Find out about interest-free student loans while you're overseas.

In most cases you'll no longer have an interest-free loan if you go overseas for longer than 6 months (184 days), or for more than 31 days during your 183-day qualifying period.

You could still be eligible for an interest-free student loan while you're away by applying for an exemption if you fit any of the following criteria:

• unexpected delay returning to New Zealand
• unplanned absence
• studying full-time at undergraduate or postgraduate level overseas
• working overseas for the New Zealand Government
• working for a New Zealand company overseas
• working as a volunteer overseas
• accompanying your partner overseas
• applying for an interest-free loan

Unexpected delay returning to New Zealand

You may be eligible for an interest-free student loan during that time if you're prevented from returning home for any of the following reasons:

• airline strikes
• personal illness
• death or illness of a family member
• fire, flood, storm, earthquake, landslide or volcanic eruption
• an explosion or nuclear, biological, or chemical contamination
• sabotage, terrorism or an act of war.

You'll need to have been:

• a New Zealand resident for tax purposes while you were overseas,
• be able to show that you would have qualified for an interest-free loan if you hadn't been delayed, and
• show that the delay was due to events beyond your control.

Examples of proof include:

• an airline ticket showing the change in departure/arrival date
• a medical certificate or a letter from a doctor
• a death certificate
• airline strike documentation
• media coverage in cases of war.

Unplanned absence

If you're part-way through your 183-day qualifying period for an interest-free student loan, and have to go overseas for more than 32 days, you may still be on track for an interest-free loan.

You'll need to show us the trip was for something beyond your control, such as a death in the family or a conference for work.

You must be a New Zealand resident for tax purposes while you were away and be able to provide proof like:

• airline tickets or hotel accommodation
• a medical certificate or letter from a doctor
• a death certificate
• a letter from your employer confirming your absence, or a copy of a business contract.

Studying full-time at undergraduate or postgraduate level overseas

If you're studying full-time with an overseas education provider you may be able to get an interest-free student loan if your course meets certain criteria.

• Between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007, your course was equivalent to levels 8, 9 or 10 on the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications.
• From 1 April 2007, your course was equivalent to levels 7, 8, 9 or 10.

If you're not sure if your course fits the bill, check out the KiwiQuals website.

You'll need:

• an Overseas Study Assessment from NZQA and the security number
• evidence from your overseas education provider confirming your full-time enrolment
• your study start and end dates
• any other relevant information such as receipts for fees.

Working overseas for the New Zealand Government

You may qualify for an interest-free student loan if the reason you went overseas is because you're working for the New Zealand Government.

You'll need a letter from the government agency you're working for, on their letterhead. This will need to state your name, IRD number, the length of time you'll spend overseas, and that your time overseas is for work for the New Zealand Government.

Working for a New Zealand company overseas

If you're usually based in New Zealand and are working for a New Zealand company, your student loan may still be interest-free while you're overseas. You must be a New Zealand tax resident while you're overseas and be able to show that you:

• have a permanent address in New Zealand, and
• receive salary or wages from a New Zealand employer, or
• receive income from a business with a permanent base in New Zealand.

You'll need to provide a letter from the person or business you're working for, on their letterhead stating your name, IRD number, the length of time you'll spend overseas, and that the reason you're overseas is for your job.

Working as a volunteer overseas

You can get an interest-free student loan for up to 24 months if you're working overseas as a volunteer, or for token payment, for an approved charitable organisation.

To qualify, your work needs to mainly involve working for the relief of poverty, hunger, sickness, the ravages of war or natural disaster, or improving the economy of a country that the United Nations recognises as a developing country.

You'll need to provide a letter from the charitable organisation on their letterhead, stating your name, IRD number, the length of time you'll spend overseas, and that the reason you are overseas is because you're doing charity work for the organisation.

You'll also need to declare your worldwide income at the end of each tax year.

Accompanying your partner overseas

If you're heading overseas because your partner is involved with one of the following, your student loan may be interest-free while you're away.

• studying full-time at undergraduate or postgraduate level overseas
• working overseas for the New Zealand Government
• working for a New Zealand business overseas
• volunteer work overseas.

A partner includes your husband or wife, a civil union partner or a de facto partner.

We will need proof of your relationship with your application, such as:

• a copy of your marriage or civil union certificate
• a copy of your tenancy agreement or joint property mortgage, and
• statements showing household account or bank accounts in your joint names.

To apply, you must be a New Zealand resident for tax purposes while you're away and be able to show that you accompanied your or partner overseas for one of the reasons above.

Applying for an interest-free student loan

You'll need to send us a letter and include the relevant proof for the exemption you're applying for. Please send us a photocopy of any documentation, not the original, for your own peace of mind.

To check out which address to post your application to - go to "Contact us".