Offering a place to a student

Studying for more than 3 months

Most international students studying for more than 3 months in New Zealand need an offer of place (or enrolment) from a New Zealand education provider when applying for a student visa. They also may need evidence they have accommodation arranged through the provider.

Education providers who can provide an offer of place

Courses that are mainly for international students must be approved by the . Education providers, including private training establishments, must register with the NZQA to offer an approved course.

Accredited state and integrated primary and secondary schools must first offer places to New Zealand and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT)-funded  students. If they have places available after this, they can offer them to full fee-paying international students.

Private primary and secondary schools can offer places equally to New Zealand domestic and international students.

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 does not stop a New Zealand student or a student who has a New Zealand scholarship administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (an NZAP student) from gaining a place.

Rules for approved education providers

All who enrol international students for more than 3 months must follow certain rules and also sign and follow a code of practice for the care of their students — the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 (the Code).

Rules for approved education providers

Code of Pastoral Care for international students — NZQA

How to offer a place

Use the relevant education provider 'offer of place' template to prepare an offer of place for international students.

Using the template will help Immigration New Zealand to process student visas quickly.

What must be in your offer-of-place letter

In general, the offer-of-place letter must:

• be signed and dated by a representative of the education provider, and
• contain the following information:

Provider details:

• name of education provider
• address
• phone, fax number and email address.

Student details:

• full name of student as shown in passport (with the family name underlined)
• date of birth
• current address of student.

Course or programme details:

• course name
• length of programme of study (if longer than 1 year, state the minimum completion time)
• date the programme starts
• scheduled vacations if the programme of study or training scheme is 1 academic year or more
• year of study, such as ‘year 5’ for primary and secondary schools or ‘first year’ for tertiary
• type of study for tertiary:
  • full-time
  • part-time.

Fee payment details:

• type of fee:
  • foreign student fee
  • domestic student fee, or
  • MFAT-funded funding or other scholarship
• fee amount for the complete programme of study (if applicable)
• fee amount paid for:
  • the complete programme of study, or
  • the term/semester, until (date).

For applications processed outside New Zealand, evidence of payment is not required until after the application has been approved in principle.

Accommodation details

Fee-paying foreign student accommodation must comply with the Code. International students who are 17 or younger must provide a statement from their education provider to confirm their accommodation complies with the Code.

Code of Pastoral Care for international students — NZQA

Preparing students for life in New Zealand

Suitability of programme offered

The offer of place must also contain confirmation from the education provider that:

• they have assessed, and are satisfied that, the programme offered is appropriate for the student’s expectations, and
• the student has the English language proficiency and academic capability to succeed in the programme.

Studying for 3 months or less

People who want to study 1 or more short courses, approved or exempted by the NZQA, for up to 3 months in total, will not need an offer of place from the education provider and do not need a student visa. They can study on a visitor visa or work visa depending on their circumstances and the conditions of their visa.

School-age young people who have visitor visas can go to primary, secondary or intermediate school in New Zealand for a single period of study, for up to 3 months per calendar year — they do not need an offer of place. If attending for more than 2 weeks, or paying fees to attend, they must enrol at a school that has signed the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021.