All data can be found in an Excel download located on the student loan dataset page. Data is updated two months post the end of each quarter.
Datasets for student loan statistics
Repayment thresholds for New Zealand-based borrowers
New Zealand-based borrowers receiving salary or wages are required to repay 12 cents of every dollar earned over the pay period repayment threshold (e.g., $439 per week from 1 April 2023). The deductions are considered sufficient and do not result in additional repayments provided they are within a determined threshold. If significant under-deductions occur, the employer is required to make compulsory extra deductions. Past threshold amounts are in the student loan quarterly download above.
Borrowers who earn $500 or more of adjusted net income (income that's not salary and wages and adjustments), and whose total income including salary or wages is $500 or more than the annual repayment threshold, are required to make payments on this income.
Additional information on adjusted net income can be found on our Repaying my student loan when I am self-employed or earn other income page.
Repaying my student loan when I am self-employed or earn other income
This table shows the repayment threshold by year ending 31 March (the tax year).
| Tax year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Threshold | $20,020 | $20,280 | $21,268 | $22,828 | $24,128 |
Repayment thresholds for overseas-based borrowers
Information on the repayment thresholds for overseas-based borrowers can be found on our Repaying my student loan when I live overseas page.
Repaying my student loan when I live overseas
Student loan repayments
This graph shows the amount of loan repayments from employers, New Zealand-based borrowers and overseas-based borrowers as at the end of each quarter.
This graph has multiple vertical bars tracking the repayments received directly from New Zealand-based borrowers, overseas-based borrowers and through employer deductions. The vertical axis shows the repayments (millions). The horizontal axis shows quarterly data from December 2012 to 31 December 2023.
As at 31 December 2023:
- Repayments received directly from New Zealand-based student loan borrowers increased 20.7% from $41.8 million in December 2022 to $50.5 million in December 2023.
- Repayments from overseas-based student loan borrowers decreased 14.4% from $33.2 million in December 2022 to $28.5 million in December 2023.
- Repayments through employer deductions decreased 2.7% from $320.0 million in December 2022 to $311.4 million in December 2023.
- Total repayments for all borrowers decreased by 1.2% from $395.1 million in December 2022 to $390.3 million in December 2023.
Notes:
- The amount repaid includes all money received:
- directly from borrowers (voluntary payments, payments from borrowers with income other that salary and wages and overseas-based borrowers)
- from employers through deductions from salary or wage earners.
- In 2012/13 there was a spike in repayments directly from borrowers because of the ending of the voluntary repayment bonus in 2013.
- The way student loan salary and wage repayment obligations were calculated changed on 1 April 2012, so each payment was considered full and final except if there were significant over or under deductions. The final "square up" payment under the previous regime was February 2013.
- A borrower is any person who has drawn from the Student Loan Scheme and not yet repaid in full.
Percent of student loan borrowers that meet their obligations
This table shows the percent of student loan borrowers who have met their obligations against Inland Revenue’s performance target of 85%, as at the end of each quarter
| Borrowers meeting obligations | 31 December 2022 | 31 December 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand-based borrowers | 95.6% | 95.2% |
| Overseas-based borrowers | 23.5% | 26.5% |
| Total | 83.8% | 82.9% |
As at 31 December 2023:
- New Zealand-based borrowers meeting their obligations decreased 0.4 percentage points from 95.6% December 2022 to 95.2% in December 2023.
- Overseas-based borrowers meeting their obligations increased 3.0 percentage points from 23.5% in December 2022 to 26.5% in December 2023.
- All borrowers meeting their obligations decreased 0.9 percentage points from 83.8% in December 2022 to 82.9% in December 2023 (against Inland Revenue’s performance target of 85%).
Notes:
- To be considered compliant borrowers must have met their repayment obligations. For borrowers who do not have payments made through their employers, they will meet their obligations if they pay their assessment by the due date. For borrowers who have repayments through their employers, each payment is considered full and final unless their payment resulted in a significant over or under deduction.
- A borrower is any person who has drawn from the Student Loan Scheme and not yet repaid in full.