How to pay for study

Scholarships, grants and awards can help pay for your study.

There are thousands of scholarships available and they're given to students at all levels of study and for many reasons, not just for high grades.

Apprenticeship

If you want to work while you learn a trade, you can do an apprenticeship. You may not need to pay for course fees but you'll still need to pay for living costs and course-related costs.

Army, Navy or Air Force

If you study through the New Zealand Army, Navy or Air Force, they could:

• provide food and accommodation
• help you with the cost of study
• give you a job when you graduate.

Fees-free study

If you start study in 2024, you may be able to get Fees Free to pay for your first year. If you can get Fees Free for your first year, you may not need a Student Loan to pay for your course fees. However, you’ll still need to apply for a Student Loan if you want course-related costs or living costs.

From 2025, Fees Free will be available for your final year of study instead (if you meet the criteria). You’ll need to pay for your course fees before you start your final year. The Fees Free scheme will then return the fees when you complete your qualification.

If you need help to pay your course fees, you may be able to get a Student Loan.

Fees Free is run by the Tertiary Education Commission. Check out the website for more information.

Trades Academies

If you're at secondary school, you may be able to study a trades academy programme.

Trades academy programmes are for students who are interested in a career in the trades or in technology.

You won't be able to get a Student Allowance or Student Loan.

NCEA Level 2

If you're 16-19 and you left school without getting NCEA Level 2, you may be able to study a fees-free programme.

Other help

There's a range of other support as part of Youth Guarantee which can help with your transition from school to further study, work or training.

You may have family willing and able to support you when you study. Discuss with them how much they can help. If you're over 24 and get money from your family, you may get less for your Student Allowance (as it's counted as income).

Could you live with a parent or caregiver? Living at home would help you save a lot on living costs.

There are a number of ways you can pay for study yourself.

Working

If you work while you study, it can help to pay for some of your costs. It means you might not have to borrow as much, or anything at all. However, how much you earn could:

• affect when you have to start paying back your Student Loan
• mean you may get less for your Student Allowance.

If you have a partner who works, their income may also affect how much you get for your Student Allowance.

Fit in work with study

It can be hard trying to fit in work with study, but you do have options.

You could:

• work part-time while you study
• work in your study breaks
• work full-time while you study part-time
• take a year off to work and save for your study.

If you already have a job, you may want to talk to your employer about your options.

Finding a job

There a number of places you can go to look for work.

Savings

Savings can help to pay some, or all, of your study costs. It means you might not have to borrow as much, or anything at all. However if you get any interest from your savings, you may get less for your Student Allowance (as it's counted as income), or not be able to get some help from us, eg, childcare, Disability Allowance.