• All students will likely need to provide their IRD number to the tertiary provider at the time of enrolment.

• All students will need to pay for their fees themselves or via a Studylink loan if they are eligible from their first year of study.

• A reminder that a Studylink loan application requires a verified Realme login before the application process can be started.

• Students will only be able to claim fees free for one qualification. They cannot choose which qualification they use the fees-free for, it will be the first qualification completed.

• Qualifications that are .5 efts or more are eligible for last year fees free.

• There will be no carry over of unused fees free from one qualification to another like there is with the current system. So, if a student completes a 6 month (.5 eft) qualification that costs $5,000 this is the only course that can be claimed for fees free. Subsequent qualifications will need to be paid for themselves or via Studylink loan even though they have not used all of the $12,000 and 1 eft.

• Students will need to apply themselves via the IRD website (new digital form etc will be created) the year after completing their qualification, and this will either be refunded to Studylink or the student's bank account (no other bank account can be used).

• Stackable micro-credentials will not be eligible for fees-free even if they add to more than .5 efts.

• TEC is still working on the settings for students who have been a NZ resident for less than 3 years. For example, if they enrol in a 3-year bachelor's qualification, at what point do they need to have been a resident for 3 years to be eligible for last year's fees free? Details will be announced in September.

Have any Fees Free queries?

Please go to www.feesfree.govt.nz for information on the Fees Free policies, or call TEC at 0800 601 301 if you have further questions.