MFAT-funded NZ Scholarship Student Visa

Visa details

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 $375
Processing time
90% within
74 days
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.

Who can apply

The criteria and evidence below will provide you with the information you need to provide to meet the requirements of this visa.

View All Evidence

Identity

You must provide proof of your identity

  • 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 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.

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've applied.

Sending your passport for online applications

Tips

  1. Also provide your Kartu Keluarga.

  2. If you’re not a French national, also provide a copy of your carte d’assuré.

  3. 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.

  4. Also provide a copy of your livret de famille.

  5. Also provide a copy of your Identity card.

  6. Also provide your:

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

  7. 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

  8. 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

Character

You must be of good character

You may need to provide police certificates as proof of your good character.

If you are aged 17 or older and plan to stay in New Zealand for more than 24 months (including any time you have already spent in New Zealand), you must provide police certificates from:

  • any country you are a citizen of
  • any country you have spent more than 5 years in since you turned 17.

You do not need to provide police certificates if:

  • you have provided them to us with an earlier visa application, and
  • they were issued in the previous 24 months.

Good character

How to get a police certificate

Offer of place

You must have an offer of place from an approved education provider

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 Practice for the Pastoral Care of 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

Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2021

Tips

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

Already have a Student Visa

You must be able to show that you’re passing your course and meeting your attendance requirements

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

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

MFAT-funding

You must be funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)

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

Practical experience (optional)

If you’re required to do practical work experience as part of your course, you must provide evidence that it’s a course requirement

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

Onward travel

You must have the means to return to your home country

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 an arrival card, which you are given on the way to New Zealand.

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.