BackFees and funding
StudyLink student loans and allowances
Find out if you can get a student loan or student allowance through StudyLink to support you financially during your study.
On this page:
- StudyLink student loan
- StudyLink student allowance
- Calculating if you are a full-time student
- Fees Free with student loan
- Contact StudyLink
- Contact us
If you’re studying full-time as a domestic student, with New Zealand citizenship or residency, you may be eligible for:
- a student loan to cover your study fees and living costs, which you pay back
- a student allowance to pay for your living costs that doesn't need to be paid back.
Student loans and allowances are managed by StudyLink, a service of the Ministry of Social Development. They are there to make sure you can get the finance you're able to at each stage of your study.
StudyLink student loan
As a full-time domestic student you may qualify for a loan to pay for your tuition fees, some non-tuition fees and your living costs. You need to begin paying back your student loan once you start working.
A student loan does not cover all non-tuition fees.
StudyLink student allowance
You may be able to get a student allowance while you study to cover living costs such as accommodation and food. You need to be:
- a domestic student
- aged 18 to 65 years old
- studying full-time.
Some students who are studying part-time or under 18 years old may still be able to get a student allowance.
A student allowance is similar to the student loan covering living costs, but you don’t have to pay it back. If you are getting the student allowance you may also be able to receive the accommodation benefit.
If you are under 24 years old and don’t have children, your parents’ income will be considered in your application for a student allowance.
StudyLink accommodation benefit
Calculating if you are a full-time student
StudyLink uses an EFTS (Equivalent Full-Time Student) system to measure whether you are studying full-time, while Massey uses a credit system.
To convert your Massey credits into EFTS, you divide the total number of credits by 120. For example, 15 credits is equivalent to 0.125 EFTS. For most Massey students, studying full-time means taking at least 48 credits during one semester, or 96 or more credits over a year.
This conversion chart may help:
| Credits | Equivalent Full-time Student (EFTS) |
| 8 | 0.067 |
| 10 | 0.083 |
| 15 | 0.125 |
| 30 | 0.25 |
| 45 | 0.375 |
| 60 | 0.50 |
| 75 | 0.625 |
| 90 | 0.75 |
| 105 | 0.875 |
| 120 | 1.0 |
Fees Free with student loan
If this is your first year of study, you may be eligible for the Government’s Fees Free scheme.
You can reduce or cancel your student loan if you later qualify for the Fees Free scheme. Make this change through MyStudyLink (login required).
How to reduce or cancel your student loan
Contact StudyLink
If you have any questions, issues or changes to your StudyLink loan or student allowance, contact StudyLink.
Contact us
Get in touch with us early about money matters so we can help and point you in the right direction. We want you to succeed with your study at Massey and are here to help.
If you're a current student, include your student ID number when you contact us.
Page authorised by Director, Student Administration
Last updated on Thursday 30 September 2021