in about 18 years · $54.65 a fortnight
- Repayment income
- $79,000.00
- Repayment rate
- 15% on the next dollar
- Take-home pay after HECS-HELP
- $62,779.20
- Total repaid over the loan
- $32,784.71
- Indexation added over the loan
- $7,784.71
Australian resident with salary or wages, using 2026–27 thresholds and the $1,000 standard deduction. Repayment income here is taxable income; add any reportable fringe benefits, reportable super and net investment losses.
Rates checked 12 October 2026 against the ATO · How we calculate · Calculated in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
Payoff timeline with indexation
Each year, voluntary repayments come off first, indexation is added on 1 June, then the compulsory repayment from that year’s tax return is credited.
| Income year | Voluntary | Indexation (1 June) | Compulsory | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026–27 | $0.00 | $700.00 | $1,420.80 | $24,279.20 |
| 2027–28 | $0.00 | $679.82 | $1,463.42 | $23,495.60 |
| 2028–29 | $0.00 | $657.88 | $1,507.33 | $22,646.15 |
| 2029–30 | $0.00 | $634.09 | $1,552.55 | $21,727.69 |
| 2030–31 | $0.00 | $608.38 | $1,599.12 | $20,736.95 |
| 2031–32 | $0.00 | $580.63 | $1,647.10 | $19,670.48 |
| 2032–33 | $0.00 | $550.77 | $1,696.51 | $18,524.74 |
| 2033–34 | $0.00 | $518.69 | $1,747.40 | $17,296.03 |
| 2034–35 | $0.00 | $484.29 | $1,799.83 | $15,980.49 |
| 2035–36 | $0.00 | $447.45 | $1,853.82 | $14,574.12 |
| 2036–37 | $0.00 | $408.08 | $1,909.44 | $13,072.76 |
| 2037–38 | $0.00 | $366.04 | $1,966.72 | $11,472.08 |
| 2038–39 | $0.00 | $321.22 | $2,025.72 | $9,767.58 |
| 2039–40 | $0.00 | $273.49 | $2,086.49 | $7,954.58 |
| 2040–41 | $0.00 | $222.73 | $2,149.09 | $6,028.22 |
| 2041–42 | $0.00 | $168.79 | $2,213.56 | $3,983.45 |
| 2042–43 | $0.00 | $111.54 | $2,279.97 | $1,815.02 |
| 2043–44 | $0.00 | $50.82 | $1,865.84 | $0.00 |
Annual repayment: a worked example
Take a salary of $80,000 and a balance of $25,000. The $1,000 standard deduction brings taxable income to $79,000.00, which is also the repayment income if there are no fringe benefits, salary-sacrificed super or investment losses to add. That is $9,472.00 over the $69,528 threshold, and 15% of it is $1,420.80.
With 2.8% indexation and a 3% pay rise each year, the projection clears the debt in about 18 years. Over that time $7,784.71 of indexation is added, so the total repaid is $32,784.71.
Indexation: how and when your debt rises
HELP debts don't charge interest, but they are indexed once a year on 1 June. Indexation applies to the part of the debt that has been owing for more than 11 months, at the lower of the Consumer Price Index and the Wage Price Index. The 2023 and 2024 rates were later lowered, and the ATO adjusted balances to match.
Because indexation is a percentage of the balance, it costs most in the early years when the debt is largest. If your compulsory repayment is smaller than the indexation, the balance grows even though you are repaying.
| Applied on | Indexation rate |
|---|---|
| 1 June 2026 | 2.8% |
| 1 June 2025 | 3.2% |
| 1 June 2024 | 4% (previously 4.7%) |
| 1 June 2023 | 3.2% (previously 7.1%) |
| 1 June 2022 | 3.9% |
| 1 June 2021 | 0.6% |
Source: Study and training loan indexation rates, ATO, last updated 17 April 2026. Earlier years are on the ATO page.
Separately, a one-off 20% reduction was applied to HELP balances as they stood on 1 June 2025, with that year’s indexation adjusted to suit. If you had a debt then, your balance today already includes the reduction. Source: Legislation reducing HELP debt by 20% and changes to repayment rates passed, Study Assist, Australian Government, published 31 July 2025.
Repayment thresholds 2026–27
Below $69,528 of repayment income nothing is due. Above it, a percentage of the income over each threshold is repaid, rising with income. From $186,051 the repayment is a flat 10% of all repayment income. Earlier years are on the tax rates page.
| Repayment income | Repayment |
|---|---|
| 0 – $69,528 | Nil |
| $69,529 – $129,717 | 15c for each $1 over $69,528 |
| $129,718 – $186,050 | $9,028 plus 17c for each $1 over $129,717 |
| $186,051 and over | 10% of your total repayment income |
Source: Study and training loan repayment thresholds and rates, ATO, last updated 30 June 2026.
Voluntary repayments
You can pay extra at any time through the ATO, on top of your compulsory repayments. On the default example, an extra $2,000 a year clears the debt about 10 years sooner and saves $5,007.84 of indexation.
Three things to know before paying extra:
- Voluntary repayments are not refundable, and they don't reduce the compulsory repayment for the year.
- To reduce indexation, the payment must be received and processed before 1 June, so leave time for it to clear.
- If you lodge your tax return before a voluntary repayment is credited, a compulsory repayment can still be assessed on the old balance.
Source: Voluntary repayments, ATO, last updated 10 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my HECS debt go up?
Indexation. Each 1 June the ATO increases the part of your debt that has been owing for more than 11 months, so it keeps its real value. On 1 June 2026 the rate was 2.8%, which added $700.00 to a $25,000 balance. Your compulsory repayment for the year usually isn't credited until your tax return is processed after 1 July, so for a few months the balance can sit higher than it was a year earlier.
When does HECS indexation apply?
Once a year, on 1 June. The rate is the lower of the change in the Consumer Price Index and the Wage Price Index. New debt from study in the last 11 months isn't indexed that year, and a voluntary repayment only reduces the indexed amount if the ATO has received and processed it before 1 June.
How much HECS do I repay on $80,000?
$1,420.80 for 2026–27. After the $1,000 standard deduction your repayment income is $79,000.00, and you repay 15% of the part above $69,528.
Is HECS taken out of my pay?
Yes, if you've told your employer about your debt on your tax file number declaration: they withhold an extra amount from each pay. That's only an estimate. Your actual compulsory repayment is worked out when you lodge your tax return, and the amount withheld is credited against it.