New Zealand Study Visa

Apply and renew student visa in NZ

Need a Kiwi student visa? Find out all you need to know about a NZ student visa, from eligibility criteria to the benefits for you.

There are different student visas in NZ, and the most common one used for international students is the student visa.

• student and trainee work visa
• pathway student visa
• Exchange student visa
• fee paying student visa
• MFAT funded NZ scholarship student visa
• foreign government supported student visa
• vocational trainee student visa

While the terms and conditions are different for each visa, they all enable you to:

• take part in a degree or course with an eligible institution
• include your partner and dependent family members in your application
• apply online in or outside New Zealand
• some visas allow you to work limited hours while you study

• you must provide proof of your identity using a valid passport or certificate of identity
• you must be in good health, with a chest x-ray and medical exam as proof of health
• you must meet character requirements, providing police certificate/s from countries you have lived in as proof
• you need to have an offer from an approved education provider with a confirmation of enrolment as proof. This needs to include the following information:
  • the name of your course
  • the length of your course
  • if study is full or part time
  • whether study is distance, correspondence, or in person
  • the dates of scheduled holidays
  • if you are a minor, proof that accommodation meets the standards required for international students
• you must have enough money to pay tuition fees and living expenses (estimated at NZ$1,250 per month at least). You need to provide evidence to support this, which could include bank statements, a letter advising of scholarship payment, loan confirmation, or fee waiver from your institution
• you must have full travel and medical insurance for the duration of your stay
• you must have proof of onward travel at the end of your visa
• you must genuinely intend to meet your visa conditions, which is judged based on your application and circumstances

• you must attend your course and make satisfactory progress
• you must leave NZ before your visa expires
• if you are under 18, your parent/ legal guardian must live with you and not leave NZ without you
• you must maintain your medical/ travel insurance
• you must notify NZ immigration of any changes to your circumstances
• you must provide fingerprints and photograph upon arrival into NZ