🇳🇿 Study in New Zealand: The 2026 Journey, Step by Step
The full 2026 student journey to New Zealand: an Offer of Place, NZ$20,000 a year in funds, strict biosecurity and 25 hours of work a week. What visa officers check, what to pack to cut first-month costs, and how much part-time work really covers.
At a glance: the 2026 numbers
| What | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Document you need from the school | Offer of Place |
| Living costs to show | NZ$20,000 (Immigration New Zealand living-funds figure per year) |
| Work in term | 25 h/week |
| Minimum wage | NZ$23.95 an hour |
| Plugs and voltage | Type I plugs, 230 V |
| Cash to declare | NZ$10,000 or more |
Step 1–8: the journey in order
Timings count back from your course start date. Start earlier if you need a scholarship or an education loan: both add months.
What the visa officer is looking for
✅ A genuine intention to study
A course that fits your background and a plan you can explain.
✅ Funds with a history
NZ$20,000 per year for living, with 3 months of statements and explanations for large deposits.
✅ Health and character
Medical and police certificates where required.
✅ Insurance
Approved medical and travel insurance for the whole stay.
✅ Honest history
Every past refusal disclosed.
Before you leave: pack to cut your first-month costs
The first month abroad is the most expensive: deposits, bedding, a phone plan, transport cards and kitchen basics all land at once. Packing the right things from home, and leaving the wrong ones behind, saves real money and trouble at the border. New Zealand runs on 230 V, so Indian appliances work with a Type I adapter.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| ✅ Bring: Warm layers and a rain jacket | weather changes fast |
| ✅ Bring: Pressure cooker and one heavy pan | cooking at home saves the most |
| ✅ Bring: Ground, commercially packaged spices | declare them |
| ✅ Bring: Prescription medicines in original packs | with the prescription |
| ✅ Bring: Type I plug adapters | Indian 230 V appliances then work |
| ✅ Bring: Clean shoes only | scrub soles before packing |
| ✅ Bring: Document copies | for bank and IRD forms |
| 🛒 Buy there: Rice, lentils and dairy | easy to find locally |
| 🛒 Buy there: Bedding | cheap from discount stores |
| 🛒 Buy there: Outdoor gear | avoids the biosecurity risk entirely |
| ⛔ Never pack: Fresh fruit, meat, honey or seeds | refused and fined if undeclared |
| ⛔ Never pack: Muddy boots or camping gear | instant NZ$400 fine |
| ⛔ Never pack: Undeclared cash of NZ$10,000 or more | penalties |
💵 Declare cash of NZ$10,000 or more on arrival. Use a forex card or a low-fee multi-currency account for most of your money, and carry only enough cash for the first few days. Full New Zealand customs rules →
Paying your fees by working, within the rules
| Rule | New Zealand in 2026 |
|---|---|
| During term | Up to 25 hours a week |
| Breaks | Full-time during scheduled holidays |
| Minimum wage | NZ$23.95 an hour (adult minimum wage from 1 April 2026) |
| Legal maximum in term | NZ$17,963 a year (25 h × 30 weeks) |
Worked example. A realistic plan is fewer hours than the legal maximum, because shifts are not always available and grades matter. Here is what 15 hours a week in term and 35 in breaks earns:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Term: 15 h/week × 30 weeks × NZ$23.95 | NZ$10,778 |
| Breaks: 35 h/week × 12 weeks × NZ$23.95 | NZ$10,059 |
| Gross earnings a year | NZ$20,837 |
| Tuition (example: a taught master's) | NZ$38,000 |
| Living costs (Immigration New Zealand living-funds figure per year) | NZ$20,000 |
| Share of living costs covered | 104% |
| Share of tuition + living covered | 36% |
The pattern is the same everywhere: part-time work can cover much of your living costs, but rarely tuition. Plan to pay tuition from savings, a loan or a scholarship, and use wages for rent, food and the second year's buffer. Never go over your hour limit: breaching visa conditions can lead to cancellation and refusals later.
Other ways to bring the bill down
- University scholarships for international students
- Full-time work in the long summer holiday (November–February)
- Research master's and PhD students have no hour limit
- Post-study work rights of 1–3 years after the course
Try your own numbers below. The legal-maximum button fills the most you are allowed to work.
Your first two weeks after landing
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| IRD number | needed for work and to avoid the no-notification tax rate |
| Bank account | employers pay wages into a New Zealand account |
| Insurance card | and register at a student health centre |
| ACC | covers accident treatment for everyone in New Zealand |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the steps to study in New Zealand?
1) Pick a course. 2) Take an English test. 3) Apply and get an Offer of Place. 4) Get the funds ready. 5) Apply online. 6) Fill in the NZ Traveller Declaration. 7) IRD number, bank, phone. 8) Work up to 25 hours a week.
What do visa officers look for in a New Zealand student visa application?
A genuine intention to study: A course that fits your background and a plan you can explain. Funds with a history: NZ$20,000 per year for living, with 3 months of statements and explanations for large deposits. Health and character: Medical and police certificates where required.
Can I pay my tuition by working part-time in New Zealand?
Only partly. Working 15 hours a week in term and 35 in breaks at NZ$23.95 an hour earns about NZ$20,837 a year before tax, roughly 104% of the NZ$20,000 living-cost figure. You must show the first year's funds before the visa is granted, so wages are for later years and living costs, not for getting the visa.
How many hours can international students work in New Zealand?
Up to 25 hours a week during term. Full-time during scheduled holidays.
What should I pack to save money when moving to New Zealand?
Bring: warm layers and a rain jacket; pressure cooker and one heavy pan; ground, commercially packaged spices; prescription medicines in original packs; type I plug adapters. Buy there: rice, lentils and dairy; bedding; outdoor gear.
How many hours can students work in New Zealand in 2026?
Eligible tertiary students can work up to 25 hours a week during term, up from 20 since 3 November 2025, and full-time during scheduled holidays. If your visa was issued with a 20-hour limit you can apply to vary it for NZ$325.
Sources
Figures on this page were checked against these sources on 31 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official site before you apply.