Paying your fees
Find out about paying your fees and insurance as a new international student, and what to do if you have a scholarship or student loan.
When to pay
Once you have received an Offer of Place you can pay your fees. You must pay your tuition fees when you apply for a student visa or by the Friday before the start of trimester.
Paying for insurance and student levies
The cost of your Studentsafe Inbound University insurance and Student Services Fee is included in your Offer of Place.
We recommend you pay for your insurance when you pay your fees. If you haven’t paid your student services fee and insurance in advance, these payments are due the Friday before the start of trimester. Either way, you will be insured for your travel to New Zealand.
What to pay
Page 2 of our Offer of Place provides amounts for Tuition Fees, Insurance and the Student Services Fee. We recommend providing evidence of payment covering all these items.
Annual fee increases
The University’s fees are reviewed annually. The estimated fees in your Offer of Place are based on the fees at the time of issuing the Offer. Tuition, insurance, and levy fees are subject to change, and may increase each academic year
Paying by instalment
New international students or students starting a new degree or programme need to pay all study costs upfront.
If you are paying by an international student loan, email our financial administrator to see whether you can apply for an instalment plan.
Paying by scholarship or student loan
If you are paying by an international student loan from the countries we have direct loan agreements with, please email our financial administrator to see how the payment arrangements work for you.
Proof of fees for your visa application
If you have an international student loan from one of the countries with approved loan arrangements, please email our financial administrator to receive a visa support letter to explain your situation as you are not going to receive a Summary of Deposit.
Getting a refund
Once you have paid your fees, you are covered by the refund policy as stated in the University’s Fees Statute. Read our terms and conditions of enrolment.
To apply for a full refund of any tuition fees, you must withdraw by the course withdrawal dates.
If you withdraw from all of your courses after you arrive in New Zealand, you will not be eligible for full refund and administration fees will apply.
If you are enrolled in the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programme and withdraw within two weeks of the start of the programme, you will receive a full refund of fees less an administration fee (if applicable).
You must request a refund in writing—email fee-reconsideration@vuw.ac.nz. All refund requests are processed after the withdrawal cut-off date for that trimester. Please visit our course additions and withdrawals page for more information.