• Home
  • Thinking about study
  • Already in study
  • Finishing study
  • Financing study
  • Tools and calculators
  • About StudyLink

 Student Allowances Jan - Dec (Calendar year)

These figures are cumulative year-to-date figures. Therefore, the Jan - Dec figures are the relevant calendar year figures in the annual statistics table. For the purpose of these tables, a student is defined as a person who received at least one payment from StudyLink in the calendar year, up to the month specified. Percentage figures may not add to exactly 100% because of rounding effects. All percentages are rounded to the nearest percent. Five years of data are presented, earlier figures are included in the downloadable spreadsheets.

Amounts paid out for Student Allowance and Accommodation Benefit payments

Allowance totals 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Student Allowance 56,806 59,431 62,479 65,702 82,633
Accommodation 43,644 45,068 45,976 46,109 57,976
Total number 56,811 59,459 62,505 65,705 82,638
Total Student Allowance $317,970,429 $341,368,208 $357,656,023 $370,317,008 $472,150,707
Total Accommodation $43,952,719 $48,729,221 $50,756,165 $52,585,735 $67,910,653
Average Student Allowance $5,597 $5,744 $5,724 $5,636 $5,714
Average Accommodation $1,007 $1,081 $1,104 $1,140 $1,171

Distribution of Student Allowance recipients by types of education provider attended

Where more than one education provider is named, the students are attending all the named education providers during the year.

Education provider type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
CoE 1,128 1% 994 1% 43 0% 9 0%    
Polytech 13,773 24% 14,348 24% 15,132 24% 15,977 24% 20,607 24%
CoE & Poly 6 0% 7 0% 4 0%        
PTE 8,414 14% 9,729 16% 10,110 16% 10,045 15% 12,685 15%
CoE & PTE 1 0% 5 0% 1 0%        
Poly & PTE 150 0% 203 0% 244 0% 210 0% 313 0%
University 29,661 52% 30,790 51% 33,370 53% 35,655 54% 43,467 52%
CoE & Univ 29 0% 34 0% 68 0% 19 0%    
PTE & Univ 169 0% 196 0% 223 0% 178 0% 294 0%
Poly & Univ 183 0% 239 0% 288 0% 273 0% 314 0%
Wananga 1,632 2% 1,317 2% 1,299 2% 1,562 2% 2,515 3%
Secondary 1,470 2% 1,371 2% 1,315 2% 1,414 2% 2,006 2%
Multiple types 195 0% 226 0% 408 0% 363 0% 437 0%
Total 56,811 100% 59,459 100% 62,505 100% 65,705 100% 82,638 100%

Allowances paid out by provider type

Allowance by provider type ($M) 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
CoE $7.0 $6.5 $0.0 $0.0  
Polytech $78.8 $82.8 $85.2 $89.3 $116.2
CoE & Poly $0.0 $0.0 $0.0    
PTE $43.9 $53.9 $56.2 $50.6 $63.7
CoE & PTE $0.0 $0.0 $0.0    
Poly & PTE $1.4 $1.8 $2.2 $1.7 $2.6
University $163.4 $174.4 $190.0 $202.9 $253.8
CoE & Univ $0.2 $0.3 $0.5 $0.1  
PTE & Univ $1.1 $1.5 $1.6 $1.3 $2.1
Poly & Univ $1.4 $1.7 $2.0 $2.0 $2.4
Wananga $10.7 $8.8 $9.0 $10.7 $16.4
Secondary $8.1 $7.5 $7.3 $7.8 $10.8
Multiple types $1.8 $2.1 $3.6 $3.7 $4.2
Total $318.0 $341.4 $357.7 $370.3 $472.2

Distribution of Student Allowance recipients by type of payment

The actual classifications used for allowance type changed in April 2005, so some allowances were moved to a different category at that time.

Type of allowance 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
16-23 years old parentally income tested allowance at home             172 0% 17,759 21%
16-23 years old parentally income tested allowance away from home + accommodation             335 0% 25,806 31%
16-24 years old parentally income tested allowance at home 10,295 18% 11,404 19% 12,704 20% 13,859 21% 521 0%
16-24 years old parentally income tested allowance away from home + accommodation 17,586 30% 18,851 31% 21,158 33% 22,867 34% 1,066 1%
24 years old and over at home allowance             39 0% 3,346 4%
24 years old and over, away from home allowance + accommodation             207 0% 19,441 23%
25 years old and over at home allowance 1,873 3% 1,959 3% 1,987 3% 2,071 3% 110 0%
25 years old and over, away from home allowance + accommodation 15,013 26% 14,887 25% 14,467 23% 14,638 22% 808 0%
Both eligible students + accommodation 58 0% 1 0%     1 0%    
Both eligible students with one or more children + accommodation 54 0% 1 0% 1 0% 1 0%    
Both students (but only one eligible) with more than one child + accommodation 7 0%                
Both students (but only one eligible) with one child + accommodation 5 0%                
Both students but only one eligible for allowance (no accommodation benefit)             5 0% 8 0%
Both students but only one eligible for allowance + accom 91 0% 118 0% 105 0% 92 0% 88 0%
Couple, both eligible students (no accommodation benefit)             20 0% 29 0%
Couple, both eligible students plus an accommodation benefit 1,328 2% 1,564 2% 1,516 2% 1,160 1% 1,387 1%
Couple, one eligible student with child(ren) plus an accommodation benefit 153 0% 177 0% 162 0% 133 0% 180 0%
Independent circumstances allowance + accommodation 2,438 4% 2,187 3% 2,121 3% 2,071 3% 2,205 2%
One student with dependent spouse allowance + accommodation 137 0% 3 0% 3 0%     1 0%
One student with dependent spouse and 1 or more children + accommodation 232 0% 9 0% 4 0% 1 0%    
Single student with child(ren) plus an accommodation benefit 1,403 2% 1,540 2% 1,571 2% 1,583 2% 1,868 2%
Single student with more than one child allowance + accommodation 49 0%     1 0%        
Single student with one child allowance + accommodation 70 0% 2 0%            
Student living at home with earning spouse 1,045 1% 1,228 2% 1,251 2% 1,234 1% 1,627 1%
Student living away from home with earning spouse (no accommodation benefit)             2 0% 10 0%
Student living away from home with earning spouse + accommodation 84 0% 79 0% 99 0% 60 0% 62 0%
Student with dependent partner (no accommodation benefit)             45 0% 85 0%
Student with dependent partner plus an accommodation benefit 4,890 8% 5,449 9% 5,355 8% 5,109 7% 6,231 7%
Total 56,811 100% 59,459 100% 62,505 100% 65,705 100% 82,638 100%

Distribution of Student Allowance recipients by age and gender

Student ages 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
17 or less F 126 0% 139 0% 175 0% 131 0% 157 0%
M 79 0% 76 0% 88 0% 88 0% 105 0%
Both 205 0% 215 0% 263 0% 219 0% 262 0%
18 - 19 F 5,878 10% 6,393 10% 7,281 11% 7,870 11% 10,196 12%
M 4,318 7% 4,818 8% 5,518 8% 5,972 9% 8,011 9%
Both 10,196 17% 11,211 18% 12,799 20% 13,842 21% 18,207 22%
20 - 24 F 11,199 19% 11,843 19% 12,965 20% 14,330 21% 17,932 21%
M 9,018 15% 9,418 15% 10,207 16% 11,173 17% 14,810 17%
Both 20,217 35% 21,261 35% 23,172 37% 25,503 38% 32,742 39%
25 - 29 F 4,799 8% 4,810 8% 4,668 7% 4,920 7% 6,094 7%
M 5,065 8% 5,075 8% 4,907 7% 5,214 7% 6,990 8%
Both 9,864 17% 9,885 16% 9,575 15% 10,134 15% 13,084 15%
30 - 34 F 2,654 4% 2,524 4% 2,386 3% 2,217 3% 2,552 3%
M 2,973 5% 2,893 4% 2,630 4% 2,621 3% 3,046 3%
Both 5,627 9% 5,417 9% 5,016 8% 4,838 7% 5,598 6%
35 - 39 F 1,753 3% 1,780 2% 1,676 2% 1,593 2% 1,771 2%
M 1,937 3% 1,901 3% 1,810 2% 1,719 2% 1,981 2%
Both 3,690 6% 3,681 6% 3,486 5% 3,312 5% 3,752 4%
40 - 44 F 1,370 2% 1,447 2% 1,435 2% 1,341 2% 1,483 1%
M 1,215 2% 1,281 2% 1,270 2% 1,216 1% 1,410 1%
Both 2,585 4% 2,728 4% 2,705 4% 2,557 3% 2,893 3%
45 - 49 F 1,069 1% 1,228 2% 1,290 2% 1,323 2% 1,508 1%
M 776 1% 813 1% 821 1% 848 1% 1,034 1%
Both 1,845 3% 2,041 3% 2,111 3% 2,171 3% 2,542 3%
50 - 54 F 707 1% 774 1% 860 1% 885 1% 1,020 1%
M 493 0% 556 0% 557 0% 552 0% 645 0%
Both 1,200 2% 1,330 2% 1,417 2% 1,437 2% 1,665 2%
55 - 59 F 400 0% 452 0% 460 0% 456 0% 603 0%
M 292 0% 320 0% 359 0% 353 0% 391 0%
Both 692 1% 772 1% 819 1% 809 1% 994 1%
60 - 64 F 174 0% 223 0% 273 0% 278 0% 271 0%
M 145 0% 184 0% 217 0% 221 0% 282 0%
Both 319 0% 407 0% 490 0% 499 0% 553 0%
65 - 69 F 112 0% 145 0% 175 0% 99 0% 98 0%
M 117 0% 138 0% 154 0% 109 0% 116 0%
Both 229 0% 283 0% 329 0% 208 0% 214 0%
70 - 74 F 39 0% 61 0% 84 0% 52 0% 37 0%
M 65 0% 98 0% 139 0% 77 0% 66 0%
Both 104 0% 159 0% 223 0% 129 0% 103 0%
75 - 79 F 10 0% 20 0% 28 0% 13 0% 5 0%
M 24 0% 41 0% 57 0% 24 0% 18 0%
Both 34 0% 61 0% 85 0% 37 0% 23 0%
80 or over F     1 0% 3 0% 3 0% 1 0%
M 4 0% 7 0% 12 0% 7 0% 5 0%
Both 4 0% 8 0% 15 0% 10 0% 6 0%
Total F 30,290 53% 31,840 53% 33,759 54% 35,511 54% 43,728 52%
M 26,521 46% 27,619 46% 28,746 45% 30,194 45% 38,910 47%
Both 56,811 100% 59,459 100% 62,505 100% 65,705 100% 82,638 100%

Distribution of Student Allowance recipients by residential status

Residential status 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Citizen by birth 36,770 64% 37,558 63% 39,708 63% 42,445 64% 55,083 66%
Citizen 9,796 17% 10,791 18% 11,788 18% 12,533 19% 14,809 17%
Permanent resident 9,880 17% 10,703 18% 10,599 16% 10,313 15% 12,306 14%
Refugee 365 0% 407 0% 410 0% 414 0% 440 0%
Total 56,811 100% 59,459 100% 62,505 100% 65,705 100% 82,638 100%

Distribution of Student Allowance recipients by marital status

Students with unknown marital status are those who have had a change in circumstances and their marital status is not confirmed at the end of the period. Those students would not be receiving payments while their marital status is not confirmed.

Marital status 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Civil union 6 0% 12 0% 40 0% 62 0% 100 0%
Defacto 1,407 2% 1,726 2% 1,916 3% 2,016 3% 2,906 3%
Married 7,269 12% 7,786 13% 7,630 12% 6,990 10% 8,103 9%
Single 48,124 84% 49,926 83% 52,912 84% 56,618 86% 71,521 86%
Unknown 5 0% 9 0% 7 0% 19 0% 8 0%
Total 56,811 100% 59,459 100% 62,505 100% 65,705 100% 82,638 100%

Summary of Student Allowance recipients by ethnic group

It is not mandatory for students to disclose their ethnicity and students may report more than one ethnicity.

Ethnic groups 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
European 26,806 47% 27,502 46% 29,337 46% 31,436 47% 39,929 48%
Maori 6,260 11% 6,321 10% 6,593 10% 6,860 10% 8,953 10%
Pacific peoples 2,934 5% 3,069 5% 3,371 5% 3,689 5% 5,195 6%
Asian 12,741 22% 14,493 24% 15,197 24% 15,376 23% 17,761 21%
Other 1,930 3% 2,104 3% 2,212 3% 2,289 3% 2,570 3%
European and Maori 2,347 4% 2,308 3% 2,088 3% 2,194 3% 3,030 3%
European and Pacific 544 0% 547 0% 526 0% 545 0% 795 0%
Maori and Pacific 223 0% 228 0% 175 0% 175 0% 277 0%
European and Asian 331 0% 374 0% 424 0% 502 0% 670 0%
Maori and Asian 30 0% 30 0% 23 0% 22 0% 35 0%
Pacific and Asian 112 0% 88 0% 59 0% 75 0% 89 0%
European and Other 318 0% 273 0% 208 0% 193 0% 295 0%
Maori and Other 32 0% 18 0% 13 0% 11 0% 19 0%
Pacific and Other 22 0% 17 0% 10 0% 9 0% 15 0%
Asian and Other 334 0% 276 0% 103 0% 74 0% 81 0%
3 ethnic groups 313 0% 288 0% 247 0% 247 0% 328 0%
4 ethnic groups 23 0% 16 0% 22 0% 16 0% 32 0%
All 5 ethnic groups 11 0% 7 0% 4 0% 9 0% 13 0%
Unspecified 1,500 2% 1,500 2% 1,893 3% 1,983 3% 2,551 3%
Total 56,811 100% 59,459 100% 62,505 100% 65,705 100% 82,638 100%

Detailed distribution of Student Allowance recipients by ethnicity

From 2003 more detailed ethnicity data has been recorded.

Ethnicity details 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
European mixed 1,037 1,192 930 980 2,486
Pacific peoples mixed 160 159 162 134 263
Asian mixed 758 811 417 370 1,088
Other mixed 283 299 124 103 246
Admiralty Islander 12 17 13 15 38
Afghani 172 218 276 318 352
African 320 403 488 586 738
African American 4 5 15 18 24
Aitutaki Islander 19 26 29 25 26
Albanian 16 13 24 23 25
Algerian 5 6 4 9 11
American (US) 61 80 94 139 139
Arab 147 153 257 243 247
Argentinian 4 4 6 6 7
Armenian 5 2 2 2 6
Asian 846 842 805 715 893
Assyrian 35 57 60 54 51
Atiu Islander     1 1 2
Austral Islander       1  
Australian 197 202 275 310 369
Australian Aborigina 5 3 1 3 7
Austrian 6 7 9 8 16
Bangladeshi 68 81 79 88 77
Belau/PalauIslander       2 1
Belgian 2 5 3 4 6
Bengali 8 11 18 14 16
Bismark Archipelagoa 2     1  
Bolivian 1   1 3 2
Bougainvillean     1   1
Brazilian 9 14 22 20 37
British 137 137 212 283 438
Bulgarian 12 20 19 19 17
Burgher 1 1   1  
Burmese 20 23 45 60 87
Byelorussian   2 4 3 2
Canadian 40 37 48 52 60
Celtic 22 12 14 21 21
Central American Ind   2 3    
Channel Islander     1   3
Chilean 9 8 12 14 31
Chinese 5,473 6,359 6,384 6,081 6,584
Colombian 4 6 6 9 14
Cook Island Maori 341 329 379 438 597
Cornish   3 2 1 2
Corsican 2 3 7 11 11
Costa Rican   1 1 1 1
Creole (Latin Americ 1 1   1  
Creole (US)   1 3   2
Croat/Croatian 13 14 9 19 25
Cypriot Unspecified 3 2     2
Czech 7 2 8 6 10
Dalmatian 2 2 2 1 2
Danish 1   10 10 12
Dutch/Netherlands 83 83 113 113 127
Easter Islander   4 3 2 3
Ecuadorian 2 2 2 1 3
Egyptian 57 63 75 70 72
English 289 302 444 528 579
Estonian 1 1 4 2  
European 2,544 2,610 3,284 3,543 3,961
Falkland Islander/Ke         2
Fijian (except Fiji 80 91 93 96 118
Fijian Indian/Indo-F 304 341 405 454 601
Filipino 139 167 237 245 372
Finnish 3 3 1 3 3
Flemish 1   1 1  
French 8 8 11 17 13
Gaelic 3 4   1 3
German 33 56 81 96 91
Greek (incl Greek Cy 8 9 8 14 16
Greenlander     1 1 1
Guadalcanalian         1
Guatemalan       2 1
Gujarati 19 27 50 51 59
Guyanese   2 2 1  
Hawaiian 3 2   1 4
Honduran   1   1  
Hong Kong Chinese 169 185 195 198 213
Hungarian 1 5 5 8 13
Icelander 2       4
Indian 1,289 1,519 1,527 1,648 1,919
Indonesian 51 57 69 72 96
Inuit/Eskimo 1 1 1 2 1
Iranian/Persian 128 192 225 205 210
Iraqi 80 76 116 130 114
Irish 19 26 49 36 50
Israeli/Jewish/Hebre 24 17 23 29 29
Italian 7 3 10 11 8
Jamaican 4 2 6 4 2
Japanese 78 94 118 146 149
Jordanian 6 9 9 8 4
Kampuchean Chinese 9 10 12 12 12
Kenyan 1   1 2 2
Khmer/Kampuchean/Cam 82 89 89 101 88
Kiribati/Gilbertese 4 3 8 14 30
Korean 1,396 1,737 2,218 2,542 2,741
Kurd 20 34 43 54 47
Lao/Laotian 21 20 26 21 30
Latin American/Hispa 26 21 23 22 27
Latvian   1 2 4 2
Lebanese 9 11 9 10 12
Libyan   1 1 1 1
Lithuanian         1
Macedonian 15 34 39 38 37
Malaitian 1 1   1 1
Malay/Malayan 12 15 22 21 24
Malaysian Chinese 318 321 409 436 453
Maltese 3 4 2 1 2
Malvinian (Spanish-s       2 3
Mangaia Islander 1 2 1 3 2
Manihiki Islander 2 1 1 2 3
Manus Islander     1    
Manx 1   1 1  
Marquesas Islander 1     1 1
Marshall Islander     1 1 1
Mauke Islander     2 1 2
Mauritian 1 1   1 2
Mexican 4 2 6 7 10
Middle Eastern 205 195 111 92 88
Mitiaro Islander 1   1   1
Mixed 4,640 4,470 3,902 4,072 5,679
Moroccan 1 2 1 4 1
Nauru Islander 2 8 6 5 10
Nepalese 28 31 33 44 57
New Britain Islander   1 2 1 2
New Caledonian       1 2
New Georgian         1
New Irelander 8 9 8 13 9
New Zealand European 21,592 21,962 22,826 24,299 30,364
New Zealand Maori 6,260 6,321 6,593 6,860 8,953
Nicaraguan 1       2
Nigerian 2 4 4 4 3
Niuean 117 128 127 142 210
North American India 1 1   1 2
Norwegian 5 4 3 4 3
Not Stated 74 63 50 43 47
Ocean Islander/Banab 1        
Orkney Islander 1 2   1 1
Other 338 273 304 295 281
Other European 242 179 123 101 92
Other Pacific Island 31 20 37 35 40
Other Southeast Asia 77 67 45 37 25
Pakistani 78 117 135 140 169
Palestinian 11 11 12 13 13
Palmerston Islander       1 2
Papuan/NewGuinean/Ir 3   5 5 12
Paraguayan       1  
Penrhyn Islander   2   1 5
Peruvian 8 3 13 10 17
Pitcairn Islander     3   3
Polish 14 12 18 25 27
Portuguese 1 1 2 1 1
Puerto Rican 1 1 1 2 2
Pukapuka Islander 2 2 3 2 2
Punjabi 15 24 37 49 46
Rakahanga Islander       1 1
Rarotongan 11 13 17 12 16
Romanian/Rumanian 18 27 29 36 47
Romany/Gypsy   1 3 2 2
Rotuman/Rotuman Isla 2 2 2 1 1
Russian 129 151 218 203 228
Samoan 1,496 1,561 1,674 1,807 2,491
Scottish (Scots) 39 43 47 46 55
Serb/Serbian 27 25 31 38 35
Seychelles Islander       1  
Shetland Islander         1
Sikh 2 5 13 12 22
Singaporean Chinese 51 50 70 75 97
Sinhalese 69 84 92 81 91
Slavic/Slav 1 1 2 5 2
Slovak 2 2 1 7 6
Slovene/Slovenian 1 3 2 1  
Society Islander (in 1 1 2 1 1
Solomon Islander 2 5 8 8 12
Somali 78 126 144 167 125
South African 96 144 234 286 425
South American India 2 2 2 3 1
South Slav (formerly 1 2 2 3 3
Southeast Asian 63 55 41 17 27
Spanish 6 7 6 4 8
Sri Lankan 170 157 163 162 164
Sri Lankan Tamil 73 78 92 78 74
Swedish 4 2 5 4 10
Swiss 8 6 13 16 6
Syrian 3 5 5 5 7
Taiwanese Chinese 675 673 752 770 770
Tamil 9 12 9 8 6
Thai/Tai/Siamese 78 86 113 88 101
Tibetan     1   1
Tokelauan 67 59 73 62 68
Tongan 544 600 684 826 1,172
Torres Strait Island 1     1  
Tunisian 1   1 1  
Turkish (incl Turkis 15 17 12 13 19
Tuvalu Islander/Elli 12 20 18 21 33
Ugandan     2 1  
Ukrainian 21 22 17 21 21
Unspecified 1,500 1,500 1,893 1,983 2,551
Uruguayan     1 5 3
Vanuatu Islander/New 1   2 1 2
Venezuelan     1 1 2
Vietnamese 107 115 172 191 224
Vietnamese Chinese 14 12 28 31 33
Welsh 13 21 26 21 25
West Indian/Caribbea 3 2 1 5 3
Yap Islander 1   3 1  
Yemeni 1 4 3 3 3
Total 56,811 59,459 62,505 65,705 82,638

Last updated: 05 May 2010