Your student loan is the biggest number on the page, and every debt-relief guide you read seems to skip it.
Short answer: No. A student loan cannot be written off through a DRO, an IVA or bankruptcy, according to GOV.UK, Shelter and the explanatory notes to the law. The useful part is that a student loan is left out of the £50,000 DRO debt limit, so your other debts are assessed on their own. Free help: StepChange, 0800 138 1111.
What each route does with a student loan
| Route | Student loan | Source |
|---|---|---|
| DRO | Excluded, not written off, does not count towards the £50,000 limit | Shelter |
| IVA | Same treatment as bankruptcy, so the debt is not reduced | legislation.gov.uk |
| Bankruptcy | Still liable after discharge; repayments tied to income | legislation.gov.uk |
The sum most guides skip
Our own illustration, not a quote: suppose you owe £45,000 of student loan and £8,000 of credit card and overdraft debt. The two together are £53,000, which would be over the £50,000 DRO limit. But because the student loan is excluded from the limit, only the £8,000 counts, and £8,000 is under £50,000. DRO eligibility also depends on the other tests, so this only settles the debt-limit part.
What this means for you
- Your student loan carries on whichever formal option you choose, so budget for it.
- Ask an approved adviser which of your other debts a DRO or IVA could cover (GOV.UK).
- If your other debts are small, look at whether a debt management plan fits better. Our debt management plan guide explains how that works.
- If a collector is chasing the other debts, see our guide on ignoring debt collectors.
Common worries, answered plainly
Can my student loan go into a DRO?
No. GOV.UK lists student loans among the debts you will still have to pay under a DRO (GOV.UK). Shelter lists them as an excluded debt that is not written off at the end of the DRO (Shelter).
Does my student loan count towards the DRO debt limit?
Shelter says excluded debts, including student loans, do not count towards the £50,000 qualifying debt limit (Shelter). GOV.UK gives the limit as under £50,000, raised from £30,000 on 28 June 2024 (GOV.UK).
Can a student loan be included in an IVA?
The explanatory notes to section 257 of the 2009 Act on legislation.gov.uk say loans under the 1998 Act get the same treatment in an IVA as in bankruptcy, so an IVA does not reduce the debt (legislation.gov.uk). StepChange’s IVA page does not mention student loans and says your insolvency practitioner confirms which debts can be included (StepChange).
Is a student loan written off in bankruptcy?
No. The same explanatory notes say that on discharge from bankruptcy the borrower remains liable to repay an income-contingent student loan, and that repayments are tied to income (legislation.gov.uk).
Do my repayments carry on during a DRO or IVA?
An independent site, Student Loan Calculator UK, says repayments continue through PAYE if your income is above the threshold and pause automatically when it falls below, and that in an IVA the payment is calculated after the student loan deduction (Student Loan Calculator UK). That is a secondary source, so confirm with your adviser.
What debts does a DRO write off, then?
GOV.UK says once a DRO is approved you stop paying the debts it covers, and it normally lasts 12 months (GOV.UK). Your adviser will check which of your debts qualify.
Can I get a DRO if I have a student loan and other debts?
Possibly. GOV.UK lists the tests: under £50,000 of debt, savings or valuable items under £2,000, a vehicle worth under £4,000, no spare money after essentials to repay debts, and England and Wales residence or work in the last three years (GOV.UK). Our own example in the body shows how the student loan is left out of the debt total.
Where can I get free help?
StepChange offers free debt advice on 0800 138 1111. GOV.UK says advice from an approved debt adviser for a DRO is free (GOV.UK).
Disclaimer: DebtShift is an educational platform operated by H Ali Logistics Ltd, which is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This article is general education, not financial or legal advice. For free, impartial debt advice, contact StepChange on 0800 138 1111.
Sources
- GOV.UK, How to get a debt relief order (DRO)
- Shelter England, Qualifying debts in a DRO (last updated 1 May 2026)
- legislation.gov.uk, Explanatory notes to section 257, 2009 c. 22
- StepChange, IVA
- Student Loan Calculator UK, Bankruptcy and student loans (independent site, secondary)
- StepChange
Last reviewed October 2026
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