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 finished at the end of 2024. There are some transition rules (see below, and the TEC website).

From 1 January 2025, Government Fees Free covers the final year of study or training for the first provider-based qualification an eligible learner completes.

If you are a first-time tertiary learner in 2025, you may be able to get your Government Fees Free entitlement after completing your final year of study or training. You will need to pay your fees and then can apply to claim your entitlement after you complete the programme. To see if you are eligible, go to https://www.feesfree.govt.nz/final-year/

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, and there are time requirements if you are studying part time

Some further 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

Started studying under Government Fees Free between 2018-2024?

If you started your studies in 2018-2024, and you will study in the same programme in 2025, you may still be eligible to use your remaining first-year Government Fees Free entitlement.

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/

Eligibility in 2025

To be eligible for Government Fees Free study for the first time in 2025 you must:

complete a qualification or programme that’s eligible for Government Fees Free, and
meet the residency criteria at the time you complete, and
meet the prior study and training criteria, and
not have already used Government Fees Free.

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

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).