Visa Support

Student Visa

As an international student, you are required to hold a valid visa and comply with your visa conditions for the duration of your study at Whitireia and WelTec. It is your primary responsibility to maintain the lawful status to study and live in New Zealand.  

To be fully enrolled, the International Team must sight and hold a copy of your valid student visa to study at either Whitireia Ltd or WelTec Ltd. If you do not hold a valid student visa or fail to provide one, you may risk having your student account suspended, your programme of study withdrawn, and enrolment cancelled.

Attendance and Progress

International Students must study full-time and attend all scheduled classes, unless there is a reasonable excuse for absences (such as a doctors certificate). Our international student advisors are available for support if you require clarification around attendance. The international team are required to notify Immigration New Zealand of poor attendance and academic progress.

You must also make satisfactory progress on your programme of study.

Study Abroad and Exchange

If you are coming to New Zealand as an inbound Study Abroad and Exchange student, you must apply for a student visa prior to your arrival in New Zealand, regardless of any visa waiver requirement between New Zealand and your home country. Only in very special circumstances (as determined by Immigration New Zealand) will a student exchange visa be granted if you are already in New Zealand.

Short Course

International students who enrol in short courses must ensure they have a visa to cover the duration of study. If you are on a visitor visa, you may be able to study a short course of 12 weeks or shorter. For more information please visit Can I study in New Zealand? on the Immigration website.

Variation of Conditions

You may be able to apply for a variation of conditions if you hold a student visa, a work visa, or a visitor visa. Your application will only be granted if the new conditions would meet the reason your original visa was issued under.

Student Visa Holders

You may be able to apply for a variation of conditions to allow you to change the programme you are studying and/or the education provider you are studying with, or to allow you to work part-time and/or full-time during your holidays. If you withdraw from your programme of study and/or education provider before varying the conditions of your visa, you will be in breach of your visa conditions.

Work and Visitor Visa holders

You may be able to apply for a variation of conditions to allow you to study part-time. For information on how to apply for a Variation of Condition, see Changing the conditions of your visa.

Post-Study Work Visa

If you have acceptable qualifications that you completed in New Zealand, you can apply for a visa to work here. Depending on your qualification and where you studied, you can work for any employer for between 1 and 3 years, and do almost any work.