Final year Fees-Free

The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free policy will replace it, starting from 1 January 2025.

You don’t need to do anything to confirm you eligibility for Fees Free in 2025 at this stage. When you enrol at Ara, you’ll need to organise payment of your fees. Then when you complete your qualification, you may be able to make a claim through myIR on the Inland Revenue website. This will be available from 2026 onwards.

For more information about the transition from first-year Fees Free or the final-year Fees Free policy, visit FeesFree.govt.nz.