Your fees and costs

Plan ahead for your costs for studying in Wellington. These will include study, living, and other expenses such as insurance and a student visa.

Study costs

Your study costs will include tuition fees, student fees, and may include additional costs for course materials such as textbooks, reading materials, lab equipment, and field trips.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees vary between programmes and are calculated on the courses you take. For a list of all estimated programme fees, calculate your costs here.

Your final tuition fees will be calculated when you complete enrolment.

International students who are studying outside New Zealand may be eligible for a GST discount on their fees. If you provide the correct information about your location of study during enrolment, you won’t have to do anything more and the GST discount will be automatically applied to all eligible students in the final quarter of the year. For more information, contact the Student Finance team.

Compulsory student fees

All students enrolled at Victoria University of Wellington are required to pay the Student Services Fee and Student Hardship Fee for each year of study.

The Student Services Fee is charged per point.  Students studying from within Wellington, and from outside of Wellington, are charged different per point rates.

The Student Hardship Fee is an annual flat rate fee. The fee is used to assist students experiencing exceptional financial hardship.

Annual fee increases

The University’s fees are reviewed annually. The estimated tuition fees are based on the year in which you first enrol. You may need to pay an extra amount to cover an annual fee increase for any subsequent years of study.

Find out more about paying your fees.

Living costs

Accommodation

The cost of accommodation depends on where you live—you can choose to stay in a University hall of residence, a homestay, or in private accommodation.

You can use our cost calculator to find out what the different types of accommodation might cost and check our other accommodation fees and charges.

Other living costs

Wellington is an affordable city to live in compared to many international cities, however, some things may be more expensive than in your home country.

For advice on the cost of living in New Zealand for international students, go to the NauMai NZ website.

You will need to plan for additional living costs if you are bringing your family.

Other expenses

Insurance costs

You must be covered by an approved insurance policy as part of your student visa conditions. The 2024 cost of insurance under the University’s recommended Studentsafe Inbound University policy is:

• English for Academic Purposes programme (EAP) student: NZ$203 (three months)
• Study Abroad or exchange student: NZ$405 (one trimester)
• All other students: NZ$810 (one year)
• Family of two/couple: NZ$1,620 (one year)
• Family of three or more: NZ$2,025 (one year)

Students who want to add family insurance after individual insurance has started will be charged an extra $68 (one family member) or $102 (two or more family members) per month.

Visa fees

The cost of applying for a student visa depends on your nationality, where you apply from, and how you apply. For the most up-to-date application fees, go to Immigration New Zealand.

Funding your study

You may be able to meet the costs of your study through a scholarship, student loan, or by working in New Zealand while you are here.

If you have received a New Zealand Scholarship through the New Zealand Aid programme, find out what your scholarship covers.

Financial advice

If you want further advice about planning for your study costs, see the International Students’ Financial Survival Guidepdf3.6MB.

For help with developing a budget for your time as a student at the University, contact the Student Finance Advisers.