Offering a place to international students
Anyone wanting to study a course that’s longer than 3 months in total duration must apply for a student visa. To meet the criteria for a student visa, most applicants will need to provide an offer of place from a New Zealand education provider.
Studying a short course (3 months or less)
Students wanting to study one or more short courses, approved or exempted by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), for up to 3 months in total don’t need a student visa. These students will not require an offer of place.
School-age visitor visa holders can attend primary, secondary or intermediate school for a single period of study for up to 3 months per calendar year. However, they can’t study in term 1 of a school year if they took a single period of study in term 4 of the previous year. Also, if attending for more than 2 weeks, or paying fees to attend, they must enrol at a school that is a signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students. School age visitor visa holders, studying up to 3 months, do not need an offer of place.
Studying a longer course for more than 3 months
Any student wanting to study in New Zealand for more than 3 months requires a student visa. School-age students can attend schools that are accredited by the Ministry of Education to offer education to international students.
Accredited state and integrated primary and secondary schools must place New Zealand domestic and MFAT-funded NZ scholarship students first. If they still have places available after this, they can offer places to full fee paying international students.
Private primary and secondary schools can offer places equally to New Zealand domestic and international students.
Courses offered mainly for international students must be approved by the NZQA. Education providers must register with the NZQA to offer an approved course. All schools offering courses for more than 3 months must have signed the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students.
Private Training Establishments must be registered with, and accredited by, the NZQA to offer courses to international students. They must also offer approved courses.
Universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and wānanga must be accredited to offer courses to international students. They can only offer courses to international students where this doesn’t deprive a New Zealand or NZAP student from gaining a place.
Student requirements
Overseas students must meet certain criteria, as well as ongoing conditions, to get a visa to study in New Zealand. Education providers have an important role to play as part of a student’s application process. Students require an offer of place from a New Zealand education provider, as well as evidence they have accommodation arranged through the provider, if applicable.
Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students
Check a visa’s criteria and conditions
There are also different criteria and conditions to meet depending on the type of visa applied for. You can familiarise yourself with our various visas as well as search for a particular visa and its conditions on our site.