Eligibility for student loans and allowances

Find out your eligibility for a student loan or allowance.

Student loans and allowances are offered by StudyLink, and they make the assessment of your eligibility for student loans and allowances. The guides below will help you calculate your EFTS (Equivalent Full-time Student) points, if StudyLink requests it from you.

Residency requirements for Student Allowances and Student Loans

To be eligible for a student allowance or student loan you need to be either: 

  • a New Zealand citizen, or 
  • an ordinarily resident in New Zealand and either 
    • have been living in New Zealand for at least 3 years, and have held a residence class visa for 3 years, or
    • be a refugee protected person, or 
    • be sponsored into New Zealand by someone in your family who, at the time you were sponsored, was a refugee or protected person

For more information, please visit StudyLink's Ordinarily resident page.

More information on eligibility requirements can be found at Student Loan

For any further questions, please contact StudyLink.

What can a student loan cover?

A student loan can cover the cost of your tuition fees, as well as other expenses you may incur during study.

Living costs

To be eligible for the living costs component of the student loan, you must be full-time for the period of your enrolment.*  

Please note, StudyLink's definition of 'full-time' is calculated differently to the University's definition. For StudyLink's full-time definition, please visit StudyLink's Full-time definition page.

If your enrolment looks correct, it could just be a matter of timing. StudyLink may have checked your enrolment with the University before you had enrolled into all your courses.

Ask StudyLink to re-check your enrolment details with the University just in case.

If you have checked all of the above - that you are enrolled in enough points for the period of your enrolment and that StudyLink has the most up-to-date information already - then you should check with StudyLink in case there is some other reason why they have declined your application.

*If you can get a student allowance, you may not be eligible for a student loan for living costs.

EFTS for the standard academic year

Enrolment period Number of weeks Minimum points for full-time status Minimum EFTS for full-time status
Summer School only
7 weeks 21 points 0.175 EFTS
Summer School and First Semester only
26 weeks (including inter-semester and mid-semester breaks) 78 points 0.650 EFTS
First Semester only
18 weeks 48 points 0.400 EFTS
Second Semester only
18 weeks 48 points 0.400 EFTS
First Semester and Second Semester
38 weeks (including inter-semester and mid-semester breaks) 96 points 0.800 EFTS
Summer School, First Semester and Second Semester
46 weeks (including inter-semester and mid-semester breaks) 96 points 0.800 EFTS

Please note

  • Some programmes may start and finish on dates other than the ones listed above, including:
    • Some Medicine courses
    • Some Education courses
    • Some masters courses

EFTS for the Graduate School of Management

Enrolment period Number of weeks Minimum points for   full-time status Minimum EFTS for full-time status
First Quarter only
11 weeks 33 pts 0.275 EFTS
Second Quarter only
11 weeks 33 pts 0.275 EFTS
Third Quarter only
11 weeks 33 pts 0.275 EFTS
Fourth Quarter only
11 weeks 33 pts 0.275 EFTS
First and Second Quarters
23 weeks (including inter-semester break) 69 pts 0.575 EFTS
Second and Third Quarters
23 weeks (including inter-semester break) 69 pts 0.575 EFTS
Third and Fourth Quarters
23 weeks (including inter-semester break) 69 pts 0.575 EFTS
First, Second and Third Quarters
35 weeks (including inter-semester breaks) 96 pts 0.800 EFTS
Second, Third and Fourth Quarters
35 weeks (including inter-semester breaks) 96 pts 0.800 EFTS
First, Second, Third and Fourth Quarters
47 weeks (including inter-semester breaks) 96 pts 0.800 EFTS

How to calculate your EFTS by points

To calculate your EFTS for a period of study, you can:

  1. View your unofficial transcript to see how many points you were enrolled in for the period of time you are checking. For more information, see How to view your unofficial transcript.
  2. Convert your enrolment points into EFTS according to the table below:

EFTS Value

Number of points you have enrolled in EFTS Value
10 points 0.0833 EFTS
15 points 0.1250 EFTS
20 points 0.1667 EFTS
30 points 0.2500 EFTS
60 points 0.5000 EFTS
120 points 1.0000 EFTS

Part time

You may qualify for StudyLink to pay your tuition fees if you are enrolled in least 30 points in the same academic year.

Part time in a full-year programme

You may qualify for StudyLink to pay your tuition fees if you are enrolled for more than 32 weeks continuously in one academic year.

10 point courses

You must enrol into more than three 10 point courses to be eligible for a student loan, due to rounding.

Limited Full time Status

You can request Limited full-time status from StudyLink for certain circumstances or when you are studying less than full time to complete your programme. 

For more information, please see Limited full-time.