Information for secondary students and school leavers
What are the costs?
How much does tertiary education really cost? There are three basic costs to think about:
Course fees
Course fees charged by education providers are one of the main costs of tertiary education. Tuition fees can range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars for each year of study. Fees vary depending on the course you take and the provider.
Compare the course fees charged by several education providers before you make a decision on where to study. Some may offer fee free schemes.
You can use the Sorted website to compare fee structures at universities, polytechs and private training providers.
Also think about whether you can train on the job. Employers and industry groups often subsidise course fees for apprenticeships, industry training and workplace learning. Modern Apprenticeship fees are paid by government.
- Search for courses that interest you
- Contact industry training organisations
- Sorted website – information on fee structures
- A labcoat may be a course-related cost if you are studying science.
Course-related costs
Course costs go beyond tuition fees. You also have to pay for things like textbooks, stationery and any tools or equipment needed for the course.
Check with your education provider or employer about what the course-related costs are likely to be. You may be able to claim your course-related costs as part of your student loan, or buy some things secondhand.
Living costs
Living costs are likely to be your biggest cost if you’re leaving home to study or train. Before you make your education decision, think about these questions:
- How much will your groceries cost?
- How much will accommodation cost?
- What are your accommodation options? Can you stay with family/whānau, board, stay in a hostel, go flatting or stay at home?
- What about transport to and from campus or work every day?
- How will you make sure you have enough money for food, power and a phone? What about clothing and entertainment?
You may be able to use a student loan to support some of your living costs – StudyLink can help you find out what you can get.
Most education providers have helpful information about living costs and budgets on their websites – ask them if you can’t find it.
- StudyLink website – information on student loans
- Department of Housing and Building website – guide to flatting
