New Zealand Student Visa

Visa Requirements

Immigration New Zealand, otherwise known as Department of Labour, is the government department that is in charge of providing the visas and permits that you will need to stay in New Zealand. They have branches located worldwide.


Studying as a visitor

If you plan to study in New Zealand as visitor, you may take a single unit of study with the duration of less than 3 months without the need of a student permit. If you wish to study for a longer period of time then you must apply for a student permit.


Full-time study

If you are an international student wishing to study in New Zealand full-time for over 3 months then you will require both a student visa and permit, unless you come from a country that has a special arrangement with New Zealand which means a student visa and permit is not necessary.


To apply

To obtain a student visa and permit, you will need to be enrolled in an approved course at an institute that is accredited to offer it.


Requirements:

• Payment of an application fee (this cannot be refunded)
• An offer of place from the institution with the required information (including course title, duration, and whether payment needs to be made or you are exempt from payment; for example if you are a scholarship student)
• Evidence of your payment or exemption of the course fee
• A written guarantee from an person or institute that you have adequate accommodation available in New Zealand
• Evidence that you have enough money to live on for the time which you are studying
• A return plane ticket to your home country, or evidence of enough funds to purchase one
• A recent passport photo of yourself

If the application is approved, you must also have a passport that is valid for 3 months after the date on which you plan to leave New Zealand.


Medical checks and tuberculosis screening

You will also need to provide medical and x-ray certificates for courses with a duration of more than 24 months. If you are over the age of 17 then you will require a police certificate to prove your good behaviour.

Applicants for student visas or permits who wish to spend more than 6 months in New Zealand must be checked for tuberculosis (TB) if they:

• Have not previously provided a full medical screening test to Immigration New Zealand
• Do not hold a passport from any of the countries identified as low risk for TB
• Have spent a combined total of 3 months or more (in the 5 years before applying) in a country NOT identified as a low TB risk country

This information does not apply if you are pregnant or under the age of 12.


To screen for TB:

• Book an appointment to see a doctor requesting a referral to a radiologist for an X-ray of your chest.
• When you submit your application form, attach the completed Temporary X-ray certificate and a copy of your chest X-ray.
• Make sure you take the Temporary Entry X-ray Certificate (NZIS Form 1096) with you to the radiologist.