THE NUMBERS, EXPLAINED
How to use this calculator.
Each study year’s cost grows separately. This estimates the funding target, without assuming investment returns.
Start with your inputs
Enter current annual study cost (£), cost growth (%), years until start, years of study, already saved (£). Keep amounts in the units shown on each field. The example is a starting point, not a recommended value.
| Input | Example value |
|---|---|
| Current annual study cost (£) | 10000 |
| Cost growth (%) | 0 |
| Years until start | 5 |
| Years of study | 3 |
| Already saved (£) | 0 |
A worked example
With the example inputs above, estimated total future cost (£) is 30,000. Change the inputs to explore your own scenario.
| Result | Example answer |
|---|---|
| Estimated total future cost (£) | 30,000 |
| Gap before investment returns (£) | 30,000 |
How this is calculated
Estimated total future cost (£)
For each study year i from 0 through d−1, calculate a × (1+b/100)^(c+i). Add those annual costs.
Gap before investment returns (£)
max(0, estimated total future cost − e).
Symbols and units
- a
- Current annual study cost (£)
- b
- Cost growth (%)
- c
- Years until start
- d
- Years of study
- e
- Already saved (£)
Use the units shown. A list keeps the order in which you enter its values. The symbol ^ means “raised to the power of”.
Assumptions and limits
Each study year’s cost grows separately. This estimates the funding target, without assuming investment returns.
Calculations use the values you enter. Blank or invalid inputs show an error instead of silently substituting zero. Results are displayed to useful precision; calculations retain the underlying numeric precision.
Questions about this tool
What does the result tell me?
Estimated total future cost (£); Gap before investment returns (£). The result applies to the method and inputs described above. Check the units and assumptions before using it in a decision.
Why might another calculator differ?
Differences in units, rounding, timing or model definitions can produce different answers. Compare the input definitions and the method, rather than only the final number. For this tool: Each study year’s cost grows separately. This estimates the funding target, without assuming investment returns.
Are my inputs stored or sent to AI?
Calculations on this page happen in your browser. The separate AI question finder sends its submitted conversation to OpenAI; these calculator fields are not sent. Favourites and recent tool names are stored locally. A shared link contains the inputs you choose to include.
Further reading
Investor.gov: financial planning tools ↗
Background reading; this does not imply endorsement or independent review of SumFizz.
Review status
Software example and browser checks are recorded in our quality report. No external expert review is claimed. Created with coding assistance; calculations run as ordinary browser code.
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