Planning to Study in New Zealand?
If you want to study in New Zealand for more than three months, you will generally need a student visa and an offer of place from an approved New Zealand education provider.
The right student visa depends on what you plan to study, how long you will be studying, how your course is funded and your individual circumstances.
VisaMaxNZ can help you understand which student visa may apply, what evidence you need and how your study plans may affect your wider immigration options.
Which Student Visa May Apply to You?
New Zealand has several student visa options available. The visa that applies to you will depend on your course, education provider and circumstances.
Fee Paying Student Visa
It allows eligible students to study full-time with an approved education provider in New Zealand.
You will generally need an offer of place, evidence that you can pay your tuition fees and enough money to support yourself while studying.
Depending on your course and visa conditions, you may also be able to work while studying.
English Language Student Visa
You will generally need an offer of place, enough money for your course and living costs, and appropriate medical and travel insurance.
Depending on your course and visa conditions, you may also have work rights while studying.
Pathway Student Visa
For example, your study pathway could move from English language study into a higher-level qualification, or from secondary school into tertiary study.
You must have an approved study pathway from a participating pathway education provider and meet the requirements for each stage of your study plan.
The Pathway Student Visa can be useful if you already know that your study plans involve more than one programme and want a clearer pathway from one stage of study to the next.
Other Student Visa Options
These can include visas for approved exchange students, students supported by foreign governments or New Zealand Government scholarships, and dependent children who meet the relevant requirements.
VisaMaxNZ can help you understand whether one of these options is relevant to your circumstances.
What Do You Generally Need for a Student Visa?
The exact requirements depend on the student visa you are applying for, but Immigration New Zealand may ask for evidence covering several key areas.
For some student visas, specific financial requirements also apply depending on the length and type of study.
VisaMaxNZ can help you understand what evidence applies to your application and how it should be presented.
This can include:
An offer of place from an approved education provider
Evidence that you can pay your tuition fees
Evidence that you have enough money to support yourself while studying
Medical and travel insurance
Evidence of your health and character where required
Evidence that your reason for studying in New Zealand is genuine
Evidence that you can leave New Zealand at the end of your stay
Can You Work While Studying?
Some student visas allow you to work while studying.
Eligible student visa holders may be able to work part-time during their studies and full-time during scheduled holidays, depending on the qualification, course and conditions attached to their visa.
Pathway Student Visa holders may also have work rights depending on the programmes included in their study pathway.
Your work conditions will be recorded on your visa, so it is important to understand what applies before starting employment.
If working in New Zealand is part of your longer-term plan, our New Zealand Work Visas page explains some of the visa options that may become relevant later.
Can Your Partner or Children Come With You?
Your partner and dependent children cannot usually be included in your student visa application itself, but they may be able to apply for separate visas based on their relationship to you.
What they may qualify for depends on the student visa you hold, the qualification you are studying and your individual circumstances.
Talk To Us About Your Family's Visa OptionsFor example, some partners may qualify for a visitor visa or work visa, while dependent children may qualify for visitor or student visas in certain situations.
If your family plans to come to New Zealand with you, it is worth considering their options before you commit to a study pathway.
What Happens After You Finish Studying?
Your options after study will depend on the qualification you complete and the immigration settings that apply at the time.
Some graduates may be eligible for a Post Study Work Visa, while others may move into a different work or residence pathway depending on their employment, qualifications and individual circumstances.
If your goal is to work in New Zealand after study, our New Zealand Work Visas page explains some of the pathways that may apply.
Depending on your employment, skills and circumstances, you may also eventually consider a residence pathway such as the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa.
Thinking about these possibilities before choosing your course can help you understand how your study plans may fit into a longer-term immigration pathway.
Choosing the Right Study Pathway Matters
A student visa application is not only about getting permission to study.
Your course, qualification level, education provider, finances and longer-term plans can all affect which visa options may be available to you and your family.
This is particularly important if you are considering a multi-stage study plan, hoping to work while studying or thinking about what may happen after graduation.
VisaMaxNZ can help you look at the wider picture before you commit to a study pathway. You can also explore our wider visa and immigration services to understand the other pathways we can help with.
How VisaMaxNZ Can Help
Student visa applications can involve more than choosing a course and completing a form.
We look at your study plans alongside your wider circumstances so you understand what you are applying for and what it may mean for you later.
VisaMaxNZ can help with:
Identifying the correct accreditation type
Preparing or renewing your accreditation application
Reviewing business information and supporting evidence
Explaining advertising and recruitment requirements
Preparing job check applications
Supporting AEWV applications
Advising when your business or hiring plans change
Helping you understand your ongoing accreditation obligations
Studying in New Zealand From Sri Lanka?
VisaMaxNZ also has dedicated information for Sri Lankan Students planning to study in New Zealand.
This covers some of the questions and considerations specifically relevant to Sri Lankan students looking at study opportunities in New Zealand.
Choosing a New Zealand Education Provider
New Zealand has a wide range of universities, institutes, schools and private education providers offering programmes to international students.
To apply for a student visa, you will generally need an offer of place from an education provider that meets New Zealand’s requirements for international students.
If you are considering a Pathway Student Visa, your study pathway must be offered by one or more participating Pathway Student Visa education providers.
