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Routes to New Zealand: student or trainee
Per sources (unverified), students: Fee Paying Student Visa is open with an approved provider; funds and insurance are fixed in writing
A Fee Paying Student Visa needs an offer of place from an approved provider, proof of tuition for one course or one year, living costs of NZD 20,000 per year (self-funded tertiary study), medical and travel insurance, and in most cases a clean health and character record. Part-time work is limited to 25 hours a week during study and only for certain courses; full-time work is allowed only in scheduled breaks for courses of at least 120 credits. Processing is busiest from October to March.
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0 study paths are named in New Zealand's official demand list, ranked below.
What New Zealand wants, in its own order
This order is the official shortage analysis, not our opinion. The source is linked under the list.
The routes
Each route below is a separate permit with its own listed requirements. A requirement you do not meet can stop an application for that route, however strong the rest of the case is. A requirement we cannot confirm is shown as unknown, not as a failure.
Fee Paying Student Visa
Preview — under verificationOpen to students with an offer of place from an approved education provider, but funds and insurance must be shown and processing is busiest from October to March.
Who this is for
- Self-funded or family-funded international students at an approved NZ provider
You must have every one of these
- Offer of place from an approved provider; an unconditional offer is needed before approval.
- Tuition paid for 1 course or 1 year, whichever is shorter (exemptions where no fees are due).
- Living costs: NZD 20,000 per year (or NZD 1,667 per month for study under a year); NZD 17,000 per year for compulsory-age schooling; funds for a ticket out in addition.
- Medical and travel insurance from course start until visa expiry (the page says PhD students are exempt).
- Good health (chest X-ray may apply) and police certificate if 17+ and staying 24 months or longer.
Source: Immigration New Zealand — Fee Paying Student Visa (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · Immigration New Zealand — Working on a student visa (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)
What it costs
Costs are shown in NZD as the cited source states them, with the unit the source gives. We do not convert currencies. A line with no stated unit or date is marked as such and is not an exact official charge.
Proof of funds, not a fee.
Source: Immigration New Zealand — Fee Paying Student Visa (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)
NZD 20,000Your own money, not an expenseSource: Immigration New Zealand — Fee Paying Student Visa (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)
NZD 850You payHow long it takes
Timeline not published by the authority
INZ states 80% of Fee Paying Student applications are processed within 5 weeks and advises applying at least 3 months before travel. Immigration New Zealand publishes processing statements as a share of applications decided within a period (stated per route), not an end-to-end timeline; employer accreditation, job check, document gathering and travel are not given a published duration.
Published figures for this route
Published figures on how often this route is used, with their sources.
Documents, insurance, housing and money
These needs are the same whichever track you choose, so they are published once for New Zealand, with sources and check dates.
Quick answers
Which routes to New Zealand exist on the student or trainee track?
Per sources (unverified), students: Fee Paying Student Visa is open with an approved provider; funds and insurance are fixed in writing
How long does it take?
Timeline not published by the authority. INZ states 80% of Fee Paying Student applications are processed within 5 weeks and advises applying at least 3 months before travel. Immigration New Zealand publishes processing statements as a share of applications decided within a period (stated per route), not an end-to-end timeline; employer accreditation, job check, document gathering and travel are not given a published duration.
How much does it cost?
The published costs on this page total NZD 850. Items that are not in that total, such as proof of funds or later permit fees, are labelled on this page where our sources state them.