Residency requirements

Student Allowance and Student Loan

To be eligible for a Student Allowance or Student Loan you need to meet the residency requirements.

For most people, this means you need to be either:

• a New Zealand citizen, or
• ordinarily resident in New Zealand and have:
  • lived in New Zealand for at least 3 years, and
  • held a residence class visa for at least 3 years.

Other ways to meet the residency requirements

Refugee or protected person, or their immediate family

If you're a refugee or protected person, you meet the residency requirements if you either:

• hold a residence class visa, or
• hold a valid temporary entry visa.

If you're an immediate family member of a refugee or protected person, you meet the residency requirements if either:

• you:
  • live in New Zealand on a valid temporary entry visa, and
  • can transition to a residence class visa with the refugee or protected person, or
• you hold a residence class visa that you transitioned to with the refugee or protected person, or
• you were sponsored into New Zealand by someone in your family who, at the time you were sponsored:
  • was a refugee or protected person, and
  • held a residence class visa.

Christchurch Response Visa and families

You meet the residency requirements for a Student Allowance or Student Loan if you either:

• have a Christchurch Response Visa, or
• would have been able to get a Christchurch Response Visa but you had another residence class visa on 15 March 2019, or
• have a residence class visa (granted between 15 March 2019 and 31 December 2024) and have a living family member who has or may have qualified for a Christchurch Response Visa.

Afghan evacuee

You meet the residency requirements for a Student Allowance or Student Loan if you have an Afghan Emergency Resettlement Residency Visa.

Jobseeker Support Student Hardship

To get Jobseeker Support Student Hardship you must be either:

• a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, or
• ordinarily resident in New Zealand and have:
  • a residence class visa, and
  • lived continuously in New Zealand for at least 2 years since getting the residence class visa.

Extra help payments (e.g. Accommodation Supplement)

You must meet residency requirements to get :

• Accommodation Supplement
• Disability Allowance
• Temporary Additional Support
• Childcare Subsidy
• OSCAR Subsidy.

To get these payments you must:

• be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
• normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here.