Unitec Institute of Technology

Loans & Allowances

Student loans
Student allowances
Other allowances and benefits
StudyLink

Student loans

A student loan can help you pay for your tertiary education but it is a loan that you must pay back. You can get a student loan to cover compulsory fees, course-related costs and living costs. To help with your budget use the budget calculator under Quick Links.

To receive a student loan, you will need to be a New Zealand citizen, permanent resident, refugee or protected person (under the Immigration Act 2009).

From 1 January 2011, permanent residents and Australian citizens will be subject to a two-year stand-down before they can receive a student loan. This means that they will need to have lived in New Zealand for at least two years and be ordinarily resident in New Zealand. Permanent residents will also need to have held permanent residence for at least two years to qualify.

In addition, the programme you are studying must be:

• Approved by the Tertiary Education Commission; and
• Full time and 32 weeks or longer (or limited full-full time with approval); or
• Part-time - Minimum enrolment (12 weeks).

For further information please visit www.studylink.govt.nz or contact StudyLink on freephone 0800 88 99 00.

Student allowances

A student allowance can help you with your living costs while you are studying.

To receive a student allowance, you will need to be a New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or refugee. In addition, you need to:

• Be 18 or over (some 16 and 17-year-olds can also get it)
• Study full-time (or limited full-time with StudyLink’s approval)
• Be at secondary school or on a tertiary course approved by the Tertiary Education Commission
• Be a New Zealand citizen, permanent resident (for the student allowance a permanent resident must have legally lived in New Zealand for at least two years, held permanent residency status for at least two years, and be ordinarily resident in New Zealand), refugee or protected person (under the Immigration Act 2009).

For further information please visit www.studylink.govt.nz or contact StudyLink on freephone 0800 88 99 00.

Other allowances and benefits

There are other allowances and benefits you may be entitled to. They include:

• Accommodation Supplement
• Away from Home Allowance
• Childcare Subsidy
• Community Services Card
• Disability Allowance
• Recoverable Assistance Programme Grant
• Special Benefit
• Special Needs Grant
• Student Allowance Transfer Grant
• Training Incentive Allowance.

For further information please visit www.studylink.govt.nz or contact StudyLink on freephone 0800 88 99 00.

If you find yourself in urgent financial hardship then WINZ may be able to assist, if not you can make an appointment with the Manager Funding and Student Engagement or Family Budgeting Services on site.

StudyLink

StudyLink is a service of the Ministry of Social Development and is responsible for student allowances, student loans and unemployment benefit student hardship.

StudyLink works in co-operation with tertiary institutions and student bodies to ensure that students get the finance they are entitled to so they can complete tertiary study.

You might want to contact StudyLink if you think you qualify for a student loan or allowance.