Fees free study

Ako utu-kore

We offer a range of zero fees courses, and you may also be eligible for the fee-free study offered by the Government.

On this page:

Government fees free study

Government Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. Final-year Government Fees Free will start from 1 January 2025.

If you are a first-time tertiary learner in 2025, you may be able to get Fees Free for your final year of study or training. To see if you are eligible, go to https://www.feesfree.govt.nz/final-year/

For more information about the transition from first-year Government Fees Free or the final-year Government Fees Free policy, visit FeesFree.govt.nz.

The Government's Fees Free policy applies to eligible learners studying in:

Level 3 and above programmes on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework
Up to $12,000 study fees or one EFTS (120 Credits) cap, whichever occurs first

Some information about eligibility, continuing study and fee payments is included below. For more detailed information, including information about the 2024-2025 transition rules, and to check your eligibility, visit the Government’s Fees Free website.

Fees Free website

Eligibility in 2024

To be eligible for Government Fees Free study in 2024 you must be a New Zealand citizen, or have held a Residence Class Visa for at least three years. You must also be studying for the first time or have remaining first-year Government Fees Free entitlement.

There are no age requirements or age restrictions for the Government Fees Free study.

If you began your studies in 2018-2024, and your studies carry over into 2025, you can continue to use your remaining first-year Government Fees Free entitlement if you are continuing in the same programme of study and have Government Fees Free entitlement remaining.

Who is not eligible in 2024

You are not eligible if you:

Are enrolled at a secondary school at the start of the course or programme.
Have previously undertaken more than half a year of equivalent full-time tertiary education 0.5 EFTS (60 credits) at Level 3 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. This does not include tertiary education completed while enrolled at a secondary school.
Have undertaken prior study or equivalent tertiary education in any other country.

For information on eligibility criteria if you began your studies in 2018-2024, check the Government Fees Free website: https://www.feesfree.govt.nz/end-of-first-year/

Applying for Government Fees Free study in 2024

To apply for the Government’s Fees Free study in 2024 with Open Polytechnic:

Choose the programme you wish to apply to study with Open Polytechnic and apply online.
The online application form will ask how you would like to pay for your study. Choose the ‘Government Fees-Free’ option.
We will then check to make sure you are eligible and get back to you.

Fees paid by student loan in 2024

If you are eligible for Government Fees Free study in 2024, but have already taken out a student loan StudyLink advises that you:

Log in to your MyStudyLink account
Change the ‘Pay fees’ field in your loan application to ‘No’.
Don’t cancel your student loan application completely if you will still need living and course-related costs.

If you were only taking out a loan to pay your fees, and they are less than or equal to $12,000, you can choose to cancel your loan application.

To cancel your application or get further information contact StudyLink:

0800 88 99 00
StudyLink website

Eligibility in 2025

To be eligible for Government Fees Free study for the first time in 2025 you must be a New Zealand citizen, entering your final year of study. The detailed eligibility criteria for the final-year Government Fees Free policy has not yet been determined.

For information on starting study in 2025, visit the Fees Free website: https://www.feesfree.govt.nz/final-year/

Continuing previous study in either 2024 or 2025

If you have already done some study and are eligible for Government fees free study you can continue your study:

Subject to the TEC cap for time and maximum allowance.
In 2024 if you are eligible, you can change your qualification
In 2025 you can continue to use your remaining first-year Fees Free entitlement only if you are continuing in the same programme of study in 2025.

Withdrawing your enrolment application if you don’t qualify for Fees Free

If you are not eligible for fees free study and have not yet been enrolled and would like to withdraw your application to enrol please email us at enrolments@openpolytechnic.ac.nz

Include your name, student number and course(s) you have applied for in the email.

If you are not eligible and you have already been enrolled in the course, you can use the request to withdraw form on our website before Day 28, if you are unable or do not wish to pay for the course fees yourself.

Request to Withdraw form

Open Polytechnic zero fees programmes for domestic learners

We offer a range of zero fees programmes to make study in these areas as accessible as possible to those who need it. These programmes are free for domestic learners who meet the entry requirements and have not already completed a similar or related qualification at a higher level.

The zero fees offer will be for a limited time. We will publish the end date of the offer two weeks before the offer ends in the qualification/programme page on our website.

What the zero fees offer covers

This zero fees offer only applies to the programme’s enrolment fee.

It does not include provision of textbooks or any other additional fees incurred by a student. These will remain the responsibility of the student.

Applying to enrol

When you enrol in the programme or a course you need to fill in the enrolment form. Payment will not be required to complete your enrolment application (subject to terms and conditions).