Eligibility criteria

Valley Education is an accredited provider of industry-based training approved for fees-free government scheme.

Zero Fees and Fees Free is targeted at first-time learners.
You may be able to get one year’s study or two years’ training Fees Free.

All our level 1 and 2 courses are Zero Fees to eligible students.

All our level 3 and 4 courses qualify for the Fees Free scheme and are subject to approval by  Tertiary Education Commission. To receive Zero Fees or Fees Free you must meet the eligibility criteria for the type of study or training you wish to enrol in. The course or programme you are enrolled in also needs to be eligible for Fees Free.

Industry-based training usually refers to programmes enrolled through  Valley Education an accredited industry training organisation, where you are training in a workplace, or doing ‘on the job’ learning.

The following eligibility criteria apply to study and training that start in 2022.

To confirm your eligibility status, please use the NSN checker on the Fees Free homepage. There may be steps you need to take to inform us of your eligibility status.

All our level 1 and 2 courses are Zero Fees to eligible students.

All our level 3 and 4 courses qualify for the Fees Free scheme and are subject to approval by  Tertiary Education Commission. To receive Zero Fees or Fees Free you must meet the eligibility criteria for the type of study or training you wish to enrol in. The course or programme you are enrolled in also needs to be eligible for Fees Free.

Industry-based training usually refers to programmes enrolled through  Valley Education an accredited industry training organisation, where you are training in a workplace, or doing ‘on the job’ learning.

The following eligibility criteria apply to study and training that start in 2022.

To confirm your eligibility status, please use the NSN checker on the Fees Free homepage. There may be steps you need to take to inform us of your eligibility status.

Learner criteria

To be eligible for Fees Free, you need to meet both the residency and prior study and training criteria below.

Residency criteria
You must be one of the following:

• a New Zealand citizen, or
• a holder of the Christchurch Response (2019) Permanent Resident Visa; or
• a holder of a residence class visa who would have been eligible for the Christchurch Response (2019) Permanent Resident Visa; or
• a holder of the Afghan Emergency Resettlement Resident Visa; or
• a holder of a residence class visa and:
  have been living in New Zealand for at least 3 years while holding a residence class visa and ordinarily resident in New Zealand; or
• a person granted refugee or protected person status, or a family member granted a residence visa with the person granted refugee or protected person status; or
  sponsored into New Zealand by someone in their family who, at the time of sponsorship, was a refugee or protected person; or
• a person granted refugee or protected person status prior to gaining a residence visa; or
  an immediate family member, without a residence visa and residing in New Zealand, of a person granted refugee or protected person status, as defined as:
  the partner and any child in New Zealand, of a person granted refugee or protected person status prior to gaining a residence visa; or

the parent and any sibling in New Zealand, of a person granted refugee or protected person status prior to gaining a residence visa, who is a dependent child.

Prior study and training criteria

You must have been enrolled in a school in or after 2020, other than as an adult learner, or
You must have not undertaken more than half a year of equivalent full-time tertiary education (0.5 equivalent full-time student (EFTS) or 60 credits) at level 3 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF), including tertiary education at an equivalent level undertaken in any country.