Everyone from overseas that wants to study in New Zealand must meet certain rules and requirements. If you are coming to New Zealand to study for more than three months, you will need a New Zealand student visa or permit.
To get a student visa or permit you must be able to meet your living costs during your stay.
- enough money held in New Zealand by you, or on your behalf,
- an undertaking by another person to cover your accommodation and living costs (this will need to be sited before you leave for New Zealand),
- an undertaking by a New Zealand sponsor to cover your accommodation and living costs, or
- financial assistance available to you under aid programmes operated in New Zealand by a government agency.
Degrees Ahead can assist throughout the process - we offer a completely free
consultancy service.
Courses less than nine months
If your intended course of study lasts less than nine months you’ll need to show you have access to:
- NZ$1000 for each month of your stay,
- NZ$400 for each month, if your accommodation is already paid for (you will need to show that you’ve paid), or
- a letter from your education provider saying that your accommodation and other living costs are included in the package you’ve already paid for.
Courses more than nine months
If the course you intend to study lasts more than nine months you’ll need to show you have access to:
- NZ$10,000 per year to cover your costs during your stay in New Zealand, or
Evidence of funds may be in the form of cash, travellers' cheques, bank drafts, or a recognised credit card with enough credit.
Degrees Ahead can assist throughout the process - we offer a completely free consultancy service.
Permit requirements
Once you have a student permit, you must meet certain conditions during your stay:
- You must attend the place of NZ study noted in your permit. However, you can apply to change your course or institution.
- You must be able to show that you are passing your course.
- You may only undertake work allowed by your student permit.
- You must obey New Zealand’s laws.
- You must only stay in New Zealand for the time allowed by your permit.
If you break any of these conditions your permit may be revoked.
Degrees Ahead can assist throughout the process - we offer a completey free consultancy service.
Working while studying
You can work part time while studying full time, under certain circumstances:
- to meet course requirements for practical work experience, or
- during the Christmas and New Year holiday period if you are in a full-time course of study lasting 12 months or longer, and/or
- for up to 20 hours in any given week during the academic year if you are in full-time study:
- at a private training establishment or tertiary institution and taking at least two academic years to complete, or
- culminating in a New Zealand qualification that would qualify for points under the Skilled Migrant Category,
- in a full-time study course lasting at least six months, at a private training establishment or tertiary institution. Your visa or immigration officer has to be satisfied that the main purpose of your course of study is to develop English language skills, and, you have an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) overall band score of 5.0 or above (General or Academic Module), or
- at a tertiary level of at least one academic year duration as part of an approved tertiary student exchange scheme.
- Please visit www.immigration.govt.nz for further information on Student Visas
Degrees Ahead can assist throughout the process - we offer a completely free consultancy service.
