How to use the child education planner
- Enter your child's age and the age college will start.
- Pick a course to load an example cost, then replace it with the actual fees you expect, at today's prices.
- Set education inflation (10% is the default) and the return you expect on your investments.
- Add anything you have already saved, and try a yearly step-up.
- For a daughter, compare the plan with a Sukanya Samriddhi account.
How the plan is worked out
Future cost = cost today × (1 + education inflation)years
- Gap = future cost − your existing savings grown at the expected return.
- Monthly SIP = gap ÷ what ₹1 a month grows to by then, with monthly compounding.
- Lumpsum = gap ÷ (1 + return)years.
Example courses for a 5-year-old
| Course | Example cost today | Starts at age | Future cost | Monthly SIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering | ₹15 L | 18 | ₹51.78 L | ₹13,775 |
| MBA | ₹25 L | 22 | ₹1.26 Cr | ₹18,919 |
| Medical | ₹75 L | 18 | ₹2.59 Cr | ₹68,874 |
| Study abroad | ₹50 L | 22 | ₹2.53 Cr | ₹37,837 |
Example costs only, not fee quotes. 10% education inflation, 12% return, nothing saved yet.
Starting early makes it far cheaper
| Child's age now | Future cost | Flat SIP | SIP with 10% step-up | Lumpsum today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | ₹83.4 L | ₹10,896 | ₹5,786 | ₹10.85 L |
| 3 | ₹62.66 L | ₹12,418 | ₹7,216 | ₹11.45 L |
| 6 | ₹47.08 L | ₹14,609 | ₹9,370 | ₹12.08 L |
| 9 | ₹35.37 L | ₹18,155 | ₹12,972 | ₹12.75 L |
| 12 | ₹26.57 L | ₹25,127 | ₹20,197 | ₹13.46 L |
A ₹15 L course today, starting at 18. Raise the SIP with each pay rise using the step-up SIP calculator.
Sukanya Samriddhi for a girl child
- Open before your daughter turns 10, at a post office or bank. Deposit ₹250 to ₹1.5 lakh a year for 15 years.
- Interest is 8.2% a year for October–December 2026, set every quarter by the government, and is tax-free.
- Up to 50% of the balance can be withdrawn from age 18 for higher education; the account matures 21 years after opening.
Work out the maturity value on the Sukanya Samriddhi calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much will my child's education cost in future?
Multiply today's cost by (1 + education inflation) for each year until college. A course costing ₹15 L today will cost about ₹51.78 L in 13 years if fees rise 10% a year.
What inflation rate should I use for education?
There is no official education inflation figure for college fees. Private school and college fees in India have often risen faster than general inflation, so many planners use 8–10%, and more for professional courses. The calculator defaults to 10% as an assumption; change it to suit the course.
How much SIP do I need for my child's education?
For the example above, with your child aged 5, a 12% return and nothing saved yet, you would need a SIP of about ₹13,775 a month, or a lumpsum of ₹11.87 L today.
Is Sukanya Samriddhi good for a daughter's education?
Sukanya Samriddhi pays 8.2% (October–December 2026), backed by the government, with tax-free interest and maturity. You can deposit up to ₹1.5 lakh a year for 15 years. From age 18, up to 50% of the balance can be withdrawn for education; the rest matures 21 years after opening. Investing ₹1.5 lakh a year from birth gives about ₹56.7 L by 18, so half of it is available for college.
Are the course costs on this page real fees?
No. They are rough examples to start from. Fees differ widely between government and private colleges, states, quotas and countries, and change every year. Look up the current fees of the colleges you are considering and enter your own figure.
Should I take an education loan instead?
An education loan can fill a gap, and interest on it qualifies for a deduction in the old tax regime for up to 8 years. But saving early is usually cheaper: the earlier you start, the more of the cost compounding pays for.