Information for secondary students and school leavers
Student loans, student allowances and other ways to pay for your study
Can you afford tertiary education? How are you going to pay for it? Finding the money isn’t always easy. Here’s some information about how you can fund your tertiary education.
Student allowances
You may be eligible for a student allowance administered by StudyLink. A student allowance is a weekly payment to help with your living costs while you study full time. You don’t have to pay this back.
Student loans
You may be eligible for a student loan. A student loan is money from the government to help you pay course fees, course-related costs and living costs while you are studying. You have to pay this money back, so it makes sense to:
- find out if you are eligible for a loan
- make sure you understand what responsibilities you have to pass your course and pay the money back
- know how the student loan system works and what interest the loans are subject to
- know when the loan payments are made (and the date when the money will go into your bank account) – so that you have enough money in the meantime
- just borrow what you need – the less you borrow, the sooner you can pay it back
- work out how long it will take you to pay the loan back and when you’ll need to start.
- StudyLink website - information on student loans
- Inland Revenue Department website - information on loan repayments and interest free loans
Apply online today
If you need financial assistance from StudyLink, don’t leave your application until the last minute.
Other forms of funding
There are other ways to fund your study. Have you thought about:
- working part time?
- whether you are eligible for a scholarship or grant?
- whether you are eligible for any extra financial help such as medical or disability support, or an accommodation allowance?
