Student Visas for New Zealand Guideline

Can I learn in New Zealand?

Everybody who comes to study in New Zealand from abroad must meet certain rules and requirements. If you are coming to New Zealand to study for more than three months, you will need a student visa or permit. In this section you can find out whether you need a visa or permit, whether you’ll qualify, and what a student visa or permit will allow you to do.

People who do not require a student visa or permit
You do not need a visa or permit if you are a citizen of New Zealand or Australia, you hold a New Zealand house permit, or you are an Australian resident with a current permanent resident return visa.

If the course you want to take runs for less than three months, and is NZQA approved, you don’t need a student visa, and can apply for a visitor visa.

The necessities for a student visa or permit
Before you apply, ensure that you understand the requirements that you need to meet, and the necessities that your course must meet.

Also see our examples to make sure you will be eligible for a visa or permit to study in New Zealand.

What a student visa or permit allows
Find out how long you can stay, whether you can work while studying, who we will refuse entry to, and answers to other questions about student visas and permits.

Apply
If you’re sure you need a student visa and/or permit, and you meet the requirements, find out how to apply.

Applying for a student visa
The application process below is for people who want to apply for a student visa or permit. This may include people who want to travel to New Zealand to study, people who want to stay temporarily in New Zealand to study, and people already here on another permit who want to study in New Zealand full time.

The application steps

Print and complete the form Application to Study in New Zealand (NZIS 1012) PDF. Also available is the Guide for Studying in New Zealand (NZIS 1013) PDF, which will assist you in applying. If you cannot print the form and guide, they are available from your nearest Immigration New Zealand branch.

Make sure you present everything we require, including the fee

Along with your completed (and signed) application form you will also need to provide all the information listed at the front of the application form and the correct fee. If you do not submit the required information with your application we cannot accept it for processing.

Make sure you meet our health and character requirements

What you have to provide us with depends on how long you will be staying in New Zealand.

Studying in New Zealand for between six months and two years?

You may also need to provide a completed Temporary Entry X-ray Certificate (NZIS 1096) PDF to show you have been screened for tuberculosis (TB).

Studying in New Zealand for more than two years?

You will need to complete a medical examination and a medical and X-ray certificate.

.For full details on our health requirements, see the Health Requirements Leaflet (NZIS 1121) PDF.

You will also have to provide a police certificate, less than six months old, from your country of citizenship and from any country in which you have lived for five or more years since reaching 17 years of age.

Lodge your application

If you are applying from outside of New Zealand, your application must be made and accepted before you are able to travel to New Zealand. Find out where to send your application.

Student applications may also be placed in the branch student drop box (Auckland Branches only) and will be forwarded to the Student Processing Unit in Palmerston North.

If your education provider is certified with Students Online you can make your application at your nearest certified educational institute.

Or you may want to change the conditions of your permit if you:

1 Are on another permit type and wish to study part time

2 Are on a student permit and want to change courses or course providers, or

3 Want to work while studying.