Student or partner getting a benefit
Student getting a main benefit
Students getting a main benefit can borrow money under the Student Loan Scheme for:
Students getting a main benefit cannot borrow the living costs component of a Student Loan. This is because their main benefit provides financial assistance towards their day to day living costs.
Some students may not be eligible to continue receiving their main benefit if they are in full-time study.
For example, see:
Note young people getting Youth Payment or Young Parent Payment and on a Youth Guarantee course cannot get a Student Loan.
Student's partner getting a main benefit
If a student's partner is granted a 'half couple rate' of main benefit, the student may borrow:
- compulsory fees and
- course-related costs and
- living costs
Half couple rate
When only one partner in a couple qualifies for a main benefit, that partner gets paid their main benefit at a 'half couple rate'.
For more information see:
- New Zealand Superannuation Study
Student getting New Zealand Superannuation or Veterans Pension
Students getting New Zealand Superannuation, Veterans Pension or who are a grandparented non-qualified partner cannot borrow the living costs component of a Student Loan.
This is because their New Zealand Superannuation or Veterans Pension provides financial assistance towards their day to day living costs.
Students getting New Zealand Superannuation or Veterans Pension can borrow for compulsory fees but cannot borrow course-related costs.
Student's partner getting New Zealand Superannuation or Veterans Pension
If a student's partner is getting New Zealand Superannuation or Veterans Pension, but the student does not, the student can borrow the living costs component of a Student Loan (if they meet the usual loan qualifications and are not getting a main benefit).
The student can borrow for compulsory fees and if they are aged under 55 years old at study start date they can also borrow course-related costs.
For more information see:
Student getting Extra help only
A student who only gets Extra Help from MSD may borrow Student Loan:
- compulsory fees and
- course-related costs and
- living costs
Student getting Training Incentive Allowance
A Training Incentive Allowance is paid to help students getting a specified main benefit to take up education or training.
Students getting a Training Incentive Allowance may still be able to get a Student Loan for compulsory fees and course-related costs in some situations.
They cannot get Student Loan living costs. This is because they are getting a main benefit that provides financial assistance towards their day to day living costs.
For more information see:
Student getting education and employment-related training payment for course costs
Some students getting a main benefit may be granted education and employment-related training payments to help meet their tuition fees or other course costs. These payments are made under the Employment and Work Readiness Assistance Programme.
Students getting education and employment-related training payments for course costs can only borrow the course-related costs component of the Student Loan remaining (if any) after the education and employment-related training entitlement to course costs has been deducted.
If the student gets payments under the Employment and Work Readiness Assistance Programme to help with:
- care for another person or
- childcare, transport or disability related costs
these payments do not affect their Student Loan entitlement to course-related costs (no deduction is made).
For more information see: Work readiness assistance
Inclusion of a child in a benefit when the child gets Student Loan living costs
A child who gets Student Loan living costs can still be included in a parent or caregiver's benefit if they are a dependent child for that benefit.
Note parents of a 16 or 17 year old student may qualify for an Away from Home Allowance for their child's accommodation costs.
