Withdrawals, postponements, failures, transfers and part-time study
Withdrawals
If a student withdraws from their study, and does not intend to return to study, they will not be eligible for any further award payments.
Postponements
Students who have not received their initial payment can apply to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) to postpone commencing tertiary study for one academic year only.
A postponement for NZQA Scholarship Monetary Award students is a period of one year between their secondary and tertiary study. This means that students who continue to study at secondary school level may have a postponement period of longer than one year.
Example where a student who excelled in the 2008 exams is awarded a NZQA Scholarship Monetary Award, the initial payment would normally be in 2009. If the student continues to study at secondary school in 2009 the initial payment of an award would be in 2010. The student is still entitled to a one year postponement in 2010 before beginning tertiary study.
Once a student has received their initial award payment they are able to postpone for any period for any logical reason. They will not receive the award payment for the years that they are not studying, but will be able to receive the award when they return to study. The student will need to supply a written statement to StudyLink confirming that they wish to postpone their payments.
Failure
Students who received their initial award payment in 2006 or later, need to maintain a minimum of a B-grade average each year to continue to receive the award. Students, who received their initial payment in 2005, need to pass more than half of their course each year.
If a student does not maintain a B-grade average or pass more than half due to reasons beyond their control, they continue to be entitled to the NZQA Scholarship Monetary Award.
If a student does not maintain a B-grade average or pass over half for reasons within their control, they are not entitled to any further award payments.
Transfers
Recipients may change the course or programme that they are studying, and continue to receive their award provided they maintain the required academic performance and continue to meet the study and residency criteria.
Part-time study
To be eligible for an award a student needs to be enrolled in more than 0.4 EFTS regardless of the length of their course. Students who study 0.4 EFTS or less and wish to receive the award payment will need to apply for Limited Full-time Status.
The limited full-time status criteria for NZQA Scholarship Monetary Award recipients, is the same as the existing criteria for Student Allowance and Student Loan limited full-time status. This means that the one form can be used for all products.
