There may be a delay from when you complete your qualification or programme, to when we can pay you your Fees Free entitlement.
Information we get from other organisations
Before we can process your application, the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) must tell us:
- you have completed an eligible qualification or programme
- the amount of Fees Free you can receive.
This will happen after your Tertiary Education Organisation (TEO) gives TEC the information they need. Most TEOs do this 3 times a year.
The best time for you to apply
You may prefer to wait for us to receive your information from TEC before completing your application. We will pre-fill your qualification or programme details (such as the date of completion). Otherwise, you will need to fill in the whole form.
When we will receive your information
TEC shares learner completion information with us within a few days of receiving it from a TEO.
You can use the information in this table to work out when we will receive your information. We will be able to pre-fill your application soon after.
| Learner completion dates | TEO's last reporting date to TEC |
|---|---|
| 1 January to 11 April | 29 April |
| 12 April to 7 August | 21 August |
| 8 August to 31 December | 31 January |
Our processing times
When we have your completed application, and your information from TEC, it can take us up to 20 working days to process your application.
We then pay your Fees Free entitlement into your student loan (if you have one) or into your bank account.
Harry completes his qualification on 30 August 2026 and submits his Fees Free application in myIR on 8 September 2026. We receive Harry’s qualification completion information from TEC on 1 February 2027.
Harry’s Fees Free application will be processed within 20 working days from 1 February 2027.