If a student is coming to New Zealand to study for a course lasting longer than three months, they will probably need to apply for a student visa. 

If they’re taking one course only for less than three months, they can apply for a visitor visa instead.

A student visa gives the student permission to stay in New Zealand temporarily to study. It states the date the visa will expire, the institution at which they are permitted to study and any other conditions of their visa.  If granted multiple travel conditions, the visa will also allow the student to re-enter New Zealand as many times as they like until the travel conditions expire.  In most cases the visa expiry and the expiry date travel will be the same date.

Want to know more about applying for a student visa? 

First, read each of the following sections to help answer some of the questions your overseas students may ask when applying for a visa.