Applying for a student visa

The application process below is for people who want to apply for a student visa or permit. This may include people who want to travel to New Zealand to study, people who want to stay temporarily in New Zealand to study, and people already here on another permit who want to study in New Zealand full time.

The application steps

Complete the form

Print and complete the form Student Visa/Permit Application (INZ 1012) PDF. Also available is the Student Visa/Permit Guide (INZ 1013) PDF, which will assist you in applying. If you cannot print the form and guide, they are available from your nearest Immigration New Zealand branch.

Make sure you submit everything we require, including the fee

Along with your completed (and signed) application form you will also need to provide all the information listed at the back of the application form and the correct fee. If you do not submit the required information with your application we cannot accept it for processing.

Make sure you meet our health requirements

What you have to provide us with depends on how long you will be staying in New Zealand.

Studying in New Zealand for between six months and one year?

You may also need to provide a completed Temporary Entry X-ray Certificate (NZIS 1096) PDF to show you have been screened for tuberculosis (TB).

Studying in New Zealand for more than one year?

You will need to complete a medical examination and a medical and X-ray certificate.

Pregnant women and children under the age of 11 years are not required to submit X-ray certificates unless a special report is required.

For full details on our health requirements, see the Health Requirements Leaflet (NZIS 1121) PDF.

Make sure your meet our character requirements

If you are studying in New Zealand for more than two years you will also have to provide a police certificate, less than six months old, from your country of citizenship and from any country in which you have lived for five or more years since reaching 17 years of age.

Lodge your application

If you are applying from outside of New Zealand, your application must be made and approved before you are able to travel to New Zealand. Find out where to send your application.

If you are in New Zealand, please send your student application direct to:

Student Processing Unit

Immigration New Zealand

P O Box 1049

Palmerston North 4440

Student applications may also be placed in the branch student drop box (Auckland Branches only) and will be forwarded to the Student Processing Unit in Palmerston North.

If your education provider is certified with Students Online you can make your application at your nearest certified educational institute.