New Zealand visa allows foreign students to stay up to 5 years

New Zealand’s Pathway Student Visa allows international students to study up to three courses consecutively on a single visa, providing they have an approved study pathway and meet the country’s visa requirements.

The visa allows eligible students to remain in New Zealand for up to five years, depending on the length of their study pathway.

Applicants must have an offer of place from an approved pathway education provider and demonstrate that they have enough money to pay their tuition fees and living expenses, or have an acceptable sponsor or scholarship.

The visa currently costs from NZD $750, while Immigration New Zealand says 80 per cent of applications are processed within eight weeks.

Under the visa, students can complete up to three programmes of study, one after another, as part of an approved pathway. They may also take a break of up to 16 weeks between programmes.

What the visa allows

Pathway Student Visa holders can:

• Study up to three courses on one visa.
• Complete their planned qualification pathway.
• Work up to 25 hours a week while studying, depending on their course.
• Work full-time during holidays, where permitted.
• Travel in and out of New Zealand while the visa remains valid.

Students progressing to a second or third course must meet the prerequisites for those programmes to remain in New Zealand under the visa.

Applicants must also have full medical and travel insurance for the duration of their stay and demonstrate that they have a genuine reason for travelling to New Zealand.

They must meet health and character requirements and show that they intend to leave New Zealand when their visa expires.

Students already holding a New Zealand student visa must also show that they are making satisfactory progress and meeting attendance requirements.

Pathway requirements

The study pathway must be offered by an approved pathway education provider. The provider must issue a letter of support setting out the courses included in the pathway, along with the start and end dates for each programme.

Applicants can apply to study with more than one provider, but a joint letter of support may be required.

The visa cannot include a partner or dependent children in the main application. However, eligible partners and dependent children can apply for visas based on their relationship with the student.

Immigration New Zealand also requires applicants to apply online, as paper applications are no longer accepted.

The government strongly encourages international students to apply about three months before their intended travel date.