Qualification and programme eligibility

You cannot get Fees Free for every qualification or programme. To get Fees Free, the qualification or programme must meet certain requirements. 

If your study or work-based learning meets the requirements, you can get Fees Free if you also meet all the other eligibility requirements. 

Find out if you can get Fees Free for your qualification or programme 

The easiest way to find out if you can get Fees Free for your qualification or programme is to ask the tertiary education organisation that provides your learning.

This information may be in the material or documents the organisation gives you, or on their website. 

Eligible qualifications and programmes

You can only get Fees Free if the qualification or programme you are doing is at Level 3 or above on the NZQCF (New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework). It must also be either:

• at least 0.5 EFTS (half a year of equivalent full-time study) if you are studying
• at least 120 credits if you are a work-based learner.

Your tertiary education organisation can tell you how many EFTS or credits you are doing, or you can check the New Zealand Qualifications Authority website.

Qualifications – Advanced search (NZQA)

Study or work-based learning done with an overseas organisation is not eligible for Fees Free. 

Ineligible qualifications 

If you are studying, you cannot get Fees Free for:

• certificates of proficiency 
• pathway qualifications 
• zero-fee programmes
• school learning programmes (such as STAR - secondary tertiary alignment resource)
• secondary-tertiary programmes (like trades academies)
• qualifications funded through the Youth Guarantee Fund, Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Fund, or the Refugee English Fund 
• qualifications at Levels 1 or 2 on the NZQCF 
• qualifications and credentials under 0.5 EFTS.