The Fee Paying Student Visa is for students accepted by an approved New Zealand education provider who can show tuition and living-cost funding.
Route overview
Fee Paying Student Visa
Typical timeline / duration: Study full-time up to 4 years on Fee Paying Student Visa.
Important notes
Provide an offer of place or confirmation of enrolment from an approved New Zealand education provider, showing the course, length, study format, and scheduled holidays.
Show that tuition has been paid, can be paid, or is covered by a scholarship; the evidence normally covers one course or one year, whichever is shorter.
Show living funds: NZD 20,000 per year or NZD 1,667 per month for tertiary, English-language, or other non-compulsory study; NZD 17,000 per year or NZD 1,417 per month for compulsory education.
Meet the health, character, genuine-study, onward-travel, and medical/travel-insurance requirements, providing X-ray, medical, or police evidence where required.
You must be in good health; depending on the length of stay, nationality, and travel history, Immigration New Zealand may require a chest X-ray, medical examination, or both.
You must be of good character. Applicants aged 17 or older who will spend 24 months or more in New Zealand will generally need police certificates from the relevant countries, if required by the application rules.
You must show a genuine intention to study and evidence that you can leave New Zealand at the end of the stay, such as an onward ticket or funds to buy one.
Work rights are written into the individual visa conditions: where granted, students can generally work up to 25 hours a week during study and full-time in scheduled holidays. Students aged 15 or younger cannot work; 16- and 17-year-olds generally need parent or guardian and provider permission.
Practical work experience required by the course can be additional to the visa work limit, but if work is your main activity you need a work visa.
Preparation checklist
Passport, identity documents, photograph, and online application
Offer of place or confirmation of enrolment from the approved provider
Tuition receipt, scholarship, or evidence that tuition can be paid
Living-cost funds, sponsor evidence, or Financial Undertaking for a Student
Medical and travel insurance, plus X-ray, medical, and police evidence where required
Onward ticket or evidence of funds to buy one
Course holiday details and work-permission evidence where full-time holiday work is requested