Extending your 200 week limit for tertiary study

Situations where you may be able to get the Student Allowance beyond 200 weeks for tertiary study are:

• you are enrolled in a recognised long programme.  You must be studying the last qualification that forms the long programme and can not have received a Student Allowance for any course other than those that form the long programme; or
• you are retraining towards getting a job in a recognised National Interest programme.  Early Childhood Education, Primary and Secondary teaching are currently the only programmes approved under this criterion; or
• you have approval from the Ministry of Education for your programme to be included in the 'National Interest - Retraining for Employment' provision of the regulations; or
• you are completing a programme that has been approved by the Ministry of Education as being the equivalent of an existing recognised long programme; or
• you need extra time to finish because of special circumstances.

Please talk to us if you've already received an allowance or are close to receiving it for 200 weeks.

You need to pass more than half your course to get a Student Allowance again.

We may ask you to complete the form below.