Student Visa Process

If you will study in New Zealand for more than three months you need a Fee Paying Student Visa from Immigration New Zealand (INZ). The application is online. The visa is for students who pay their own tuition, either from family funds or an education loan, and who are not on a government scholarship.

Step by step

1. Choose an approved provider and course. Only courses of approved education providers qualify.
2. Get an offer of place and accept it. The offer states the fees and the course dates.
3. Pay the fees or arrange to. INZ asks for proof that your tuition is paid or will be paid. Some students get an “approval in principle” first and pay after the visa decision.
4. Prepare proof of funds for living costs (see the costs page) and, if you are under 18, the arrangements for your care.
5. Arrange approved medical and travel insurance for the length of your stay.
6. Medical and police certificates. For stays of more than six months, applicants from Nepal usually need a chest X-ray and a general medical certificate from a panel physician. A police certificate is needed for longer courses.
7. Apply online, upload the documents, pay the fee and wait. Apply at least three months before the course starts.

What INZ looks for

• A genuine intention to study: a course that fits your education and plans.
• Enough money, with a clear source.
• Good health and character.
• A believable plan for what you will do after the course.

Common problems

• Funds that appear shortly before the application and cannot be explained.
• A statement of purpose copied from the internet.
• Gaps in your education or work history left unexplained.

Check before you rely on it. The visa fee and the immigration levy are set by INZ and have changed, and some details differ by nationality. Rules, fees and dates are changed by governments often. We last reviewed this page in October 2026. Confirm the current position on the Immigration New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa page or ask our counsellors, who check it again before your file is submitted.

Talk to WIEC about New Zealand

Our Lalitpur counsellors can review your marks, English score and finances and tell you honestly which courses and universities fit. Book a free appointment, start your file online at Apply Online, or practise for the English test with IELTSWIZZ.