Fees-free university study

The New Zealand Government provides one year of fees-free study for students who are doing university for the first time. To get Fees Free support, you need to meet certain eligibility criteria.

End of first-year Fees Free policy

The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study and training will finish at the end of 2024. It will be replaced by a final-year Fees Free policy.

If you’ve already used Fees Free in your first year of study or training, you won’t be able to access it under the new final-year policy. However, until the end of 2025 first-year Fees Free will operate under ‘first-year transition rules’.

First-year Fees Free transition rules

If you’ve used Fees Free in 2024, you may be able to continue to use your remaining first-year Fees Free entitlement in 2025 if you:

  • Are continuing in the same qualification in 2025, and
  • Have a Fees Free entitlement remaining

You can access this entitlement until the end of 2025, 120 credits or $12,000, whichever occurs first.

Check how much Fees Free entitlement you've used

If you'd like to check how much Fees Free entitlement you've used to date, enter your National Student Number (NSN) on the Fees Free website and follow the instructions.

Fees Free website

If you have a remaining entitlement, you won't be able to access first-year Fees Free in the future if you:

  • Did not use Fees Free in 2024, or
  • Used Fees Free in 2024 but are not continuing in the same qualification in 2025

If you still need to declare your eligibility for 2024

If you've studied or trained in 2024 and met the criteria for first-year Fees Free, you can still declare their eligibility. You have 12 calendar months from the start date of your first course or programme to declare your eligibility to receive Fees Free for your 2024 study or training – and any continuation of the qualification into 2025 that falls within your remaining entitlement.

Check your eligibility sooner rather than later, to ensure you don’t miss out on your first-year entitlement eligibility in 2024.

Are you eligible for Fees Free?

  • If you're a domestic student and you haven’t undertaken tertiary study of more than 60 credits, you may be eligible for Fees Free.
  • From 2025, Fees Free covers the final year of study for the first qualification an eligible learner completes. The final year of your study is the final 1 EFTS (usually equivalent to one year full-time or final 120 credits/points) of your study.
  • If you’re studying part-time in your final year of study, you may still receive the entitlement of a full year’s worth of study. However, Fees Free entitlement will only be covered for up to a maximum of 5 calendar years before the completion of the qualification. This means that if your final year of being a student for your qualification is done over more than 5 years, you may not receive the full entitlement.
  • When you enrol, you will need to organise payment of your fees with your tertiary education organisation. You may wish to apply for a student loan to help you cover your fees. Then, when you complete your qualification, you will be able to make a claim through the Inland Revenue website. The claim process will be available in early 2026 for you to confirm your Fees Free eligibility and claim your entitlement.

To check if you’re eligible, visit the Fees Free website and enter your National Student Number (NSN), or read the full eligibility criteria. The site describes what to do if you don’t have an NSN.

Fees Free website

What does Fees Free cover?

  • Tuition fees
  • Compulsory course costs
  • Compulsory student services fees

It doesn’t include other costs like textbooks and course materials.

Check the Fees Free FAQs for full details on how you can use fees free and what it covers.

FAQs on Fees Free website

Receiving your entitlement

When you enrol, you will need to organise payment of your fees at AUT. You may wish to apply for a student loan to help you cover your fees. When you complete your qualification, you will be able to make a claim for Fees Free through the Inland Revenue website. The claim process will be available in early 2026 for you to confirm your Fees Free eligibility and claim your entitlement.

Check the Fees Free website

Check out the official Fees Free website for:

Back to top