What were the eligibility criteria in 2019 and 2020?

What is Fees Free?

You can get one year of tertiary study or two years' training up to the value of $12,000 fees-free:

• The equivalent of one year's full-time study fees-free at an institute of technology, polytechnic, private training establishment, university or wananga.
• Up to 24 months of an apprenticeship or training fees-free with an employer or industry training organisation.

Fees Free eligibility

You may be eligible for Fees Free if you are:

• a New Zealander or ordinarily resident in New Zealand; and
• a recent secondary school leaver; or
• not a recent secondary school leaver but have undertaken less than half a year of tertiary study or training.

Provider-based study

Learner criteria

To be eligible for Fees Free, you need to meet the residency and prior study criteria below.

Residency criteria

You must be one of the following:

1. a New Zealand citizen, or
2. ordinarily resident in New Zealand and;
   1. have been living in New Zealand for at least 3 years while holding a residence class visa, or
   2. a refugee or protected person, or
   3. sponsored into New Zealand by someone in their family who, at the time of sponsorship, was a refugee or protected person.

Prior study criteria

1. You must have been enrolled in a school in or after 2017, other than as an adult learner, or
2. You must have not undertaken more than half a year of equivalent full-time tertiary education (0.5 equivalent full-time student (EFTS) or 60 credits) at level 3 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF), including tertiary education at an equivalent level undertaken in any country.

The following does not count as prior study:

1. Tertiary education undertaken while enrolled in school prior to 1 January 2019 (except for tertiary education undertaken as an adult learner).
2. Tertiary courses undertaken as part of your school learning programme or secondary-tertiary programme on or after 1 January 2019.
3. Credits achieved as part of any industry training programme that consists of fewer than 120 credits that are reported after 1 January 2018.

Course criteria

To be eligible for Fees Free, your course must also meet the below criteria:

1. be funded by the Tertiary Education Commission from either:
   1. the Student Achievement Component level 3 and above fund, or
   2. grants under s321 of the Education Act 1989 for tertiary provision that is part of a qualification or training scheme on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) at level 3 or above, or
   3. the Youth Guarantee fund and leads to the award of a qualification on the NZQF at level 3 or above, and
2. not be part of a school learning programme or secondary-tertiary programme.

Industry-based training

Learner criteria

To be eligible for Fees Free, you need to meet the residency and prior study criteria below.

Residency criteria

You must be legally entitled to reside and work in New Zealand.

Prior study criteria

1. You must have been enrolled in a school in or after 2017, other than as an adult learner,
   or
2. You must have not undertaken more than half a year of equivalent full-time tertiary education (0.5 equivalent full-time student (EFTS) or 60 credits) at level 3 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF), including tertiary education at an equivalent level undertaken in any country.

The following does not count as prior study:

1. Tertiary education undertaken while enrolled in school prior to 1 January 2019 (except for tertiary education undertaken as an adult learner).
2. Tertiary courses undertaken as part of your school learning programme or secondary-tertiary programme on or after 1 January 2019.
3. Credits achieved as part of any industry training programme that consists of fewer than 120 credits that are reported after 1 January 2018.

Click here to learn more information about prior study.

Contact us at 0800 687 775 or [email protected] if you have questions about your eligibility, including prior study or training.

Programme criteria

To be eligible for Fees Free, a programme must:

1. be at NZQF level 3 or above, and
2. be approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and
3. comprise of at least 120 credits (which includes all New Zealand Apprenticeships), and
4. not be part of a school learning programme or secondary-tertiary programme.

Please contact your industry training organisation if you are not sure about your programme eligibility.