Study visa conditions

At a glance

When a student visa, limited visa, or interim visa is granted for the purpose of study, the visa is subject to six specific conditions: the holder must have sufficient maintenance funds, possess means to leave New Zealand, attend the place of study, make satisfactory progress, pay all programme fees, and hold insurance if required. These conditions apply subject to any special direction to the contrary. [E3.20]

Student visa instructions are set out in section S of the Operational Manual [S-student-visas].

Definition

Instruction E3.20 imposes uniform conditions on every student visa, limited visa, and interim visa granted for study purposes. The holder must: [E3.20]

1. At all times while in New Zealand, have the means to maintain themselves, in the form of:
   • funds held in New Zealand by or on behalf of the holder;
   • an acceptable financial undertaking by an eligible third party;
   • a current approved sponsorship undertaking (see E6); or
   • financial assistance under a multilateral or bilateral aid programme administered by a New Zealand government department or statutory body. [E3.20]
2. At all times while in New Zealand, have the means to travel to a country to which they have a right of entry, such means to be in the form of:
   • a fully paid travel ticket;
   • sufficient funds held in New Zealand (additional to those required for maintenance);
   • an acceptable financial undertaking by an eligible third party;
   • a current approved sponsorship (see E6); or
   • financial assistance under a multilateral or bilateral aid programme administered by a New Zealand government department or statutory body. [E3.20]
3. Attend the programme of study at all times as required, at the place of study endorsed on the visa, unless there are genuine reasons for absences. [E3.20]
4. Make satisfactory progress in the programme of study, as primarily determined by the education provider offering the programme and assessed against its academic progress policies. [E3.20]
5. Pay all fees that may be fixed from time to time and that are payable in respect of the programme of study. [E3.20]
6. Hold insurance if required to do so (see U3.45 and U3.1(vii)). [E3.20]

Insurance condition for fee-paying foreign students

Fee-paying foreign students must hold insurance as a condition of their student visa, unless they are a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) student or hold a New Zealand scholarship administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade [U3.45]. The student must declare that they will arrange and hold insurance that complies with the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 and is acceptable to the education provider, covering the period from enrolment until the expiry of the student visa. [U3.45] A student may be required to provide evidence that they held insurance for the full period with any further visa application. [U3.45]

Application in decisions

When an immigration officer grants a student visa, a limited visa, or an interim visa for study purposes, the conditions in E3.20 are automatically imposed unless a special direction provides otherwise. Compliance with these conditions is expected throughout the currency of the visa. Failure to meet them—for example, persistent non-attendance or lack of maintenance funds—may lead to visa cancellation or adverse findings in future applications. The education provider is primarily responsible for assessing satisfactory progress under its own academic policies, but INZ retains the ability to investigate. [E3.20]

Interpretation & edge cases

• The conditions are subject to any special direction to the contrary, meaning the Minister or a delegated officer could waive or vary one or more conditions in an individual case. [E3.20]
• The maintenance and travel requirements mirror the general conditions for visitor, work, and other interim visas under E3.15, but are restated here specifically for study-related visas. [E3.20]
• For limited visa holders, these conditions apply in addition to the statutory restrictions on further applications and appeals (see E2.30). An individual granted a limited visa for study must therefore comply with both the study-specific conditions of E3.20 and the general limitations of a limited visa. [E3.20]
• The reference to "genuine reasons for absences" provides some flexibility for attendance—short-term illness, emergencies, or other compelling circumstances may be accepted, but the holder must still be enrolled and progressing. [E3.20]
• Additionally, student visa holders may be granted work conditions as described in Work conditions for tertiary students.

Citations

• E3.20 — Conditions of student visa, limited visa and interim visa for study purposes
• S-student-visas — Student Visas
• U3.45 — Insurance requirements for fee-paying foreign students