New Zealand Student Visa Support

Genuine intent

The officer weighs your personal circumstances, your study history, whether the course makes sense given what you have already done, and your ties and prospects. A candidate switching to an unrelated diploma after an unrelated degree needs a reason that holds up.

This is assessed on the file — there is usually no interview — so the explanation has to be written down. A short, specific account of why this course, at this level, now, is worth more than any amount of additional financial evidence.

What you must evidence

• An offer of place from an institution approved to enrol international students.
• Funds for tuition plus living costs at the published annual rate, or an acceptable sponsor.
• Accommodation arrangements, with stricter requirements for students under 18.
• Onward travel funds, or evidence you can obtain them.
• Medical and chest x-ray certificates, and police certificates for longer courses.

Work rights and dependants

Most students on longer courses can work limited hours during term and full time in scheduled breaks, with postgraduate research students treated more generously.

Partner and child arrangements depend on the level of your course, and the rules here have been adjusted several times in recent years — worth confirming rather than assuming from an older account.

Applying

The application is online through Immigration New Zealand. Processing times vary by season and by whether your institution and course fall into a lower-risk category, and applying immediately after receiving the offer is the reliable way to make the intake.