Extending your Student Allowance limit
Usually you can get the Student Allowance for 200 weeks for tertiary study and 92 weeks for second school study. You may be able to get an extension in certain circumstances if you need extra time to finish your studies.
On this page:
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.
Extending your 92 week limit for secondary school studies
You can usually get a Student Allowance for a maximum of 92 weeks for secondary school studies. This is equal to around two school years.
This entitlement is in addition to the 200 week entitlement available at tertiary level.
The 92 week limit includes all secondary study the student has had a Student Allowance for since 1 January 1999.
Once you have used up your 92 weeks, you will no longer be eligible for a Student Allowance for secondary school studies.
In special circumstances you may be granted an extension beyond the 92 week limit, if personal circumstances prevented you from completing your study within the 92 week limit.
These circumstances generally only apply to situations that are beyond your control, for example, there has been an illness, injury, accident, bereavement, or personal difficulty.
Please talk to us if you've already received an allowance or are close to receiving it for 92 weeks.
We may ask you to complete the form below.
