MFAT-funded NZ Scholarship Student Visa

If you are funded by a New Zealand scholarship administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) or Education New Zealand (ENZ) you can apply to study full time on this visa.

Length of stay
Up to

4 years

Cost
From
NZD $750
Processing time
80% within
2 weeks
With this visa you can
  • Study full-time at the course stated on your visa – this includes schools, tertiary (study after secondary school) and English language study.
  • Work part-time up to 20 hours a week while studying and full-time in the holidays, depending on your New Zealand Scholarship student scheme.
Things to note
  • You can't include your partner and dependent children in your application for a MFAT-funded NZ Scholarship Student Visa, but they can apply for their own visas based on their relationship to you.
  • Depending on your scholarship programme, your partner may be eligible for a work visa for the length of your MFAT-funded New Zealand scholarship.
  • Your dependent children will be eligible for student visas.
Apply early

The peak for student visa applications is from October to March. Make sure you get your application in at least 3 months before your intended travel date.

Apply early to get ahead of the student visa peak

What you need to apply

Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.

View All Evidence
Tip

Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave New Zealand.

  • 1 acceptable photo if you apply online, or 2 photos if you use a paper application form.
  • your passport or certificate of identity.

Acceptable photos

If you apply online, you must upload a copy of your passport when you apply. We will let you know if you need to send your passport after you have applied.

Providing your passport for online applications

If you submit a paper application, provide your original passport or a certified copy.  We can usually process your application faster if you provide your original passport.

Tips

You must also provide your Kartu Keluarga.

If you are not a French national, you must provide a copy of your carte d’assuré.

Even if your partner and children aren’t coming with you, please also provide:

  • copies of their passports
  • a copy of your livret de famille.

You must also provide a copy of your livret de famille.

Also provide a copy of your Identity card.

Also provide your:

  • Hukou (household registration book)
  • Chinese identity card.

If you are a citizen of China and you submit a paper application form in China, you must also complete a supplementary form.

Supplementary form for Chinese citizens (INZ 1027) PDF 338KB

If you are submitting a paper application form, you must provide a supplementary form for Hong Kong and Macao visitors, workers and students.

Supplementary form for Hong Kong and Macao visitors, workers and students (INZ 1220) PDF 240KB

We may ask you to have a chest X-ray, a medical examination or both as proof of your good health.

If you are staying less than:

  • 6 months you do not normally need a chest X-ray. 
  • 12 months you do not normally need a medical certificate. 

Who needs an X-ray or medical examination

When we process your application we let you know if we need you to have a chest X-ray or medical examination.

Acceptable standard of health criteria for visa approvals

Provide medical certificates if requested

Tips

You must provide a chest x-ray completed in the last 3 months, even if you've provided one to us previously, if:

  • you have spent 6 consecutive months in China since the last x-ray certificate was issued, and
  • you are now coming to NZ for more than 6 months.

If you have a criminal conviction or are a security risk to New Zealand we may not be able to grant you a visa.

Good character for temporary visas

You must provide police certificates if your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer across all visits. This includes any time you have spent in New Zealand in the past on other visas, even if you have been out of the country since then.

You also must provide police certificates if we ask for them.

Police certificates must be less than 6 months old when you submit your application. They must be from any country you are a citizen of, or have spent more than 5 years in since you turned 17.

If you are 16 years old or younger you do not need to provide police certificates.

Providing police certificates

How to get a police certificate

If you have already sent us police certificates with a previous visa application and they are less than 24 months old, you do not need to send them again.

When we decide if your intentions are genuine, we consider all the information:

  • you provide to support your application
  • we have about your personal circumstances
  • you provided in any previous applications.

Genuine intentions to visit, study or work in NZ

Your offer of place — or if you are a returning student, your confirmation of enrolment — must include:

  • the name of your course and how long the course is for
  • confirmation that your tuition fees will be paid by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • whether your study will be full-time, part-time or as a distance learning or correspondence student
  • if your course is for more than one academic year, the dates of all of the course’s scheduled holidays
  • if you’re under 18, confirmation that your accommodation complies with the ‘Code of Pastoral Care for International Students’.

Offers of place must also include your approved education provider’s signed declaration that they’ve assessed and are satisfied that:

  • the programme offered is appropriate for your expectations
  • you have the English language ability and academic capability to succeed

Code of Pastoral Care for International Students

Tips

It’s OK if you provide information about your scheduled holidays in a separate document.

If you already have a Student Visa and you’re applying for another Student Visa, you must provide photocopied evidence of your previous student performance, progress and attendance. This can include:

Tips

To be granted another MFAT-funded NZ Scholarship visa, you must continue to be funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

You must provide documents that confirm that your tuition fees and living costs will be paid by an MFAT- funded New Zealand scholarship. 

You must provide documents that confirm that your tuition fees and living costs will be paid by an MFAT- funded New Zealand scholarship. 

You must have a travel ticket or funds available to buy a ticket to return home. Evidence can include:

  • confirmation from New Zealand Aid that they will cover the cost of your return home
  • your travel ticket
  • proof you have enough money to buy a ticket, in addition to the funds you have to live on
  • a ‘Sponsorship for Temporary Entry’ form completed by an acceptable sponsor.

What sponsors must do – responsibilities and obligations

Sponsorship for Temporary Entry (INZ1025) PDF 414KB

Process and costs

The information below will help you understand the process, timeframes and costs involved in applying for this visa, so you can plan ahead and have the best chance of submitting a complete application.

Notes

We cannot display any process or costs information until you have provided your country details. Enter your country details in the panel above to view information relevant to your situation.

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How to submit

Payment methods and receiving centre details if applicable.

Notes

We cannot display any receiving centre or payment method information until you have provided your country details. Enter your country details in the panel above to view information relevant to your situation.

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Conditions

These are the conditions that you must meet once you have your visa.

Entry permission

You must apply for entry permission when you arrive in New Zealand. You can do this by completing a New Zealand traveller declaration (NZTD).

New Zealand Customs and Biosecurity also check that you meet their entry requirements.

Arriving in New Zealand

Notes

You can be refused entry permission if:

  • you do not meet our character requirements
  • your circumstances have changed since you were granted a visa
  • you refuse to let us take your photo or to provide us with your fingerprints or an iris scan, if asked for them
  • you are unable to provide evidence of any onward travel or funds required by the conditions of your visa.

If you are refused entry to New Zealand

Before you travel to New Zealand

Travel

You can travel in and out of New Zealand until your visa expires.

Notes

If you want to do short-term study for less than 3 months, you’ll need a Visitor Visa.

Depending on the length of your course, you may be able to stay in New Zealand for up to 4 years. Check your visa label for how long you can stay.

Your partner may be eligible for a Work Visa for the length of your NZAP scholarship.

Your dependent children may be eligible for a Student Visa.

We can only grant you, your partner or dependent children another visa in the 2-year period following completion of your scholarship, if you have written approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. However, we may grant you:

  • a short-term Visitor Visa if you’re outside New Zealand.
  • a Work Visa at the completion of your study, for qualification-related work experience, for the minimum time needed to complete practical work requirements.

Onward travel

You must have the means to return home at the end of your stay.

Notes

You may be asked for evidence of your travel arrangements when you check in or arrive in New Zealand.  If you’re not required to provide evidence, we’ll record it in your visa label or visa letter.

Funding

You must have an MFAT-funded NZ scholarship.

Notes

If your New Zealand scholarship funding stops, we could ask you to leave New Zealand.

Work

You can work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year and full-time during the Christmas-New Year holiday period, if you’re studying under any of these schemes:

  •  Commonwealth Scholarships
  • New Zealand Regional Development Scholarships
  • New Zealand Pacific Scholarships
  • New Zealand Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Scholars Award.

You can’t work if you’re studying under any of these schemes:

  • Short-Term Training Awards; New Zealand Regional Development Scholarships
  • English Language Training for Officials.
Notes

Everyone who has a job in New Zealand pays tax on what they earn. An IRD number can be applied for online through Inland Revenue.

Apply online for an IRD number

You aren’t allowed to be self-employed. You have to work as an employee with an employment agreement and not as an independent contractor.

You can’t provide commercial sexual services or operate a business that provides these services.

Attendance and progress

You must study full-time and attend your course at the approved education provider noted on your visa, unless you have a reasonable excuse for absences.

You must make satisfactory progress on your course.

Visa expiry

You must leave New Zealand before your visa expires.

Notes

Visa expiry dates are printed on a visa label or included in a visa letter.

Returning to your home country

You must return to your home country and stay in your country for at least 2 years after you complete your scholarship, so you can apply your new skills and knowledge in government, civil society or private business organisations. 

If you studied on a Short Term Training Scholarship or an English Language Training for Officials Scholarship, then you may be eligible for a 12 month stand down period, depending on the length of your course.

Notes

We can only grant you another visa in the 2-year period following completion of your scholarship, if you have written approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Education New Zealand.

However, we may grant you a short-term Visitor Visa if you’re outside New Zealand or a Work Visa at the completion of your study, for qualification-related work experience, for the minimum time needed to complete practical work requirements.