Loans & Allowances

New Zealand students can apply for a government funded student loan to cover tuition fees and course-related costs, and a student allowance to cover living costs

Permanent residents and Australian citizens will be subject to a three year stand-down before they can receive a student loan or student allowance. This means they need to have lived in New Zealand for at least three years and be ordinarily resident in New Zealand. Permanent residents also need to have held permanent residence status for at least three years.

Other international students are not eligible to access any New Zealand government funded loans or allowances.

A student loan is repayable once a salary threshold is reached. The student loan does not accrue interest while a person remains in full-time study or if they secure employment within New Zealand.


For further information about New Zealand government funded student loans and allowances please visit StudyLink