What happens to your student loan when you return to New Zealand
Let us know you're back
Let us know once you've returned to New Zealand. You can send us a secure email using the Send and receive mail service (under "Get it done online") or call us on 0800 377 778.
For the year of your return (only if you have been based overseas)
We'll calculate a part-year overseas-based assessment (based on your loan balance) for the period you were away.
What happens to my student loan repayments?
Once back in New Zealand, if you're required to file an IR3 or receive a personal tax summary, you'll need to file a part-year IR3 from the date of your return to the end of the tax year (31 March). We'll calculate a part-year resident repayment obligation based on your income in this return.
For all subsequent years
You'll follow the normal salary or self-employed repayments process until you've repaid your loan. See "Find out more" below, for details.
What happens if I haven't made any repayments?
If you were not on a repayment holiday or part of the amnesty, and you haven't made repayments while overseas, you may have overdue amounts and late payment penalties charged to your loan. See "Find out more" below, for details.
To be eligible for an interest-free student loan, you'll need to remain in New Zealand for 183 or more consecutive days. However, you can still leave the country during this period for up to 31 days in total, and still be eligible.
Will my loan be interest free?
Once you've met the 183-day requirement, all the interest charged from the day you returned to New Zealand will be written off after the end of the tax year (31 March).
As interest-free student loans came into effect from 1 April 2006, only interest charged after this date will be written off under interest free student loans. For more information see "Find out more" below.
Find out more
Next steps
Date published: 25 Mar 2008
Back to top
