How to Apply for a New Zealand Student Visa From Canada

Which visa applies to you

If your course in New Zealand runs 3 months or less, a visitor visa usually covers you instead of a student visa. Once your program runs longer than 3 months, plan for the Fee Paying Student Visa described in the steps below.

Step 1: Get an offer of place

Apply directly to a New Zealand university, institute of technology, or approved private provider and wait for a formal offer of place. This document needs to list your course name, its duration, and whether you study full-time or part-time. For courses longer than one academic year, it also needs to show your scheduled holiday dates. Your provider signs a declaration confirming you meet the English language and academic entry requirements for the course, so keep transcripts and any English test scores ready when you apply.

Step 2: Confirm your funds

Immigration New Zealand sets a living cost minimum for tertiary and English language study at NZD $20,000 for a full year, or NZD $1,667 for each month if your course runs shorter than a year. This sits separate from tuition. You also need to show you paid tuition fees for at least one year of study, or for the full course if it runs shorter than a year. Bank statements, a loan approval letter, or a scholarship confirmation letter can serve as evidence, as long as the funds are genuinely available to you.

Step 3: Meet health requirements

Health checks generally apply if you plan to stay in New Zealand for more than 6 months. Depending on your citizenship and how long you plan to stay, you may need a chest X-ray, a medical examination, or both. Medical evidence needs to be less than 3 months old when you submit your application, so book your appointment close to your submission date rather than months ahead.

Step 4: Meet character requirements

If you are 17 or older and your total time in New Zealand, across this and any past stays, adds up to 24 months or more, you need a police certificate from Canada and from any other country you lived in for 12 months or more. Police certificates need to be less than 6 months old when you submit them, so request yours from the RCMP or your local police service with enough lead time.

Step 5: Submit and wait for a decision

Submit your application, supporting documents, and visa fee through Immigration New Zealand's online system. Immigration New Zealand reports that, as of October 2026, 80 percent of Fee Paying Student Visa applications are decided within 8 weeks, so apply as soon as your offer of place and funds evidence are ready rather than waiting until close to your intended start date.

Documents to gather before you start

• Signed offer of place from your provider

• Evidence of living cost funds (bank statement, loan letter, or scholarship letter)

• Evidence of paid tuition for at least one year or one course

• Valid Canadian passport with enough validity beyond your intended stay

• Health and character evidence if your stay length requires it

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not submit medical or police evidence too early. Both run on a clock that starts from the exam or certificate date, not your travel date, so evidence gathered too far ahead can lapse before Immigration New Zealand reviews your file. Also avoid setting a start date that leaves no buffer for the 8 week processing window. Build in extra time so a request for more evidence does not push back your enrolment date.

After you arrive

Once your visa is approved, check the conditions attached to it. Most Fee Paying Student Visas allow a set number of work hours a week during term time and full-time work during scheduled breaks, though your specific conditions depend on your course and provider. If you plan to work in New Zealand after you graduate, look into the Post-Study Work Visa early, since eligibility depends on the level and length of the qualification you complete.

Choosing your provider carefully

Immigration New Zealand only issues student visas for study with an approved education provider, so confirm your chosen university, institute of technology, or private training establishment holds current approval before you pay any deposit. Your offer of place only supports a visa application if it comes from a provider that meets this standard, so check the provider's own accreditation status alongside its course offerings.

Extending your stay in New Zealand

If you plan to continue into a second course, a longer program, or postgraduate study, apply for your next Fee Paying Student Visa before your current one expires. Immigration New Zealand assesses each application independently, so a straightforward first visa does not guarantee automatic approval for an extension. Keep your funds evidence and offer of place current for each new application rather than reusing older documents.