Pathway Student Visa Pilot

At a glance

A pilot scheme allows international students to study a pathway of up to three consecutive programmes on a single student visa, provided the programmes are offered by qualifying education providers (providers must be invited by INZ and meet pilot entry criteria) [U14][U14.20]. Only certain providers and specific programme pathways are eligible; pathways must demonstrate academic progression and be delivered under formal agreements between providers [U14.20].

The visa can be granted for a maximum of five years and may be issued to expire no more than three months after completion of the final pathway programme [U14.10].

How to apply

Applicants must apply for a student visa and supply an offer of place for a pathway of study that complies with the pilot definition. The application is lodged and assessed under standard temporary entry and student visa instructions, but must demonstrate that the proposed programmes form a qualifying pathway [U14].

Eligibility criteria

• Pathway definition: A pathway is a progression of up to three consecutive programmes of study, offered by qualifying education providers, either within the same institution or in conjunction with other qualifying education providers [U14].

• Offer of place: The offer of place must confirm the pathway of consecutive programmes and that all education providers involved are qualifying under relevant requirements [U14].

• Other student visa requirements: Applicants must meet the generic health, character, bona fide, and funds requirements for a student visa; the pilot does not waive basic eligibility criteria [U14].

• Evidential requirements for pathway student visa: In addition to the general student visa requirements, applicants must provide [U14.5]:

  • a joint letter of support from the pathway education providers if more than one provider is involved;
  • an offer of place (or joint offer) for each programme of study that meets the offer-of-place instructions for a student visa;
  • evidence that tuition fee requirements for the first programme or first year of study (whichever is shorter) have been met, and must satisfy an immigration officer that they can fund the remaining balance of the first programme and subsequent programmes on the pathway;
  • evidence that maintenance funds requirements for the first year of study have been met, and must satisfy an immigration officer that they can fund any remaining balance of the first programme and subsequent programmes on the pathway.
  • Second and subsequent offers of place for a pathway may be conditional on meeting the pre-requisite programme of study entry criteria.

Qualifying education providers and eligible pathways

• Provider entry criteria: To participate in the pilot, an education provider must be invited by INZ, sign the Pathway Student Visas – Pilot Participation Declaration, be a school, a university, or hold a Category One or Two rating under NZQA’s External Evaluation and Review framework, have a minimum 90% student visa application approval rate over a 12-month period (2014/15 or 2016 calendar year), comply with the Education and Training Act 2020 requirements for offering programmes to foreign students, and be a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 [U14.20].

• Eligible pathways: All pathways must show academic progression from one programme to the next [U14.20]. Excluded pathways are:

  • English language programmes culminating in a tertiary Level 1–4 Certificate on the NZQF;
  • all pathways within or between tertiary Level 1–4 Certificates;
  • secondary school culminating in a tertiary Level 1–4 Certificate [U14.20]. Breaks between consecutive programmes must not exceed 16 weeks. Only providers that meet the entry criteria can offer a joint pathway together [U14.20].

• Formal agreement between providers: Where providers offer a pathway jointly, they must enter into a formal agreement covering the application process, pastoral care, handover during transitions, processes for gaps longer than 16 weeks or failed papers, conditional entry not met, non-attendance or unsatisfactory progress, student withdrawal, and obligation to notify INZ of any issues (e.g. need for extra time exceeding 16 weeks, failure to meet entry conditions, failure to enrol, unsatisfactory progress, termination of enrolment) [U14.20]. For a pathway offered by a single provider, the same process requirements must be met [U14.20]. The agreement does not need to be submitted with the visa application but must be available to INZ on request [U14.20].

Currency and conditions of the visa

• Maximum currency: The pathway student visa can be granted for up to five years [U14.10].

• Expiry: The visa may be granted to expire no more than three months beyond the completion of the final pathway programme of study [U14.10].

• Work conditions — first programme: Work conditions for the duration of the visa will only be granted where the first programme of study meets the requirements set out in the applicable student work conditions instructions [U14.10].

• Work conditions — subsequent programmes: If a second or subsequent programme of study meets those requirements, the holder must apply for a Variation of Conditions (using form INZ 1020) and pay the required fee in order to be granted work conditions; work conditions are not automatically extended to later programmes [U14.10].

• Satisfactory progress: The holder must make satisfactory progress by:

  • meeting the conditional pre-requisites for enrolment into the next programme of study; and
  • commencing that next programme within 16 weeks of completing the earlier programme [U14.10].

• English language programme condition: Where a first-time student has submitted an English language test result as required for the pathway and has been granted a visa to undertake an English language programme of study culminating in a qualification at NZQF Levels 5 to 8, the English language programme must be completed within 20 weeks [U14.10].

Changing and complying with pathway student visa conditions

• Moving to a different education provider or lower level programme: If a pathway student visa holder wishes to move to a different education provider or a lower level programme of study than those specified in the visa conditions, they must apply for a new student visa and meet the student visa requirements (Student visa) [U14.15].

• Variation of conditions for same provider: A variation of conditions to change a programme of study at the same education provider will only be granted if an immigration officer is satisfied that [U14.15]:

  • the applicant meets the student requirements;
  • the applicant has not breached their visa conditions;
  • the original student visa would have been granted for the proposed programme of study;
  • the proposed programme is at the same or higher level on the New Zealand Qualification Framework as the original programme; and
  • the applicant remains a bona fide applicant.

• Factors considered for variation: When assessing whether the original visa would have been granted and whether the level is appropriate, an immigration officer may consider the time elapsed since the original visa was granted, how different the level and subject area of the proposed programme are, and any relevant information from previous applications, including advice from the original issuing branch [U14.15].

• Scholarship students: Students who have received New Zealand scholarship funding within the two years prior to applying to change programme must also provide evidence that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade supports the change and that the scholarship continues [U14.15].

• Breach of pathway student visa conditions: A pathway student visa holder will be considered in breach if any of the following occurs [U14.15]:

  • failure to meet the conditional pre-requisites for enrolment into a second or subsequent programme of study;
  • the gap between completing one programme and starting the next on the pathway exceeds 16 weeks;
  • where a first-time student has submitted an English language test result and the intended pathway is an English language programme culminating in a Level 5–8 qualification, the English language programme is not completed within a 20‑week period.

• Consequences of breach: A breach of visa conditions is sufficient reason to make the holder liable for deportation and may lead to the issue of a Deportation Liability Notice [U14.15].

Interpretation & edge cases

• The pilot permits a single student visa to cover multiple programmes that would normally require separate visas or variations of conditions; the visa duration must be sufficient to complete all programmes in the pathway [U14].

• Immigration officers must verify that each programme in the pathway is offered by a qualifying education provider and that the progression is consecutive [U14].

• Standard student visa conditions (work entitlements, insurance, attendance, etc.) continue to apply during the pathway [U14].

• High decline-rate countries and English language programmes: Applicants from a country with a student visa decline rate exceeding 20% who intend a pathway starting with an English language programme and culminating in a qualification at NZQF Levels 5 to 8 must submit an IELTS (or equivalent internationally recognised proficiency test) at the time of application, and demonstrate that they only require an improvement of 0.5 of an IELTS overall band score (or equivalent) to meet the English language prerequisite for the intended Level 5 to 8 programme of study [U14.5]. The decline rate is based on INZ statistics over a calendar year and published on the INZ website; the list of accepted English language tests and equivalent scores is also on the INZ website [U14.5].

• Conditional offers permitted: For second and subsequent programmes within the pathway, the offer of place can be conditional on the applicant successfully completing the preceding programme's entry criteria, providing flexibility in multi-stage study plans [U14.5].

• Work conditions for later programmes require separate variation: Even if a later programme qualifies for student work rights, those work conditions are not automatically attached to the pathway visa; a Variation of Conditions application (INZ 1020) and fee must be submitted [U14.10].

• Progress milestones are strictly enforced: The requirement to commence the next programme within 16 weeks and, where relevant, the 20‑week completion window for an English language pathway, are mandatory for maintaining the visa’s validity [U14.10].

• Provider non‑compliance and processing suspension: If a pathway education provider is found in non‑compliance (other than of a minor nature) with the Pathway Student Visas – Pilot Participation Declaration, or is under active investigation by INZ for offences under Part 10 of the Immigration Act 2009, INZ may suspend processing of related student visa applications immediately [U14.20]. The provider is notified, given 30 days to remedy, and if resolved to INZ’s satisfaction the suspension is lifted [U14.20]. Failure to remedy may lead to removal from the pilot and current visa holders becoming liable for deportation; even after resolution, INZ or NZQA may later reassess and re‑impose the suspension or remove the provider [U14.20].

Citations

• U14 — Pathway student visas pilot
• U14.5 — Requirements to be granted a pathway student visa
• U14.10 — Currency and conditions of pathway student visas
• U14.15 — Changing and complying with pathway student visa conditions
• U14.20 — Provider requirements