My work visa is expiring soon. Until when can my child study as a domestic student?
Your child can study as a domestic student until the end of the year in which your work visa expires. If you do not have a new qualifying visa by then, your child will have to pay fees as an international student. When your visa is renewed or changed, show the new visa to the school.
Official figures
- Who is a domestic student
- New Zealand citizens; people who hold a residence class visa; and people the Ministry of Education lists in a notice in the Gazette, as allowed by law, to be treated as domestic students1
- Free schooling
- Domestic students aged 5 to 19 can study free at state and state-integrated schools3
- Australian citizens
- Australian citizens count as New Zealand residents and are domestic students3
- Children of work visa holders
- A child who holds a student visa, with one parent on a work visa, is treated as a domestic student until the end of the year in which that work visa expires2
- Children of student visa holders
- A child on a student visa is treated as a domestic student only if the parent is doing a PhD at a New Zealand university, is on an exchange programme approved by the New Zealand government, or holds a scholarship funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme2
Official sources
- Definition of a domestic student in New ZealandMinistry of Education · education.govt.nz
- Education (Domestic Student: Primary and Secondary Education) Notice 2026New Zealand Legislation · legislation.govt.nz
- Eligibility to enrol in New Zealand schoolsMinistry of Education · education.govt.nz
- Dependent Child Student VisaImmigration New Zealand · immigration.govt.nz
Read the full guide: Is my child a domestic student (free school)? →
People also ask
- I am on a work visa. Do I have to pay school fees for my child in New Zealand?
- How do I know if my child is a domestic student or an international student?
- I am doing a PhD in New Zealand. Can my child go to school for free?
- I am on a student visa for a master's degree. Is school free for my child?
- Can my child go to school on a visitor visa? Do we have to pay?
- What is a Dependent Child Student Visa and how much does it cost?
Answers are based on official New Zealand government pages. Check the official source before you act. This is not immigration, legal or tax advice.
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