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Estimate your monthly education loan payment and total interest, and see how the balance falls over the loan term. Enter your numbers and press Calculate.
Written by TopicDrill Editorial Team·Updated June 2026
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Your education loan is repaid in equal monthly installments, or EMIs. Each EMI covers the interest charged that month plus a slice of the principal. Early payments are mostly interest, so the balance falls slowly at first and faster later, which is why the chart above curves downward.
Three inputs drive the result: the loan amount, the annual interest rate and the term in years. A lower rate or a shorter term reduces the total interest you pay, while a longer term lowers the monthly EMI but raises the lifetime cost of the loan.
Borrow $40,000 at 7% over 10 years. The monthly EMI is about $464, and you repay roughly $55,750 in total, of which around $15,750 is interest. Repaying over 8 years instead would raise the EMI but cut the total interest noticeably.
This is an estimate. Your real rate and any grace period depend on the lender and the type of loan. For official guidance on student borrowing in the United States, see Federal Student Aid. You can also compare repayment plans with our other free calculators.
The equated monthly installment uses EMI = P·r(1+r)^n / ((1+r)^n − 1), where P is the loan amount, r is the monthly interest rate and n is the number of monthly payments. The same payment is made every month, but the split between interest and principal shifts over time.
Many education loans have a moratorium or grace period while you study, but interest often still accrues during that time. If it is not paid, it can be added to your balance when repayment starts, which increases your EMI. Check your loan terms carefully.
Yes. Paying interest during the study period, choosing a shorter term or making extra payments toward principal all lower the total interest. A shorter term raises the monthly EMI but cuts the overall cost of the loan.
In some countries a portion of student loan interest is tax deductible up to a limit. Rules change often and depend on income, so confirm the current details with an official tax authority or a qualified tax adviser before relying on a deduction.

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