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Student Allowances Jan - Jun (First and second quarters)

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 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Student Allowance 52,231 53,291 65,404 79,428 82,267
Accommodation 38,571 37,529 46,059 55,892 57,965
Total number 52,254 53,295 65,412 79,431 82,275
Total Student Allowance $165,039,221 $162,718,849 $201,747,581 $252,171,114 $262,649,106
Total Accommodation $23,545,788 $23,095,102 $29,233,832 $36,536,848 $38,177,019
Average Student Allowance $3,160 $3,053 $3,085 $3,175 $3,193
Average Accommodation $610 $615 $635 $654 $659

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 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
COE 24 0% 6 0%            
COE/PTE/University 1 0%                
COE/Polytech 3 0%                
COE/Polytech/University 1 0%                
COE/University 42 0% 14 0%            
Other 745 1% 751 1% 962 1% 1,173 1% 1,042 1%
Other/PTE 9 0% 3 0% 8 0% 10 0% 14 0%
Other/Polytech 19 0% 26 0% 24 0% 32 0% 19 0%
Other/Polytech/PTE/University     1 0%            
Other/Polytech/University 1 0% 1 0%     1 0%    
Other/University 71 0% 34 0% 56 0% 41 0% 39 0%
Other/Wananga     1 0%     2 0% 3 0%
PTE 7,837 15% 7,455 14% 9,126 14% 10,940 14% 11,437 14%
PTE/University 92 0% 58 0% 81 0% 106 0% 122 0%
PTE/University/Wananga     1 0%     1 0%    
PTE/Wananga 28 0% 32 0% 39 0% 62 0% 57 0%
Polytech 12,009 23% 12,431 23% 15,536 24% 19,508 25% 21,402 26%
Polytech/PTE 81 0% 73 0% 115 0% 140 0% 120 0%
Polytech/PTE/University 2 0% 1 0%     2 0%    
Polytech/PTE/Wananga 1 0%                
Polytech/University 124 0% 117 0% 90 0% 155 0% 143 0%
Polytech/University/Wananga 1 0%     1 0% 1 0%    
Polytech/Wananga 26 0% 40 0% 27 0% 41 0% 36 0%
University 30,067 58% 31,040 58% 37,549 57% 44,497 56% 44,871 55%
University/Wananga 19 0% 23 0% 14 0% 22 0% 9 0%
Wananga 1,051 2% 1,187 2% 1,784 3% 2,697 3% 2,961 4%
Total 52,254 100% 53,295 100% 65,412 100% 79,431 100% 82,275 100%

Allowances paid out by provider type

Allowance by provider type ($M) 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
COE $23,677 $9,747      
COE/PTE/University $8,684        
COE/Polytech $9,093        
COE/Polytech/University $5,225        
COE/University $209,509 $39,965      
Other $2,614,351 $2,662,164 $3,535,147 $4,460,907 $3,710,420
Other/PTE $30,979 $18,487 $41,639 $35,999 $65,550
Other/Polytech $64,988 $129,372 $115,754 $137,164 $80,663
Other/Polytech/PTE/University   $7,647      
Other/Polytech/University $2,991 $6,941   $4,760  
Other/University $221,590 $133,012 $220,817 $170,182 $198,531
Other/Wananga   $9,573   $15,919 $23,984
PTE $27,591,762 $23,526,260 $27,761,377 $34,782,321 $36,875,480
PTE/University $384,352 $240,063 $361,404 $453,724 $470,279
PTE/University/Wananga   $4,957   $4,575  
PTE/Wananga $190,200 $222,507 $263,387 $418,624 $364,731
Polytech $38,855,353 $39,422,114 $50,109,857 $63,703,936 $70,032,435
Polytech/PTE $443,323 $340,363 $580,044 $742,560 $634,686
Polytech/PTE/University $10,058 $4,264   $9,405  
Polytech/PTE/Wananga $7,137        
Polytech/University $498,274 $491,005 $411,122 $691,457 $639,942
Polytech/University/Wananga $2,243   $7,135 $4,382  
Polytech/Wananga $124,487 $266,386 $155,532 $245,630 $214,332
University $89,571,033 $90,396,490 $111,245,027 $135,738,328 $138,183,618
University/Wananga $108,055 $130,678 $68,657 $133,864 $39,384
Wananga $4,061,857 $4,656,856 $6,870,682 $10,417,376 $11,115,070
Total $165,039,221 $162,718,849 $201,747,581 $252,171,114 $262,649,106

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 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
16-23 years old parentally income tested allowance at home         14,009 21% 17,415 22% 18,495 22%
16-23 years old parentally income tested allowance away from home + accommodation         22,739 35% 28,156 35% 29,233 36%
16-24 years old parentally income tested allowance at home 10,368 20% 11,176 21% 320 0% 68 0% 1 0%
16-24 years old parentally income tested allowance away from home + accommodation 18,786 36% 20,256 38% 571 1% 122 0% 6 0%
24 years old and over at home allowance         2,433 4% 2,599 3% 2,675 3%
24 years old and over, away from home allowance + accommodation         14,542 22% 18,785 24% 19,855 24%
25 years old and over at home allowance 1,536 3% 1,541 3% 62 0% 13 0%    
25 years old and over, away from home allowance + accommodation 11,702 22% 11,393 21% 490 1% 133 0% 1 0%
Both eligible students with one or more children + accommodation 1 0%                
Both students but only one eligible for allowance (no accommodation benefit)     2 0% 3 0% 5 0% 2 0%
Both students but only one eligible for allowance + accom 107 0% 76 0% 72 0% 99 0% 78 0%
Couple, both eligible students (no accommodation benefit)     14 0% 17 0% 21 0% 13 0%
Couple, both eligible students plus an accommodation benefit 1,442 3% 1,010 2% 1,114 2% 1,360 2% 1,230 1%
Couple, one eligible student with child(ren) plus an accommodation benefit 134 0% 116 0% 139 0% 178 0% 125 0%
Independent circumstances allowance + accommodation 1,703 3% 1,669 3% 1,680 3% 1,639 2% 1,642 2%
One student with dependent spouse allowance + accommodation 1 0%                
One student with dependent spouse and 1 or more children + accommodation     1 0%            
Single student with child(ren) plus an accommodation benefit 1,264 2% 1,211 2% 1,368 2% 1,708 2% 1,869 2%
Student living at home with earning spouse 931 2% 883 2% 1,122 2% 1,549 2% 1,525 2%
Student living away from home with earning spouse (no accommodation benefit)     2 0% 5 0% 6 0% 5 0%
Student living away from home with earning spouse + accommodation 75 0% 52 0% 46 0% 50 0% 61 0%
Student with dependent partner (no accommodation benefit)     37 0% 65 0% 66 0% 51 0%
Student with dependent partner plus an accommodation benefit 4,204 8% 3,856 7% 4,615 7% 5,459 7% 5,408 7%
Total 52,254 100% 53,295 100% 65,412 100% 79,431 100% 82,275 100%

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 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
17 or less F 256 0% 212 0% 262 0% 229 0% 198 0%
M 152 0% 144 0% 179 0% 157 0% 137 0%
Total 408 1% 356 1% 441 1% 386 0% 335 0%
18 - 19 F 7,780 15% 8,407 16% 10,466 16% 12,141 15% 12,137 15%
M 5,612 11% 6,007 11% 7,819 12% 9,378 12% 9,480 12%
Total 13,392 26% 14,414 27% 18,285 28% 21,519 27% 21,617 26%
20 - 24 F 9,799 19% 10,584 20% 13,134 20% 16,564 21% 17,864 22%
M 7,663 15% 8,099 15% 10,812 17% 13,465 17% 14,393 17%
Total 17,462 33% 18,683 35% 23,946 37% 30,029 38% 32,257 39%
25 - 29 F 3,778 7% 3,728 7% 4,349 7% 5,503 7% 5,814 7%
M 3,917 7% 3,986 7% 4,878 7% 6,080 8% 6,339 8%
Total 7,695 15% 7,714 14% 9,227 14% 11,583 15% 12,153 15%
30 - 34 F 1,945 4% 1,695 3% 1,896 3% 2,193 3% 2,275 3%
M 2,076 4% 1,966 4% 2,155 3% 2,613 3% 2,645 3%
Total 4,021 8% 3,661 7% 4,051 6% 4,806 6% 4,920 6%
35 - 39 F 1,353 3% 1,206 2% 1,368 2% 1,558 2% 1,539 2%
M 1,441 3% 1,311 2% 1,450 2% 1,647 2% 1,582 2%
Total 2,794 5% 2,517 5% 2,818 4% 3,205 4% 3,121 4%
40 - 44 F 1,165 2% 1,081 2% 1,127 2% 1,325 2% 1,359 2%
M 1,008 2% 880 2% 1,019 2% 1,163 1% 1,177 1%
Total 2,173 4% 1,961 4% 2,146 3% 2,488 3% 2,536 3%
45 - 49 F 1,032 2% 1,019 2% 1,146 2% 1,373 2% 1,323 2%
M 621 1% 607 1% 746 1% 875 1% 883 1%
Total 1,653 3% 1,626 3% 1,892 3% 2,248 3% 2,206 3%
50 - 54 F 675 1% 684 1% 786 1% 935 1% 919 1%
M 449 1% 431 1% 478 1% 558 1% 565 1%
Total 1,124 2% 1,115 2% 1,264 2% 1,493 2% 1,484 2%
55 - 59 F 363 1% 359 1% 438 1% 534 1% 549 1%
M 278 1% 264 0% 307 0% 382 0% 406 0%
Total 641 1% 623 1% 745 1% 916 1% 955 1%
60 - 64 F 216 0% 199 0% 195 0% 236 0% 231 0%
M 165 0% 164 0% 198 0% 243 0% 260 0%
Total 381 1% 363 1% 393 1% 479 1% 491 1%
65 - 69 F 123 0% 73 0% 53 0% 67 0% 53 0%
M 134 0% 80 0% 68 0% 95 0% 67 0%
Total 257 0% 153 0% 121 0% 162 0% 120 0%
70 - 74 F 75 0% 22 0% 26 0% 37 0% 23 0%
M 105 0% 52 0% 39 0% 51 0% 38 0%
Total 180 0% 74 0% 65 0% 88 0% 61 0%
75 - 79 F 18 0% 12 0% 2 0% 5 0% 3 0%
M 42 0% 14 0% 14 0% 20 0% 14 0%
Total 60 0% 26 0% 16 0% 25 0% 17 0%
80 or over F 3 0% 3 0% 1 0% 1 0% 2 0%
M 10 0% 6 0% 1 0% 3 0%    
Total 13 0% 9 0% 2 0% 4 0% 2 0%
Total F 28,581 55% 29,284 55% 35,249 54% 42,701 54% 44,289 54%
M 23,673 45% 24,011 45% 30,163 46% 36,730 46% 37,986 46%
Total 52,254 100% 53,295 100% 65,412 100% 79,431 100% 82,275 100%

Distribution of Student Allowance recipients by residential status

Residential status 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Citizen by birth 33,161 63% 34,528 65% 43,412 66% 53,712 68% 55,883 68%
Citizen 9,902 19% 10,268 19% 12,155 19% 13,901 18% 13,964 17%
Non-resident             1 0%    
Permanent resident 8,853 17% 8,142 15% 9,467 14% 11,396 14% 11,959 15%
Refugee 338 1% 357 1% 378 1% 421 1% 469 1%
Total 52,254 100% 53,295 100% 65,412 100% 79,431 100% 82,275 100%

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 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Civil union 28 0% 38 0% 88 0% 58 0% 63 0%
Defacto 1,433 3% 1,483 3% 2,108 3% 2,699 3% 2,858 3%
Married 6,270 12% 5,434 10% 5,989 9% 7,181 9% 6,746 8%
Single 44,518 85% 46,334 87% 57,221 87% 69,489 87% 72,600 88%
Unknown 5 0% 6 0% 6 0% 4 0% 8 0%
Total 52,254 100% 53,295 100% 65,412 100% 79,431 100% 82,275 100%

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 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
European 24,899 48% 26,144 49% 32,295 49% 39,599 50% 40,307 49%
Maori 5,063 10% 4,998 9% 6,604 10% 7,322 9% 7,835 10%
Pacific peoples 2,578 5% 2,724 5% 3,788 6% 4,807 6% 5,334 6%
Asian 12,816 25% 12,395 23% 14,467 22% 16,271 20% 16,321 20%
Other 1,820 3% 1,854 3% 2,101 3% 2,241 3% 2,339 3%
European and Maori 1,808 3% 1,819 3% 2,161 3% 4,025 5% 4,791 6%
European and Pacific 446 1% 459 1% 563 1% 966 1% 1,086 1%
Maori and Pacific 141 0% 123 0% 178 0% 413 1% 524 1%
European and Asian 363 1% 434 1% 529 1% 772 1% 896 1%
Maori and Asian 15 0% 18 0% 22 0% 43 0% 65 0%
Pacific and Asian 44 0% 53 0% 66 0% 112 0% 159 0%
European and Other 190 0% 174 0% 162 0% 430 1% 535 1%
Maori and Other 11 0% 8 0% 10 0% 30 0% 37 0%
Pacific and Other 9 0% 5 0% 10 0% 18 0% 21 0%
Asian and Other 101 0% 68 0% 42 0% 153 0% 204 0%
3 ethnic groups 214 0% 198 0% 254 0% 424 1% 483 1%
4 ethnic groups 17 0% 20 0% 19 0% 26 0% 23 0%
All 5 ethnic groups 5 0% 4 0% 12 0% 5 0% 3 0%
Unspecified 1,714 3% 1,797 3% 2,129 3% 1,774 2% 1,312 2%
Total 52,254 100% 53,295 100% 65,412 100% 79,431 100% 82,275 100%

Detailed distribution of Student Allowance recipients by ethnicity

From 2003 more detailed ethnicity data has been recorded.

Ethnicity details 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
European mixed 849 851 1,040 4,576 6,155
Pacific peoples mixed 135 105 139 466 670
Asian mixed 375 336 306 2,169 3,014
Other mixed 120 98 78 362 458
Admiralty Islander 11 14 18 72 83
Afghani 218 271 303 305 268
African 375 445 571 660 748
African American 11 11 17 9 4
Aitutaki Islander 25 19 18 20 20
Albanian 20 17 18 20 16
Algerian 2 5 12 2 2
American (US) 80 102 119 116 127
Arab 204 209 233 176 151
Argentinian 4 4 6 9 11
Armenian 1 2 4 6 6
Asian 673 567 683 967 864
Assyrian 48 42 44 39 36
Atiu Islander     3 2 5
Austral Islander   1      
Australian 214 248 292 359 322
Australian Aborigina 2 1 4 9 3
Austrian 6 5 15 11 15
Bangladeshi 72 70 64 86 64
Belau/PalauIslander   1 1 1  
Belgian 3 3 6 4 4
Bengali 13 16 15 11 11
Bismark Archipelagoa         1
Bolivian 1 2 2 4 3
Bougainvillean 1        
Brazilian 16 10 27 46 43
British 164 232 348 477 539
Bulgarian 18 15 17 13 11
Burgher 1 1   1  
Burmese 33 53 80 78 75
Byelorussian 2 3 1 1 1
Canadian 48 31 56 42 57
Caroline Islander   1      
Celtic 16 15 21 15 18
Central American Ind 1 1      
Channel Islander 1   2 1  
Chilean 6 13 29 33 39
Chinese 5,443 4,810 5,437 5,412 4,996
Colombian 4 6 9 15 21
Cook Island Maori 280 309 427 504 491
Cornish 1 1 2 2  
Corsican 8 6 9 6 3
Costa Rican 1   1 1  
Creole (Latin Americ   1 1    
Creole (US) 2   2    
Croat/Croatian 5 13 26 23 19
Cypriot Unspecified     1 1  
Czech 7 5 8 9 6
Dalmatian 1   3 1  
Danish 8 7 9 3 7
Dutch/Netherlands 99 93 113 110 105
Easter Islander 4 2 2 2  
Ecuadorian 2   3 1 1
Egyptian 72 57 69 53 50
English 326 438 524 418 386
Estonian 3 2 1    
European 2,743 2,934 3,546 2,718 2,089
Falkland Islander/Ke 1   1 1  
Fijian (except Fiji 68 80 91 112 105
Fijian Indian/Indo-F 327 354 459 569 676
Filipino 186 190 290 397 510
Finnish 1 1 3 2 1
Flemish   1   1  
French 6 9 14 14 16
Gaelic     2 2 1
German 61 79 83 90 81
Greek (incl Greek Cy 8 13 12 12 15
Greenlander 1   1 1  
Guadalcanalian     1    
Guatemalan   2 1    
Gujarati 32 43 44 66 52
Guyanese 1     3 3
Hawaiian     1 1  
Honduran   1      
Hong Kong Chinese 169 175 199 161 117
Hungarian 3 6 6 16 17
Icelander     3 2  
Indian 1,275 1,310 1,611 1,639 1,579
Indonesian 52 67 77 74 79
Inuit/Eskimo 2 2 1    
Iranian/Persian 189 176 175 175 172
Iraqi 88 102 105 99 96
Irish 30 40 36 42 39
Israeli/Jewish/Hebre 19 27 24 26 20
Italian 7 8 8 6 6
Jamaican 5 6 3   2
Japanese 97 114 128 122 113
Jordanian 8 6 6 6 7
Kampuchean Chinese 9 9 12 9 6
Kenyan   2 2    
Khmer/Kampuchean/Cam 77 88 73 62 70
Kiribati/Gilbertese 4 6 20 23 35
Korean 1,845 2,035 2,509 2,224 2,086
Kurd 30 37 44 44 40
Lao/Laotian 21 14 22 19 19
Latin American/Hispa 24 17 24 19 13
Latvian 1 3 2 1 1
Lebanese 7 10 13 5 3
Libyan   1 1 1 1
Lithuanian     1 1 4
Macedonian 34 30 31 21 20
Malaitian     1 1  
Malay/Malayan 17 16 21 15 27
Malaysian Chinese 355 377 410 410 360
Maltese 2   1 2 1
Malvinian (Spanish-s   1 4    
Mangaia Islander 2   3 1 1
Manihiki Islander 1 1 1 2 1
Manus Islander   1      
Manx 1        
Marquesas Islander     1    
Marshall Islander 1 1 1    
Mauke Islander 1 1 2 2 1
Mauritian     1 3 4
Mexican 4 6 8 8 6
Middle Eastern 100 80 88 74 61
Mitiaro Islander     1 1 1
Mixed 3,364 3,383 4,028 7,417 8,827
Moroccan 1 2 1 4 2
Nauru Islander 5 4 11 1  
Nepalese 30 29 47 48 41
New Britain Islander 2 1      
New Caledonian   1 2 2 3
New Irelander 8 13 9 6 2
New Zealand European 19,483 20,253 25,071 29,622 29,386
New Zealand Maori 5,063 4,998 6,604 7,322 7,835
Nicaraguan 1   1 2 3
Nigerian 2 6 3   2
Niuean 95 105 163 165 160
North American India   1 1 1 2
Norwegian 3 3 4 1 1
Not Stated 49 40 44 65 45
Ocean Islander/Banab 1     1 2
Orkney Islander     1   2
Other 258 233 249 205 198
Other European 111 78 78 53 70
Other Pacific Island 28 25 34 51 29
Other Southeast Asia 34 32 22 33 33
Pakistani 123 115 142 145 150
Palestinian 8 10 14 8 9
Palmerston Islander   1 2 1 1
Papuan/NewGuinean/Ir 2 4 8 6 9
Penrhyn Islander     3 1 1
Peruvian 9 10 13 17 19
Pitcairn Islander 2   3    
Polish 14 21 23 22 18
Portuguese 2   2   1
Puerto Rican   2 2 1 1
Pukapuka Islander 5 1   1 5
Punjabi 29 39 44 49 43
Rakahanga Islander   1 1    
Rarotongan 10 8 12 17 7
Romanian/Rumanian 28 33 31 40 25
Romany/Gypsy 2 2 1    
Rotuman/Rotuman Isla   1 1   1
Russian 172 184 194 183 197
Samoan 1,289 1,335 1,864 2,212 2,404
Scottish (Scots) 37 35 54 39 25
Serb/Serbian 20 33 29 27 29
Seychelles Islander   1      
Shetland Islander     1    
Sikh 9 12 19 19 11
Singaporean Chinese 66 66 87 72 71
Sinhalese 84 68 79 44 39
Slavic/Slav 1 3 4 3 4
Slovak 1 2 7 3 1
Slovene/Slovenian   1     2
Society Islander (in 1 1 1    
Solomon Islander 7 9 11 10 7
Somali 118 146 136 42 34
South African 190 216 345 390 395
South American India 3   1    
South Slav (formerly 1 3 1 4 1
Southeast Asian 36 16 29 29 28
Spanish 3 2 6 6 3
Sri Lankan 140 140 138 140 129
Sri Lankan Tamil 77 67 75 65 68
Swedish 3 5 8 8 6
Swiss 13 16 9 5 9
Syrian 6 5 5 2 1
Taiwanese Chinese 640 645 734 556 451
Tamil 12 5 5 10 6
Thai/Tai/Siamese 91 65 93 83 82
Tibetan 1   1   1
Tokelauan 54 42 45 62 64
Tongan 518 613 862 1,016 1,190
Tunisian 1     1  
Turkish (incl Turkis 11 9 12 12 16
Tuvalu Islander/Elli 12 15 22 35 35
Ugandan 1 1 1    
Ukrainian 18 21 16 24 24
Unspecified 1,714 1,797 2,129 1,774 1,312
Uruguayan   4 4 3 5
Vanuatu Islander/New 2   1 2  
Venezuelan 1   3 2 2
Vietnamese 133 151 182 155 153
Vietnamese Chinese 22 30 27 28 29
Welsh 17 18 23 20 17
West Indian/Caribbea 1 2 4 3 5
Yap Islander 2 2   1  
Yemeni 4 2 3    
Total 52,254 53,295 65,412 79,431 82,275

Last updated: 19 July 2011