New ZealandStudy

Fee paying student visa in New Zealand

A visa for international students who pay for their own study in New Zealand — in full, with help from family, an education loan or a partial scholarship. It suits those who already have a place on a course with an approved educational institution and can evidence the money for tuition and living costs.

Source: Immigration New Zealand — Fee Paying Student Visa

Who can obtain the visa

The requirements are the same for everyone; what differs is how you evidence payment for the study and the money to live on.

General conditions

You have an offer of place on a course from an educational institution approved by New Zealand
Good health and good character, and a genuine intention to study
You have medical and travel insurance approved by the educational institution
You can show that you will leave New Zealand when the study ends

Payment for the tuition

You have paid the tuition yourself
The educational institution has confirmed that no payment is required
You have taken out an education loan at home for a bachelor's degree or above, and the educational institution has confirmed in writing that it is awaiting payment

Money for living costs

You have evidenced the required amount yourself — with a bank statement, a deposit, or a letter about a scholarship or loan
The costs are covered by a sponsor — an organisation, a relative or a friend
There is a guarantor who has signed a Financial Undertaking for a Student form and evidenced their own, not borrowed, funds

Special cases

You are renewing a student visa — you have to evidence academic progress and attendance on the previous course
The child is under 10 and is not living in accommodation approved by NZQA — a parent or legal guardian has to come and live with them

What it costs

Fee for lodging the application	850 NZD

Documents to gather

What has to be prepared for the application:

A passport or certificate of identity valid for at least 3 months after the date you leave New Zealand
An offer of place on the course with the educational institution's signed declaration — or confirmation of enrolment for current students
Evidence of payment of the tuition for 1 course or 1 year — whichever is shorter, or a statement that no payment is needed, or documents on the education loan
Evidence of money for living costs: bank statements, confirmation of a scholarship or deposit, or details of a sponsor or guarantor
Valid medical and travel insurance approved by the educational institution
A medical certificate and a chest x-ray — if the stay is longer than 6–12 months and your country requires it
Police certificates — if you are aged 17 and over and your total stay in New Zealand will be 24 months or more
Certified translations of documents that are not in English
Written permission to work from a parent or legal guardian and from the educational institution — for students aged 16–17
Documents evidencing guardianship — for children under 10 who are not living in accommodation approved by NZQA

How the process runs

How to lodge the application online:

1
Obtain a place on the course
Confirm the offer of place from an approved educational institution with the provider's signed declaration. Current students provide confirmation of enrolment instead.
2
Gather the documents
Prepare certified translations of non-English documents, evidence of payment for the tuition and of money for living costs, permission to work (where applicable), and where required medical certificates and police certificates, as well as guardianship documents.
3
Lodge the application and pay the fee
The application is lodged online only, through your account — paper applications for this visa are no longer accepted.
4
Wait for the decision
80% of applications — in 8.5 weeks
If your temporary visa expires while you are waiting, an Interim Visa is usually granted so that you can remain in the country lawfully.
5
Check the status and receive the visa
The status of the application is visible in your account. Once decided, an eVisa is issued and a copy is sent by email.

Timelines and rights

Work

Up to 25 hours a week during study and full-time in the holidays; the conditions depend on age and level of study. Students under 18 at secondary level and those aged 16–17 at tertiary level need the written consent of their parents and of the educational institution.

Who you can bring with you

A partner and children cannot be included in the same application — they need separate visas tied to your student visa.

Partner

Can obtain a Visitor Visa or a Partner of a Student Work Visa. The work visa is available only if you are studying at level 9–10 on the New Zealand qualifications framework, at level 7–8 from the Green List, at level 7 from the Post Study Work Visa list, or at level 7–8 from the long term skill shortage list — provided that study on it began before 7 September 2022

Children

Can obtain a visitor visa (Child of a Student Visitor Visa) or a student visa as dependants (Dependent Child Student Visa). A student visa for a child is available only if you are studying for a PhD at a New Zealand university or on a government or MFAT-funded scholarship, other than short-term programmes

Both

Partner and children's visas usually expire at the same time as your student visa

Renewal and the grace period

To apply for a new student visa as a current student, you have to evidence academic progress and attendance on the previous course — transcripts, attendance data, a letter from the educational institution. If the requirements have not been met, you have to explain why; genuine reasons for absence will be considered. On programmes at bachelor's level and above attendance data may not exist, but evidence of progress is still needed.

Frequently asked questions about Fee paying student visa

Who can obtain a fee paying student visa?

You need an offer of place on a course from an approved educational institution, money to pay for the tuition or a scholarship, sufficient funds for living costs or a sponsor, medical and travel insurance, good health and good character, and evidence that you will leave New Zealand when the study ends.

What does the visa cost and how much money has to be evidenced for living costs?

The fee for lodging the application is from NZD 850. For living costs you have to show NZD 20,000 for each year of study (or NZD 1,667 a month if the course is shorter than a year) for tertiary, language and other non-compulsory education, or NZD 17,000 a year (NZD 1,417 a month) for compulsory school education — Years 1–13.

How long does an application take and for how long is the visa granted?

80% of applications are assessed in 8.5 weeks. The visa is usually granted for the period of study paid for or until the passport expires — whichever is shorter, up to a maximum of 4 years.

Can you work while studying on this visa?

Yes, work of up to 25 hours a week during study and full-time in the holidays is allowed. Students aged 16–17 at tertiary level or in school years 12–13 need written permission from a parent or legal guardian and from the educational institution; from age 18 no permission is needed for the summer holidays, and students aged 15 and under may not work on this visa.

Can a partner and children be included in a student visa application?

No, a partner and children cannot be included in the same application. The partner applies for a visitor visa or, where your level of study allows, for a partner of a student work visa. Children apply for a visitor visa or, if you are studying for a PhD or on a government or MFAT scholarship, for a student visa as dependants. Those visas usually expire at the same time as your student visa.

How does this visa differ from the Pathway Student Visa?

The Fee Paying Student Visa is granted for a particular offer from one educational institution and for tuition paid for, for a maximum of 4 years. The Pathway Student Visa is a separate visa for those who want to take up to three courses in a row on a single permission, with a maximum validity of up to 5 years and a break between courses of up to 16 weeks.

Other ways to move to New Zealand

Every route in one list — migration programmes: New Zealand.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.