Student Visa for New Zealand

Student Visa Requirements

To get the student visa, you need to have an offer from an education provider in New Zealand which must include:-

• The name of the course and the minimum time that is required to finish it
• Proof that the course and the course provider meet the New Zealand requirements for international students
• Amount of the fee for the course, or if the course is more than a year, the yearly fee
• If you are required to pay fees for the course

Primary and Secondary Schools

• The schools that are accredited by New Zealand's Ministry of Education can offer places to full fee-paying international students after all domestic and NZAID scholarship students have been placed.
• Private schools can offer places to international students provided they are recognised by the Ministry of Education.

Tertiary Education Providers

• PTE's (Private Training Establishments) can offer courses that are longer than three months and that registered with NZQA.
• Universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and wananga (teaching and research institutions that further knowledge of Maori tradition and custom) can offer courses longer than three months and registered with the NZQA, but the enrolment must not prevent a New Zealand student or an NZAID student from gaining a place at the same institution.

Important Requirements

If you are a student under 13 years of age or you may be enrolled in years 1 to 8 of a school you will have to be accompanied by a guardian. You also to have to meet the health and character requirements and prove to the government that your intension's are genuine. People who may have committed crimes will be not allowed to enter New Zealand. Your passport must be valid for at least three months past the end of your stay.

One of the most important things is to prove that you can meet the living costs when you stay. Evidence may include: enough money held in New Zealand, an undertaking by another person to cover accommodation and living costs, any financial assistance available under aid programmes or an undertaking by a New Zealand sponsor to cover accommodation and living costs.

• If the course is less than nine months, you need to show that you have access to NZ$1000 for each month, NZ$400 if accommodation is already paid for or a letter from the education provider saying that everything is paid for.
  
• If the course is more than nine months you must show that you have access to NZ$10,000 a year to cover costs, or if you are a citizen of Samoa or Tonga, a written guarantee from a relative who is a New Zealand citizen that will cover your costs.

Evidence can include cash, traveler's cheques, bank drafts or a credit card with enough credit.

When you leave New Zealand, you need to have proof that you will be leaving, for example travel tickets out of New Zealand to a country you are allowed to enter, or evidence of enough money held in New Zealand, additional to funds you will need for living expenses.

Permit Requirements

Once you have gained a student visa, you must meet certain requirements when you are staying in New Zealand:-

• You must be attending the place of study stated in your permit, you can apply to change the course or institution if needed
• If you are accompanied by a guardian, you must live with that person
• You must show proof that you are passing your course
• You are only allowed to partake in work allowed by the permit
• You must obey the New Zealand laws
• You must stay in New Zealand ONLY for the time allowed by your permit