See how it works
Education goal calculator
Find out how much to invest to pay for your child's college.
Change a number and watch what happens. This is a teaching tool: the answer is an illustration, not a promise.
How it works, with an example
Ravi's story
Meet Ravi. He wants to pay for a 25 lakh college course that starts in 12 years.
But there is a catch. College fees rise every year (inflation). In 12 years the same course costs ₹78,46,071.
So Ravi starts a SIP of ₹28,383 every month. If he has a lump of money instead, ₹25,00,000 once today (lumpsum) does the same job.
Ravi's money grows about 10% a year, and earns about ₹37,58,953 extra, so less has to come out of his own pocket.
Now it is your turn. Change the numbers below to see your own plan.
- Ravi puts in
- ₹40,87,118
- His money earns
- ₹37,58,953
- Worth at the end
- ₹78,46,071
Your answer
To pay for a course that costs ₹25,00,000 today, in 2038 (it will cost ₹78,46,071), invest:
Every month (SIP)
₹28,383
for 12 years
Worked out at an assumed return of 10% a year
- Price today
- ₹25,00,000
- Time to go
- 12 years
- Price rise
- 10% a year
- Assumed return
- 10% a year
How much you gain with the monthly plan
- Total you invest₹40,87,118
- Profit you earn₹37,58,953
| After | Total invested | Total value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | ₹3,40,593 | ₹3,56,646 |
| 3 years | ₹10,21,779 | ₹11,85,884 |
| 6 years | ₹20,43,559 | ₹27,84,670 |
| 9 years | ₹30,65,338 | ₹49,40,125 |
| 12 years | ₹40,87,118 | ₹78,46,071 |
Start 1 year late and you will need ₹32,848 a month, which is ₹4,465 more. Starting early costs less.
Illustration only. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully. Past performance is not indicative of future returns.
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Free. 30 minutes. No obligation. No pressure to invest. Your result goes into the message.
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The answer updates as you type. Open the report to see the full plan and download it as a PDF. The result is an illustration, not a promise.
Your numbers
College fees rise faster than most things. Usually 8% to 10%.
A made-up rate for illustration, not a forecast. Real returns can be lower, or negative.
We assume it grows at the same return.
Common questions
A SIP means you put a fixed amount into a mutual fund on the same date every month. A mutual fund is a pot of money from many people, invested by experts. In the example, Ravi invests ₹28,383 every month for 12 years.
Choose every month (SIP) if you earn a monthly income and do not have a big amount ready. Choose once today (lumpsum) if you already have ₹25,00,000 to spare and can leave it untouched for 12 years. Both plans aim for the same ₹78,46,071.
Prices of most things go up every year, and this is called inflation. Here, the price rises 10% each year, so something that costs ₹25,00,000 today costs about ₹78,46,071 in 12 years. The calculator plans for that higher price.
Enter a yearly growth rate to see an illustration. The rate is an assumption, not a forecast, and real returns can be lower or negative. The calculator stops at 12% because a very high return is risky to rely on; try a lower number too, to see a more cautious case.
No. Mutual fund returns are not guaranteed, and the value of your investment can go up or down with the market. Read all scheme related documents carefully and consider your own situation before you invest.
Invest what you can and add more when you can. A smaller amount means you may fall short of ₹78,46,071, so you can give yourself more years, choose a course that costs less, or invest a larger amount later. Change the numbers above to see the effect.