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

Student Allowances Jan - Mar (First quarter only)

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 40,429 41,608 44,603 42,202 53,057
Accommodation 30,971 31,474 33,113 30,815 37,845
Total number 40,434 41,636 44,626 42,207 53,062
Total Student Allowance $45,934,910 $46,676,238 $52,319,252 $46,759,738 $57,647,580
Total Accommodation $6,305,761 $7,202,783 $7,462,086 $6,705,894 $8,379,379
Average Student Allowance $1,136 $1,122 $1,173 $1,108 $1,087
Average Accommodation $204 $229 $225 $218 $221
Click here to download this table as an Excel spreadsheet.

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 954 2% 822 1% 19 0% 7 0%    
Polytech 9,707 24% 9,762 23% 10,181 22% 9,591 22% 12,610 23%
CoE & Poly     2 0% 1 0%        
PTE 4,937 12% 5,650 13% 6,302 14% 5,378 12% 6,530 12%
CoE & PTE     2 0%            
Poly & PTE 37 0% 36 0% 45 0% 20 0% 68 0%
University 23,127 57% 23,822 57% 26,538 59% 25,722 60% 31,915 60%
CoE & Univ 11 0% 11 0% 25 0% 6 0%    
PTE & Univ 29 0% 39 0% 55 0% 26 0% 46 0%
Poly & Univ 36 0% 54 0% 69 0% 63 0% 61 0%
Wananga 947 2% 832 1% 795 1% 812 1% 1,115 2%
Secondary 589 1% 557 1% 523 1% 496 1% 628 1%
Multiple types 60 0% 47 0% 73 0% 86 0% 89 0%
Total 40,434 100% 41,636 100% 44,626 100% 42,207 100% 53,062 100%
Click here to download this table as an Excel spreadsheet.

Allowances paid out by provider type

Allowance by provider type ($M) 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
CoE $1.1 $0.9 $0.0 $0.0  
Polytech $11.5 $11.0 $11.7 $10.6 $14.1
CoE & Poly   $0.0 $0.0    
PTE $8.0 $9.4 $11.5 $9.1 $10.3
CoE & PTE   $0.0      
Poly & PTE $0.1 $0.1 $0.1 $0.1 $0.2
University $22.6 $23.0 $26.5 $24.3 $29.8
CoE & Univ $0.0 $0.0 $0.1 $0.0  
PTE & Univ $0.1 $0.1 $0.1 $0.1 $0.1
Poly & Univ $0.1 $0.1 $0.1 $0.1 $0.1
Wananga $1.3 $1.1 $1.2 $1.4 $1.8
Secondary $1.0 $0.8 $0.7 $0.7 $1.0
Multiple types $0.2 $0.1 $0.2 $0.3 $0.3
Total $45.9 $46.7 $52.3 $46.8 $57.6
Click here to download this table as an Excel spreadsheet.

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                 11,055 20%
16-23 years old parentally income tested allowance away from home + accommodation                 18,804 35%
16-24 years old parentally income tested allowance at home 7,008 17% 7,660 18% 8,627 19% 8,570 20% 170 0%
16-24 years old parentally income tested allowance away from home + accommodation 13,199 32% 14,201 34% 15,959 35% 16,158 38% 348 0%
24 years old and over at home allowance                 2,015 3%
24 years old and over, away from home allowance + accommodation                 12,258 23%
25 years old and over at home allowance 1,246 3% 1,279 3% 1,333 2% 1,244 2% 27 0%
25 years old and over, away from home allowance + accommodation 10,661 26% 10,333 24% 10,251 22% 9,214 21% 238 0%
Both eligible students + accommodation 550 1%                
Both eligible students with one or more children + accommodation 572 1%     1 0%        
Both students (but only one eligible) with more than one child + accommodation 80 0%                
Both students (but only one eligible) with one child + accommodation 58 0%                
Both students but only one eligible for allowance (no accommodation benefit)             1 0% 5 0%
Both students but only one eligible for allowance + accom 76 0% 77 0% 88 0% 75 0% 62 0%
Couple, both eligible students (no accommodation benefit)             8 0% 11 0%
Couple, both eligible students plus an accommodation benefit     1,262 3% 1,358 3% 868 2% 935 1%
Couple, one eligible student with child(ren) plus an accommodation benefit     123 0% 116 0% 86 0% 116 0%
Independent circumstances allowance + accommodation 1,845 4% 1,343 3% 1,425 3% 1,234 2% 1,335 2%
One student with dependent spouse allowance + accommodation 985 2%                
One student with dependent spouse and 1 or more children + accommodation 2,481 6% 5 0%            
Single student with child(ren) plus an accommodation benefit     986 2% 1,072 2% 916 2% 1,089 2%
Single student with more than one child allowance + accommodation 346 0%                
Single student with one child allowance + accommodation 645 1% 2 0%            
Student living at home with earning spouse 622 1% 679 1% 719 1% 669 1% 849 1%
Student living away from home with earning spouse (no accommodation benefit)             4 0% 3 0%
Student living away from home with earning spouse + accommodation 60 0% 62 0% 68 0% 44 0% 38 0%
Student with dependent partner (no accommodation benefit)             26 0% 40 0%
Student with dependent partner plus an accommodation benefit     3,624 8% 3,609 8% 3,090 7% 3,664 6%
Total 40,434 100% 41,636 100% 44,626 100% 42,207 100% 53,062 100%
Click here to download this table as an Excel spreadsheet.

Distribution of Student Allowance recipients by age and gender

Age is calculated as at the end of the last quarter of the period.
Student ages 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
17 or less F 345 0% 360 0% 471 1% 457 1% 555 1%
M 194 0% 192 0% 247 0% 240 0% 325 0%
Both 539 1% 552 1% 718 1% 697 1% 880 1%
18 - 19 F 5,510 13% 5,971 14% 6,875 15% 7,115 16% 8,957 16%
M 3,776 9% 4,126 9% 4,942 11% 4,880 11% 6,373 12%
Both 9,286 22% 10,097 24% 11,817 26% 11,995 28% 15,330 28%
20 - 24 F 7,132 17% 7,285 17% 7,865 17% 7,887 18% 10,155 19%
M 5,562 13% 5,637 13% 5,974 13% 5,728 13% 8,153 15%
Both 12,694 31% 12,922 31% 13,839 31% 13,615 32% 18,308 34%
25 - 29 F 3,504 8% 3,422 8% 3,351 7% 3,022 7% 3,630 6%
M 3,593 8% 3,532 8% 3,418 7% 3,190 7% 3,994 7%
Both 7,097 17% 6,954 16% 6,769 15% 6,212 14% 7,624 14%
30 - 34 F 1,839 4% 1,719 4% 1,700 3% 1,374 3% 1,583 2%
M 2,028 5% 1,932 4% 1,784 3% 1,561 3% 1,729 3%
Both 3,867 9% 3,651 8% 3,484 7% 2,935 6% 3,312 6%
35 - 39 F 1,178 2% 1,169 2% 1,179 2% 980 2% 1,116 2%
M 1,281 3% 1,247 2% 1,229 2% 1,037 2% 1,184 2%
Both 2,459 6% 2,416 5% 2,408 5% 2,017 4% 2,300 4%
40 - 44 F 927 2% 991 2% 1,048 2% 864 2% 939 1%
M 805 1% 811 1% 864 1% 686 1% 801 1%
Both 1,732 4% 1,802 4% 1,912 4% 1,550 3% 1,740 3%
45 - 49 F 736 1% 831 1% 877 1% 816 1% 904 1%
M 513 1% 541 1% 519 1% 484 1% 596 1%
Both 1,249 3% 1,372 3% 1,396 3% 1,300 3% 1,500 2%
50 - 54 F 434 1% 467 1% 566 1% 544 1% 641 1%
M 290 0% 332 0% 400 0% 344 0% 372 0%
Both 724 1% 799 1% 966 2% 888 2% 1,013 1%
55 - 59 F 239 0% 290 0% 310 0% 281 0% 342 0%
M 180 0% 222 0% 230 0% 219 0% 239 0%
Both 419 1% 512 1% 540 1% 500 1% 581 1%
60 - 64 F 95 0% 144 0% 188 0% 157 0% 157 0%
M 70 0% 109 0% 143 0% 133 0% 165 0%
Both 165 0% 253 0% 331 0% 290 0% 322 0%
65 - 69 F 65 0% 81 0% 110 0% 56 0% 37 0%
M 72 0% 89 0% 120 0% 65 0% 51 0%
Both 137 0% 170 0% 230 0% 121 0% 88 0%
70 - 74 F 17 0% 39 0% 63 0% 15 0% 17 0%
M 34 0% 59 0% 90 0% 42 0% 32 0%
Both 51 0% 98 0% 153 0% 57 0% 49 0%
75 - 79 F 3 0% 10 0% 15 0% 10 0%    
M 11 0% 25 0% 38 0% 12 0% 13 0%
Both 14 0% 35 0% 53 0% 22 0% 13 0%
80 or over F         2 0% 3 0% 1 0%
M 1 0% 3 0% 8 0% 5 0% 1 0%
Both 1 0% 3 0% 10 0% 8 0% 2 0%
Total F 22,024 54% 22,779 54% 24,620 55% 23,581 55% 29,034 54%
M 18,410 45% 18,857 45% 20,006 44% 18,626 44% 24,028 45%
Both 40,434 100% 41,636 100% 44,626 100% 42,207 100% 53,062 100%
Click here to download this table as an Excel spreadsheet.

Distribution of Student Allowance recipients by residential status

Residential status 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Citizen by birth 26,756 66% 26,512 63% 28,299 63% 27,405 64% 35,228 66%
Citizen 6,864 16% 7,470 17% 8,476 18% 8,169 19% 10,017 18%
Permanent resident 6,560 16% 7,364 17% 7,566 16% 6,357 15% 7,493 14%
Refugee 254 0% 290 0% 285 0% 276 0% 324 0%
Total 40,434 100% 41,636 100% 44,626 100% 42,207 100% 53,062 100%
Click here to download this table as an Excel spreadsheet.

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     5 0% 21 0% 33 0% 62 0%
Defacto 925 2% 1,066 2% 1,174 2% 1,129 2% 1,580 2%
Married 4,900 12% 5,305 12% 5,466 12% 4,408 10% 4,862 9%
Single 34,609 85% 35,255 84% 37,960 85% 36,632 86% 46,553 87%
Unknown     5 0% 5 0% 5 0% 5 0%
Total 40,434 100% 41,636 100% 44,626 100% 42,207 100% 53,062 100%
Click here to download this table as an Excel spreadsheet.

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 20,375 50% 20,301 48% 21,733 48% 21,359 50% 27,187 51%
Maori 3,947 9% 3,752 9% 4,059 9% 3,574 8% 4,782 9%
Pacific peoples 1,765 4% 1,780 4% 1,962 4% 1,891 4% 2,615 4%
Asian 8,578 21% 9,942 23% 11,030 24% 9,826 23% 11,781 22%
Other 1,356 3% 1,488 3% 1,529 3% 1,456 3% 1,723 3%
European and Maori 1,688 4% 1,659 3% 1,552 3% 1,452 3% 1,801 3%
European and Pacific 353 0% 396 0% 376 0% 355 0% 447 0%
Maori and Pacific 138 0% 149 0% 111 0% 90 0% 130 0%
European and Asian 244 0% 275 0% 306 0% 361 0% 430 0%
Maori and Asian 20 0% 25 0% 13 0% 13 0% 13 0%
Pacific and Asian 71 0% 69 0% 35 0% 35 0% 49 0%
European and Other 242 0% 200 0% 168 0% 142 0% 130 0%
Maori and Other 25 0% 16 0% 11 0% 6 0% 10 0%
Pacific and Other 17 0% 12 0% 7 0% 2 0% 9 0%
Asian and Other 262 0% 223 0% 93 0% 60 0% 35 0%
3 ethnic groups 218 0% 193 0% 184 0% 154 0% 197 0%
4 ethnic groups 16 0% 10 0% 13 0% 15 0% 13 0%
All 5 ethnic groups 5 0% 4 0% 4 0% 4 0% 9 0%
Unspecified 1,114 2% 1,142 2% 1,440 3% 1,412 3% 1,701 3%
Total 40,434 100% 41,636 100% 44,626 100% 42,207 100% 53,062 100%
Click here to download this table as an Excel spreadsheet.

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 739 982 735 696 888
Pacific peoples mixed 100 95 104 74 102
Asian mixed 474 629 340 257 262
Other mixed 200 257 110 75 64
Admiralty Islander 8 6 11 12 14
Afghani 95 140 179 197 228
African 212 266 303 347 465
African American 1 2 11 10 11
Aitutaki Islander 6 18 20 11 17
Albanian 13 7 17 13 14
Algerian 4 3 2 4 9
American (US) 42 51 64 78 104
Arab 102 108 176 163 194
Argentinian 3 3 4 2 5
Armenian 2 3 1 1 3
Asian 643 589 587 446 547
Assyrian 25 43 38 30 34
Atiu Islander         1
Austral Islander       1  
Australian 154 126 177 186 238
Australian Aboriginal 5 1 2   3
Austrian 5 4 6 5 12
Bangladeshi 44 53 65 57 49
Belau/PalauIslander         1
Belgian 1 2 3 2 5
Bengali 8 9 11 13 15
Bismark Archipelagoa 2        
Bolivian 1   1 1 2
Brazilian 7 10 14 8 23
British 108 93 134 195 288
Bulgarian 8 10 18 14 12
Burgher 1   1 1  
Burmese 15 17 27 36 65
Byelorussian   2 1 1  
Canadian 30 28 41 28 47
Celtic 19 9 14 10 18
Central American Ind   1 1 1  
Channel Islander         1
Chilean 9 7 6 8 27
Chinese 3,646 4,390 4,785 3,902 4,451
Colombian 3 7 3 5 10
Cook Island Maori 227 176 205 209 302
Cornish   1 1 2 1
Corsican     5 3 9
Costa Rican   1 1   1
Creole (Latin Americ 1 1     1
Creole (US)     1   2
Croat/Croatian 10 12 6 10 20
Cypriot Unspecified 3 1     1
Czech 6 3 7 5 7
Dalmatian   2     1
Danish 1   7 7 7
Dutch/Netherlands 66 50 79 79 97
Easter Islander     4 1 2
Ecuadorian 1   2   3
Egyptian 41 43 59 45 58
English 200 194 279 352 429
Estonian 1   2 2 1
European 1,895 1,821 2,362 2,349 2,959
Falkland Islander/Ke     1   1
Fijian (except Fiji 46 60 59 59 65
Fijian Indian/Indo-F 197 216 259 252 347
Filipino 93 98 141 155 235
Finnish 4 3 1 1 3
Flemish 1     1  
French 7 6 5 8 11
Gaelic 3 3     3
German 24 33 51 67 73
Greek (incl Greek Cy 7 4 7 9 8
Greenlander     1   1
Guadalcanalian         1
Guatemalan       2 1
Gujarati 10 14 25 32 35
Guyanese   1 1    
Hawaiian 1 2     1
Honduran       1  
Hong Kong Chinese 118 144 142 139 163
Hungarian 1 4 4 4 6
Icelander 2       3
Indian 835 958 1,055 984 1,268
Indonesian 27 35 42 53 62
Inuit/Eskimo 1 1 2 1 1
Iranian/Persian 82 112 160 143 145
Iraqi 52 57 68 85 89
Irish 18 13 24 33 31
Israeli/Jewish/Hebre 13 11 19 23 18
Italian 6 2 7 7 6
Jamaican 2 1 5 5 2
Japanese 55 65 86 91 99
Jordanian 4 6 7 5 5
Kampuchean Chinese 7 7 4 5 11
Kenyan 1   1 1 1
Khmer/Kampuchean/Cam 55 64 63 68 69
Kiribati/Gilbertese 2 1 3 5 14
Korean 959 1,123 1,581 1,632 2,110
Kurd 14 23 27 32 36
Lao/Laotian 13 12 16 10 19
Latin American/Hispa 19 9 21 13 17
Latvian   1 1 2 2
Lebanese 7 6 6 6 10
Libyan       1 1
Lithuanian         1
Macedonian 13 18 27 27 28
Malaitian 1 1     1
Malay/Malayan 8 8 15 10 17
Malaysian Chinese 222 247 307 290 334
Maltese 2 2 2   1
Malvinian (Spanish-s       1 4
Mangaia Islander     2   2
Manihiki Islander 1 1 1    
Manus Islander       1  
Manx 1   1    
Marquesas Islander 1       1
Marshall Islander     1   1
Mauritian 1        
Mexican 2 1 3 5 5
Middle Eastern 161 150 81 64 74
Mitiaro Islander 1        
Mixed 3,299 3,231 2,873 2,689 3,273
Moroccan 1 1 1 1 1
Nauru Islander 1 5 4 5 8
Nepalese 21 23 23 21 42
New Britain Islander     2 1  
New Caledonian       1 2
New Irelander 4 6 7 10 7
New Zealand European 16,505 16,345 17,099 16,630 21,157
New Zealand Maori 3,947 3,752 4,059 3,574 4,782
Nicaraguan     1   1
Nigerian 1 2 2 4 2
Niuean 67 80 67 82 113
North American India 1 1   2 1
Norwegian 2 3 4 2 4
Not Stated 55 47 43 38 37
Ocean Islander/Banab 1        
Orkney Islander   1      
Other 248 207 216 188 215
Other European 189 161 98 62 63
Other Pacific Island 18 13 24 19 20
Other Southeast Asia 49 56 31 26 20
Pakistani 51 67 107 90 110
Palestinian 8 9 7 7 8
Palmerston Islander         1
Papuan/NewGuinean/Ir 3 2 1 1 6
Penrhyn Islander         3
Peruvian 4 3 8 6 12
Pitcairn Islander     1   2
Polish 11 11 13 15 18
Portuguese 1       2
Puerto Rican 1     2 2
Pukapuka Islander 1   4 1  
Punjabi 9 15 23 25 34
Rakahanga Islander         1
Rarotongan 7 7 7 8 8
Romanian/Rumanian 13 19 24 28 31
Romany/Gypsy   2 2 1 1
Rotuman/Rotuman Isla 1 1   1 1
Russian 90 99 144 152 156
Samoan 898 911 971 916 1,256
Scottish (Scots) 28 30 28 32 45
Serb/Serbian 18 13 17 24 23
Shetland Islander         1
Sikh 1 3 9 10 11
Singaporean Chinese 38 34 59 58 71
Sinhalese 50 68 71 58 61
Slavic/Slav 1   1 4 3
Slovak 2 2 1 2 7
Slovene/Slovenian   2   1  
Society Islander (in 1 1   1 1
Solomon Islander 2 2 5 7 9
Somali 54 64 96 101 100
South African 78 85 161 159 278
South American India   1 3   1
South Slav (formerly 1 1 1 2 1
Southeast Asian 39 54 38 14 23
Spanish 3 6 2 2 5
Sri Lankan 124 112 126 119 115
Sri Lankan Tamil 55 62 68 56 63
Swedish 3 1 4 3 6
Swiss 11 4 8 10 10
Syrian 1 4 3 4 4
Taiwanese Chinese 477 475 539 524 606
Tamil 7 8 11 2 3
Thai/Tai/Siamese 50 60 78 55 66
Tibetan     1   1
Tokelauan 35 27 44 24 32
Tongan 314 354 400 427 600
Tunisian 1 1 1    
Turkish (incl Turkis 9 13 9 8 9
Tuvalu Islander/Elli 8 10 11 13 18
Ugandan     1   1
Ukrainian 15 13 17 17 17
Unspecified 1,114 1,142 1,440 1,412 1,701
Uruguayan       4 3
Vanuatu Islander/New 1   1   1
Venezuelan         3
Vietnamese 76 77 95 116 149
Vietnamese Chinese 7 10 21 23 20
Welsh 11 13 17 14 17
West Indian/Caribbea 2 2 1 1 2
Yap Islander 2   1 2  
Yemeni 1 3 4 3 3
Total 40,434 41,636 44,626 42,207 53,062
Click here to download this table as an Excel spreadsheet.