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Understand this pathway
New Zealand student visa: how long the Fee Paying Student Visa takes, what it costs, and whether it leads to permanent residence
Study permit
Temporary visa to study full-time with a New Zealand education provider that is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021. You need an offer of place and enough money for living costs, tuition and outward travel. The visa can be issued for a maximum of 4 years. It is not a residence visa. A later Post Study Work Visa is a separate temporary work visa and is not stored here.
Source: Immigration New Zealand · verified 2026-08-15
Does Fee Paying Student Visa lead to permanent residence?
- Residency
Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Source: Immigration New Zealand · verified 2026-08-15
Do you need a job offer for Fee Paying Student Visa?
- Job offer
Not published on the page we read
The opened INZ Fee Paying Student Visa page does not mention a job offer.
Source: Immigration New Zealand · verified 2026-09-17
What education does Fee Paying Student Visa require?
- Education
The page states no education minimum
Page requires an offer of place on an approved course, including primary, secondary or tertiary study. No prior bachelor's degree is published. Previous stored value 'bachelor' contradicted that and has been removed.
Source: Immigration New Zealand · verified 2026-08-15
How much money do you have to show for Fee Paying Student Visa?
- Funds
NZD 20,000
Tertiary, English-language or other non-compulsory study: NZD $20,000 for each year if the course is 1 year or more, or NZD $1,667 for each month if shorter than 1 year. School years 1 to 13: NZD $17,000 a year or $1,417 a month. Tuition fees and outward-travel funds are extra. Prepaid accommodation can be deducted. If you are pregnant, INZ also asks for NZD $9,000 for maternity health and medical costs.
Source: Immigration New Zealand · verified 2026-08-15
How much does Fee Paying Student Visa cost to apply for?
- Application fee
From NZD 850
Visa page publishes 'From NZD $850'. INZ's fees and levies page (rates as of 1 October 2024) states that immigration charges are a separate fee and levy, and that most Pacific fee-band rates are lower — other variants exist. Most student visa applications (excluding the dependent-child category) also pay the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy of NZD $100.00. That levy is a separate charge and is not included in the 850 figure.
Source: Immigration New Zealand · verified 2026-08-15
How long does Fee Paying Student Visa take to process?
- Processing time
No commitment to a processing time
Open the authority's page for this fact
Source: Immigration New Zealand · verified 2026-09-18
We tell you when we re-read a route you follow, in the note from that check, with the official link.
Not published on the pages we read
We checked for each of these and the page carried no figure. The absence is recorded with the reason, so this page states nothing the authority does not.
Processing time
Visa page Processing time opened 2026-09-18: '80% within 8 weeks'. That is a percentile statistic, not a promised range, so no month range is stored. Previous stored 1–3 months was unsourced.
Source: Immigration New Zealand · verified 2026-09-18
What changed when we last checked this record
Route is open. Offer of place from a Code of Practice signatory; study may be primary, secondary or tertiary. Previous stored name 'Student Visa → Post-study work', age 17, bachelor minimum, USD 12,000 funds, USD 400 fee, 1–3 month processing, and a 36-month PR pathway treated this temporary visa as settlement and have been removed.
Source: Immigration New Zealand · verified 2026-08-15
Other verified New Zealand routes
Other study routes: Australia student visa (subclass 500) · Canada student visa: Study Permit → PGWP · Germany student visa: Student residence permit · UK student visa · Netherlands student visa: Student residence permit for university or higher professional education · Portugal student visa: study, exchange, internship or volunteering · Sweden student visa: Residence permit for studies at higher education · UAE student visa: Residence permit for study
Where to go next
- Compare this pathway with another — the link stores only pathway ids.
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Official sources
Disclaimer: Viovena is an informational planning tool for immigration pathways and eligibility estimates. It is NOT a registered immigration agency, legal advisor, or licensed consultant. Visa decisions belong solely to government authorities — we do not guarantee approvals. All profile-fit scores and timelines are estimates for planning purposes only. Always verify requirements, fees, and processing times on official government websites before applying.