# New Zealand Student Visa for Indians: 2026 Requirements and Funds > What Indian students need for a New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa in 2026: offer of place, tuition, NZD 20,000 a year in funds, sponsors, fees, timelines and INZ decline data. _Published: 2026-10-17 · Reading time: 6 min · Words: 1266_ ## TL;DR Indian students need an offer of place from an approved New Zealand provider, tuition paid for one year or one course, and NZD 20,000 a year in living funds (or a family sponsor). The Fee Paying Student Visa costs NZD 850 and INZ's headline timeframe is 80% within 8 weeks; 39% of Indian offshore student applications decided in 2025 were declined. ## Key takeaways - You need an offer of place from a provider that has signed the Code of Practice 2021; a conditional offer can get approval in principle. - Living funds: NZD 20,000 a year for tertiary study of 1 year or more, NZD 1,667 a month for shorter courses. - In South Asia only immediate family can sponsor or give a financial undertaking for a student. - Fee NZD 850 (including the NZD 100 visitor levy); INZ headline timeframe 80% within 8 weeks; apply at least 3 months ahead. - INZ data: 39% of Indian offshore student visa applications decided in 2025 were declined, down from 50% in 2024. **To study in New Zealand, Indians need a Fee Paying Student Visa: an offer of place from an approved provider, tuition paid for one year or one course, and living funds of NZD 20,000 a year (NZD 1,667 a month for shorter study). According to Immigration New Zealand, the visa costs NZD 850 and 80% are decided within 8 weeks.** ## Article The funds rules deserve the most care, because INZ looks at who is paying and how the money will reach New Zealand, not only at the balance. This guide sets out the 2026 requirements, the funds figures and sponsor rules, fees and timelines, and INZ's own decline data for Indian applicants. Figures are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. Since immigration.govt.nz was returning errors in mid-October 2026, several INZ details were read from archived copies of its pages; confirm them on the live site before you pay. For other New Zealand visas, see our New Zealand visa guide for Indians. ### Who can get a New Zealand student visa from India? The Fee Paying Student Visa is for students paying international tuition fees, whether personally, with family support, through a loan or with a partial scholarship. It can be issued for up to 4 years. The core requirements are: - An offer of place from an approved education provider that is a signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021. Applicants outside New Zealand can apply with a conditional offer and get approval in principle. - Tuition paid for 1 course or 1 year of study, whichever is shorter, or evidence of an exemption or scholarship. From outside New Zealand you can pay after approval in principle. - Living funds or an acceptable sponsor (see below). - A genuine intention to study. English test results such as IELTS are not mandatory for the visa but can help show it. Partners and dependent children cannot be included in a student visa application; they apply for their own visas. ### How much money do Indian students need to show? Type of studyLiving funds required (if paying for yourself)Tertiary, English-language or other non-compulsory study of 1 year or moreNZD 20,000 for each yearTertiary, English-language or other non-compulsory study under 1 yearNZD 1,667 a monthSchool, Years 1–13NZD 17,000 a year (NZD 1,417 a month)These are living costs on top of tuition. Indian citizens may be able to use the Funds Transfer Scheme to show they can access their funds in New Zealand. If an education loan is part of your funding, INZ wants the loan sanction letter and an explanation of how the loan will be repaid. ### Who can sponsor an Indian student? Instead of showing your own funds, you can have an acceptable sponsor or a guarantor who signs a Financial Undertaking for a Student (INZ 1014). The rule for South Asia is narrow: when applying in South Asia, only immediate family can sponsor you or give a financial undertaking. INZ lists them as your partner, parents, siblings, grandparents and parents-in-law. An uncle, a family friend or an employer therefore cannot be your financial sponsor on an application from India. Plan the paper trail around an immediate family member's bank records and income. ### What does the visa cost, and how long does INZ take? The NZD 850 fee for an Indian citizen applying from outside New Zealand is made up of an NZD 485 application fee, an NZD 265 immigration levy and the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy. MFAT-scholarship students do not pay the visitor levy. INZ publishes no INR amount for its fees. INZ's headline timeframe for the Fee Paying Student Visa is 80% within 8 weeks. INZ asks students to apply at least 3 months before travel and says student visa processing is busiest between October and March, so lodge early if your course starts in that period. You apply online; the passport goes to a VFS Global centre in New Delhi, Chandigarh or Mumbai only if INZ asks for it, with a handling fee of INR 1,460. ### How many Indian student visa applications are declined? INZ publishes offshore student visa decisions by nationality. The figures below cover fee paying, pathway, English language, scholarship and exchange student visas for applicants outside New Zealand: YearIndian nationals declinedIndian nationals approvedAll nationalities2025 (data as of 16 February 2026)39% (2,838 of 7,235 decided)59% (4,276)83% approved, 15% declined202450% (5,698 of 11,338 decided)48% (5,452)75% approved, 24% declinedThese numbers describe past decisions across many types of student visa; they are not a forecast for your application. They do show that Indian applications were declined far more often than the all-nationality average, so a complete, well-documented file matters. ### Can you work while studying, and can your partner come? Student visa holders can usually work up to 25 hours a week during study and full-time in scheduled holidays, depending on their visa conditions. Students aged 16 or 17 need written permission from a parent and the provider, and students aged 15 or younger cannot work. Your partner can apply for a Partner of a Student Work Visa (NZD 1,630; INZ headline timeframe 80% within 5 weeks) only if you study a level 9–10 qualification, or a level 7–8 qualification on the Green List or the post-study work eligible list. The partner needs at least NZD 4,200 for the stay. After graduating, a Post-Study Work Visa (NZD 1,670) allows open work for up to 3 years depending on the qualification and needs at least NZD 5,000 for living expenses. From 16 November 2026 INZ extends eligibility to holders of an NZQCF level 7 graduate diploma studied full-time in New Zealand who also hold a bachelor's degree. ### What should you arrange before you lodge? - Offer of place, and tuition paid or ready to pay after approval in principle. - Funds evidence for NZD 20,000 a year, or an INZ 1014 from an immediate family member. - Loan sanction letter and repayment plan, if you are borrowing. - Insurance acceptable to your provider for travel and health care for the whole visa; it is a visa condition. - A chest X-ray, as India is not a low-TB country and you will stay more than 6 months. - Police certificates if you are 17 or older and your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer. - A digital photo: JPG of 512 KB to 3.14 MB, 3:4 portrait, plain neutral background. For the travel side of your file, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or reach us via the contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Is IELTS mandatory for a New Zealand student visa? No. INZ says English test results such as IELTS are not mandatory for the Fee Paying Student Visa, though they can help show a genuine intention to study. #### Can I apply for a New Zealand student visa with a conditional offer? Yes, if you are outside New Zealand. You can apply with a conditional offer of place and receive approval in principle, then pay tuition and meet the remaining conditions before the visa is issued. #### Can my partner be included in my New Zealand student visa? No. Partners and dependent children cannot be included and must apply for their own visas. A partner may qualify for a Partner of a Student Work Visa if you study at level 9–10, or at level 7–8 in a qualification on the Green List or post-study work eligible list. #### Can a reconsideration be requested if my NZ student visa is declined from India? No. INZ allows reconsideration only if you applied while in New Zealand and are still there on a valid visa. Applicants declined from India must make a new application. ## FAQ ### Is IELTS mandatory for a New Zealand student visa? No. INZ says English test results such as IELTS are not mandatory for the Fee Paying Student Visa, though they can help show a genuine intention to study. ### Can I apply for a New Zealand student visa with a conditional offer? Yes, if you are outside New Zealand. You can apply with a conditional offer of place and receive approval in principle, then pay tuition and meet the remaining conditions before the visa is issued. ### Can my partner be included in my New Zealand student visa? No. Partners and dependent children cannot be included and must apply for their own visas. A partner may qualify for a Partner of a Student Work Visa if you study at level 9–10, or at level 7–8 in a qualification on the Green List or post-study work eligible list. ### Can a reconsideration be requested if my NZ student visa is declined from India? No. INZ allows reconsideration only if you applied while in New Zealand and are still there on a valid visa. Applicants declined from India must make a new application. ## Sources 1. [Fee Paying Student Visa](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/fee-paying-student-visa/) — Immigration New Zealand 2. [Overseas student visa application decisions for 2025](https://www.immigration.govt.nz/study/for-education-providers/data-and-processing-times-for-international-student-visas/offshore-student-visa-application-decision-data/overseas-student-visa-application-decisions-for-2025/) — Immigration New Zealand 3. [Immigration (Visa, Entry Permission, and Related Matters) Regulations 2010](https://www.legislation.govt.nz/secondary-legislation/pco-drafted/2010/241/en/latest/) — New Zealand Parliamentary Counsel Office