Te ako i tāwāhi ina he pūtea taurewa ākonga tāku Studying overseas when I have a student loan

Your student loan may be interest-free if you are studying overseas and if we think it is fair and reasonable. Your requirements and options depend on who you are studying with overseas.

Studying with an overseas education provider

You can apply for your loan to be interest-free if the main reason you are overseas is to study with an overseas education provider.

You’ll need to provide us with evidence of an Overseas Study Assessment from NZQA verifying that the course is equivalent to level 7 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework.

Apply for your loan to be interest-free

Before we assess your application, we need a current ‘Confirmation of enrolment letter’ from your overseas tertiary provider. This letter must be on the tertiary provider’s letterhead, in English, and include all the following details:

• Your full name
• The name of the course you are enrolled in
• Information confirming that you are enrolled full time
• The exact start and end dates of your full-time study

We cannot accept a screenshot from the tertiary provider's website, or a letter of offer.

Tell us your worldwide income

If we approve your application, you will need to tell us your worldwide income. We need this information because you may still need to make repayments while you are overseas. If you are applying for past years, you will also need to give us your worldwide income for those tax years.

NZQA Overseas Study Assessment

Apply to keep my student loan interest-free overseas

Studying with a New Zealand education provider as part of an overseas exchange or agreement

You can apply for your loan to be interest-free if you are studying overseas under a formal exchange or agreement. You’ll need to provide a letter from your New Zealand education provider confirming:

• your study is equivalent to level 7 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework
• you’re enrolled full time and your study counts towards a New Zealand tertiary qualification
• the start and end dates of your overseas study
• your overseas study is part of either a formal exchange programme approved by the New Zealand government, or a formal agreement between a New Zealand tertiary provider and an overseas tertiary provider.

If we approve your application, you will need to tell us your worldwide income. This is because you may still need to make repayments while you are overseas. If you are applying for previous years, you will also need to give us your worldwide income for those tax years.

Apply to keep my student loan interest-free overseas

Studying with a New Zealand tertiary education provider and completing postgraduate study overseas that you cannot complete in New Zealand

You can apply for your loan to be interest-free if you’re completing postgraduate study overseas that cannot be done in New Zealand.

You’ll need to provide a letter from your New Zealand education provider confirming:

• your study is equivalent to level 8 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework
• you’re enrolled full time and your study counts towards a New Zealand tertiary qualification
• your study cannot be completed in New Zealand
• the start and end dates of your overseas study.

Apply to keep my student loan interest-free overseas

Studying under a qualifying Government-funded scholarship

You can apply for your loan to be interest-free if the main reason you are overseas is to study full time and you’ll be receiving a qualifying government-funded scholarship for that study.

You need to provide us with evidence from Education New Zealand confirming you’re receiving a qualifying government-funded scholarship for the study.

If we approve your application, you’ll need to tell us your worldwide income. This is because you may still need to make repayments while you’re overseas. If you’re applying for past years, you’ll also need to give us your worldwide income for those tax years.

Apply to keep my student loan interest-free overseas