FAQ's - New Zealand Studies

What Is A Student Visa?

A Student Visa is:

• An endorsement you need in your passport to facilitate your travel to New Zealand for the purpose of study.
• An endorsement you need in your passport if you are in New Zealand and wish to travel overseas and return to New Zealand for the purpose of study.
• An endorsement showing you have permission to travel to New Zealand and may be granted a Student Permit when you arrive.
• Able to be issued for a single (one journey) or multiple (more than one journey) entry.

What Is A Student Permit?

A Student Permit is:

•  An endorsement in your passport, which allows you to study in New Zealand. It will state the expiry date and give the conditions of your permit.

The conditions of your Student Permit will include details about:

• Your course of study
• The education provider
• The location of the provider in New Zealand
• Any other restrictions (such as not being allowed to work).

Who Needs A Student Visa?

You will need to apply for a Student Visa if:

• You are outside of New Zealand, and are coming to New Zealand to study full time for longer than three months (Your spouse or partner and children who wish to accompany you may apply for a Visitor or Student Visa).

•  Potential students entering as visitors to New Zealand from visa free countries may apply for a Student Permit once an education provider has accepted them.

Who Needs A Student Permit?

You may apply for a Student Permit if:

• You are a visitor or a worker in New Zealand and wish to study full time.
• You need to extend your Student Permit for further study or training.
• Your spouse is in New Zealand on another type of temporary permit i.e., Work Permit.

•  You are a child and wish to study while your family is in New Zealand.

What Courses can I Study?

Your course of study, and education provider must be approved for foreign students.

The education provider will advise you if their courses are approved.

Can I Study Part-Time?

If you are a visitor or worker in New Zealand and wish to study part time, you may intimate the same to us by an email.

You will need to show evidence that you:

• Are enrolled in the course.
• Have paid the fees for non New Zealand students.
• Have paid the Variation of Conditions fee .

Students Undertaking Employment

You may apply for authority to work under the following circumstances:

• To fulfill course requirements.
• Up to 15 hours per week for tertiary students undertaking a long term course of study;.
• During the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
• On completing your course of study.
• As a postgraduate student.

Student Exchange Schemes

You may apply for a Student Visa to study in New Zealand as part of an approved exchange scheme.

These may be Government to Government, established formal exchanges or private exchanges for one off situations only.


Who Does Not Need A Permit Or Visa To Study In New Zealand?

You do not need a visa or permit to study in New Zealand if you are:

• A New Zealand citizen or a New Zealand Resident Permit holder.
• An Australian citizen or an Australian resident who holds a current Australian resident return visa.
• One of a group of people who are exempted from the requirement to hold a permit to be in New Zealand.
• Studying a course of not more than three months (while on a valid visitor permit).
• A holder of a Limited Purpose Permit granted for the express purpose of attending a course of study or training.
• A holder of another type of temporary permit of which you have varied the conditions of your permit to allow you to undertake your course of study or training.
• Undertaking any training (other than an apprenticeship or cadetship) provided by an employer as part of the normal conditions of employment.
• Undertaking a single course of study / training lasting not more than 3 calendar months.

How Do I Apply For A Student Visa Or Permit?

Student Visa and Permit requirements are found on the Application to Study in New Zealand form.

Do I Need A Medical Certificate?

You must be of an acceptable standard of health. This is to ensure that you are:

• Not likely to be a danger to public health.
• Not likely to be a burden on the health services.
• Fit for the purposes of entry.

If you intend to study a course which is 24 months or longer you will need to provide a medical and x-ray certificate . Your medical and x-ray certificate must not be more than three months old at the time your application submission.

If there is an indication of any medical condition which could mean and may not meet the provisions above, you may be required to provide a medical and x-ray certificate if the intention is to stay in New Zealand less than 24 months.

In some countries, the New Zealand Immigration Service selects medical panels of registered medical practitioners and/or radiologists. If you are resident in one of these countries, a panel member must complete your medical and x-ray certificate forms.


Do I Need a Police Certificate?

If you are 17 years of age and over and intend to stay in New Zealand for a total of more than two years, you must provide a police certificate to show you are of a good character. In order to prove you are of good character, you must supply the following:

• A police certificate from your country of citizenship.
• Police certificates from any country you have lived for five years or more since reaching the age of 17 years.

Your police certificate must not be more than six months old at the time when your application is lodged.


Medical Insurance

Most students are not entitled to publicly funded health services while in New Zealand unless they are a:

• Resident or citizen of Australia.
• National of the United Kingdom in New Zealand.
• Holder of a temporary permit that is valid for two years or more.

If you do not belong to one of these special categories and you receive medical treatment during your visit, you will be liable for the full costs of that treatment.

We strongly recommend that you have medical insurance for the duration of your stay in New Zealand.

Can I Be Refused A Visa Or Permit?

You can be refused a visa or permit if:

• You do not meet the entry requirements.
• You are not a genuine applicant for a study visa or permit.
• You are a person to whom Section 7 of the Immigration Act 1987 applies and you do not have an exemption.

Can my Visa or Permit be Revoked?

Student permits are issued to enable a person to undertake a particular course of study at a specified education provider. Failure to do this may constitute a breach of the permit conditions, in which case the permit may be revoked. Education providers wishing to report students who have breached these conditions can do so using the form provided.