Aotearoa New Zealand

KuraHub

GuidesThe guide, part 9 of 9

What are the options after school?

The main pathways after secondary school as official sources describe them — tertiary study, apprenticeships and training, and work — plus where to get careers help and how study can be paid for.

Every statement on this page comes from an official source: NZQA, Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū), StudyLink (Ministry of Social Development) and Inland Revenue.

When students can leave school

New Zealand students must attend school until they are 16 years old.1 Secondary school runs from Year 9 to Year 13 and lasts about five years.2

While still at school: Combining school with work or training lets you discover what work you want to do while still gaining NCEA credits that help you get into it after school.3

  • Trades academies: you learn industry-specific skills while studying for NCEA in Years 11 to 13.4
  • Gateway: you try work in a real workplace while studying for NCEA in Years 11 to 13, and if your school offers it you can usually choose it like any other subject.5
  • Services academies: run by schools in partnership with the New Zealand Defence Force.6

Where to get careers help

Tahatū is run by the Tertiary Education Commission, a New Zealand Government agency.7 The Tertiary Education Commission says it created Tahatū to make it easy for everyone to make career plans and decisions.8 Tahatū is designed for everyone in New Zealand, including students of all ages, people looking for or changing work, parents and whānau, and teachers and career advisers.9

Tahatū offers an interest quiz to help you discover your top interests and get career ideas.10 At school, your career adviser, Gateway coordinator or teacher can help if you'd like to try something different.11

How NCEA carries into life after school

NCEA and other national certificates are recognised by employers.12 NCEA Level 2 is an important and respected qualification, and a requirement for many entry-level jobs.13

Credits earned at school can be combined with credits from tertiary study or workplace training.14 You can build on your NCEA credits to work towards a Vocational Pathways award, find an apprenticeship or complete a certificate.15 If you didn't get NCEA Level 1, 2 or 3 at school but went on to gain more credits through other study or training, NZQA encourages you to contact it.16

You can create a summary of your results from your Record of Achievement and include it in your CV or job applications.17

Tertiary study

Places that offer study or training towards qualifications outside school are called tertiary education providers.18 Qualifications range from Level 1 certificates to Level 10 degrees.19

  • Universities: university study develops thinking and other skills you can use for your whole career.20
  • Polytechnics: vocational education and training across New Zealand.21
  • Wānanga: learning grounded in kaupapa Māori and āhuatanga Māori, with qualifications at every level.22
  • Private training establishments (PTEs): more than 400 of them offer all sorts of tertiary study and training.23

University Entrance is the minimum requirement to go from school to a New Zealand university.24 Foundation and bridging courses can help you meet the entry requirements for a degree course.25

Apprenticeships and trades

An apprenticeship is work-based training: you work for an employer and earn money while you learn a trade.26 You'll earn the training or adult minimum wage or more.27

  • A New Zealand Apprenticeship means your training will meet certain standards: it is arranged by a tertiary education provider, and you study for a New Zealand Certificate at Level 4.28 Describing apprenticeships in general, another Tahatū page says you earn while you learn and finish with a Level 3 or Level 4 New Zealand Certificate.29
  • You must be 16 or older, but there is no upper age limit.30
  • Each industry has different entry requirements; for example, apprentice electricians usually need NCEA Level 2 science, maths and English credits.31
  • Choosing Gateway or Trades Academy programmes at school might help you get an apprenticeship when you leave.32

You need to find a job before you can start an apprenticeship.33

Other ways to keep learning

  • Te Kura offers distance learning for all ages, with subjects up to NCEA Level 3; it's free if you're 16 to 19, and those 20 or older may have to pay an administration fee.34
  • If you're 16 to 24, the Youth Guarantee programme lets you learn new skills and study towards an NCEA qualification, and its courses are free.35
  • Foundation and bridging courses usually take four months to a year.36
  • A micro-credential proves you've achieved specific skills or knowledge, and you may be able to use it towards a formal qualification.37

Paying for study

The biggest costs of study are likely to be tuition fees, course-related costs, travel and living costs — and living costs are likely to be the biggest, especially if you live away from home.38

A Student Loan helps pay for course fees, study materials and weekly living costs.39 You will have to pay back any amount you borrow.40 If you're under 18, one of your parents also needs to give permission for you to get a loan.41

A Student Allowance is a weekly payment to help with living expenses while studying, and you don't have to pay it back.42 In most cases you have to be aged 18 to 65 and studying full-time to get a Student Allowance.43 How much you get always depends on your income, and may also depend on your parents' income if you're under 24 with no children.44

When to apply: If you're studying in 2027, apply to StudyLink for your student loan or allowance before 16 December for the best chance of everything being ready when your course starts.45

Fees Free

Fees Free covers fees for the final year of tertiary study or the final two years of work-based learning.46 It is only paid after you finish your qualification or programme; you pay your fees when you enrol.47 To get Fees Free, you must start your final year on or after 1 January 2025 and complete your qualification or programme by 31 December 2026.48

Fees Free dates

  1. 1 January 2025

    Earliest start of the final year48

  2. 31 December 2026

    Fees Free ends49

The Government has confirmed there will be no transitional arrangements when Fees Free ends on 31 December 2026.49 In most cases you can only get Fees Free if you are starting study or work-based learning for the first time.50 Check with Inland Revenue whether a particular course of study qualifies.

Sources

Every statement on this page comes from an official page, quoted in full here.

Each numbered statement above is followed here by the words of the official page it comes from. Every quote was checked against its page on .

  1. “New Zealand students must attend school until they are 16 years old.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/understanding-secondary-quals/secondary-… ↑

  2. “Study at secondary school begins when students are 12 or 13 years old and lasts for about five years, from Year 9 to Year 13.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/understanding-secondary-quals/secondary-… ↑

  3. “You can discover what type of mahi you want to do and keep getting NCEA credits that’ll help you get into it after school.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/combine… ↑

  4. “At trades academies you learn industry-specific skills while you study for NCEA in Years 11 to 13.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/combine… ↑

  5. “Gateway lets you try mahi in a real workplace while studying for NCEA in Years 11 to 13. If your school offers Gateway you can usually choose it like any other subject.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/combine… ↑

  6. “Services academies are run by schools in partnership with the New Zealand Defence Force.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/combine… ↑

  7. “When we say ‘we’, we mean the Tertiary Education Commission Te Amorangi Mātauranga Matua. We are the New Zealand Government agency that runs Tahatū.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/who-we-are ↑

  8. “We created Tahatū to make it easy for everyone to make career plans and decisions.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/who-we-are ↑

  9. “Tahatū is designed for everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand, including: students of all ages people who want to get into work people who want to change their work parents and whānau teachers and career advisers.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/who-we-are ↑

  10. “Do the quiz to discover your top interests and get career ideas.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz ↑

  11. “If you’d like to try something different, talk to your career adviser, Gateway coordinator or teacher.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/combine… ↑

  12. “NCEA and other national certificates are recognised by employers.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/understanding-secondary-quals/options-af… ↑

  13. “NCEA Level 2 is an important and respected qualification. It's also a requirement for many entry-level jobs.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/understanding-secondary-quals/getting-nc… ↑

  14. “Credits earned at school can be combined with credits earned in tertiary study or workplace training, meaning students can keep growing their qualifications.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/understanding-secondary-quals/getting-nc… ↑

  15. “You can use and build on your existing NCEA credits to: work towards a Vocational Pathways award find an apprenticeship complete a certificate.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/understanding-secondary-quals/options-af… ↑

  16. “We encourage you to contact us if you didn't get NCEA Level 1, 2 or 3 at school, but went on to gain more credits while doing other study or training.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/understanding-secondary-quals/getting-nc… ↑

  17. “Create a summary of your results from your Record of Achievement and include it in your CV or job applications.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/understanding-secondary-quals/options-af… ↑

  18. “Places that offer study or training programmes to complete qualifications outside of school are known as tertiary education providers.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/study-and-training-provide… ↑

  19. “You can get qualifications from Level 1 certificates to Level 10 degrees.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/study-and-training-provide… ↑

  20. “University study develops thinking and other skills you can use for your whole career, no matter what direction you take.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/study-and-training-providers ↑

  21. “Polytechnics provide vocational education and training across Aotearoa”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/study-and-training-providers ↑

  22. “Wānanga learning is grounded in kaupapa Māori (ideology) and āhuatanga Māori (tradition). You can study for qualifications at every level”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/study-and-training-providers ↑

  23. “Aotearoa has more than 400 private training establishments – often called PTEs. They offer all sorts of tertiary study and training”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/study-and-training-providers ↑

  24. “UE is the minimum requirement to go from school to a New Zealand university.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/about-ncea ↑

  25. “These courses can help you meet the entry requirements for a degree course.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/upskill… ↑

  26. “An apprenticeship is a type of work-based training or learning. You work for an employer and earn money while you learn a trade in your chosen industry.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/getting-qualifications/abo… ↑

  27. “You’ll earn the training or adult minimum wage or more.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/getting-qualifications/abo… ↑

  28. “A New Zealand Apprenticeship means your training will meet certain standards. It’s arranged by a tertiary education provider. You’ll be supported by a training plan. You’ll study for a New Zealand Certificate at Level 4.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/getting-qualifications/abo… ↑

  29. “Doing an apprenticeship can help you get the skills you need to work in industries like building, hairdressing, or agriculture. You earn while you learn, and finish with a Level 3 or Level 4 New Zealand Certificate.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/upskill… ↑

  30. “You must be 16 or older, but there is no upper age limit.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/getting-qualifications/abo… ↑

  31. “Each industry has different entry requirements. You might need certain NCEA subjects, for example, apprentice electricians usually need NCEA Level 2 science, maths and English credits.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/getting-qualifications/abo… ↑

  32. “Choosing Gateway or Trades Academy programmes at school might help you get an apprenticeship when you leave.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/getting-qualifications/abo… ↑

  33. “You need to find a job before you can start an apprenticeship.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/getting-qualifications/abo… ↑

  34. “Te Kura offers distance learning programmes for all ages. You can study a wide range of subjects up to NCEA Level 3. Enrol just for the credits you need or take a full-time study programme. If you’re 16 to 19 years old, it’s free. If you’re 20 or older, you may have to pay an administration fee.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/upskill… ↑

  35. “If you’re 16 to 24 years old, you can learn new skills and study towards a NCEA qualification with the Youth Guarantee programme. These courses are free”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/upskill… ↑

  36. “Foundation and bridging courses usually take 4 months to a year.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/upskill… ↑

  37. “A micro-credential proves you’ve achieved specific skills or knowledge. You may be able to use micro-credentials towards gaining a formal qualification.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/school-and-ncea/moving-on-from-school/upskill… ↑

  38. “your biggest costs are likely to be: Tuition fees – these depend on your subjects, study level and student status (like domestic or international). Course-related costs – like textbooks, computer equipment, tools. Travel costs – like bus or train fares, or petrol and parking. Living costs – like rent, food, power and internet. These are likely to be your biggest costs, especially if you live away from home.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/paying-for-study-and-train… ↑

  39. “A Student Loan helps to pay for your course fees, study materials (e.g. books or a computer) and weekly living costs.”

    StudyLink (Ministry of Social Development) · studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-loan/index.html ↑

  40. “You will have to pay back any amount you borrow.”

    StudyLink (Ministry of Social Development) · studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-loan/index.html ↑

  41. “If you're under 18, one of your parents also needs to give their permission for you to get a loan.”

    StudyLink (Ministry of Social Development) · studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-loan/index.html ↑

  42. “A Student Allowance is a weekly payment that can help with your living expenses while you’re studying. Important information You don’t have to pay the money back.”

    StudyLink (Ministry of Social Development) · studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-allowance/index… ↑

  43. “In most cases you have to be: between 18-65, and studying full-time.”

    StudyLink (Ministry of Social Development) · studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-allowance/index… ↑

  44. “How much you can get This will always depend on how much income you get. It may also depend on: your parents' income, if you're under 24 with no children”

    StudyLink (Ministry of Social Development) · studylink.govt.nz/products/a-z-products/student-allowance/index… ↑

  45. “If you’re studying in 2027, apply to StudyLink for your student loan or allowance before 16 December for the best chance of everything being ready for the start of your course.”

    Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatū) · tahatu.govt.nz/study-and-training/paying-for-study-and-train… ↑

  46. “Fees Free covers fees for the final year of tertiary study or final 2 years of work-based learning.”

    Inland Revenue · ird.govt.nz/fees-free ↑

  47. “This is only paid after you finish your qualification or programme. You will have to pay your fees when you enrol for your study or work-based learning.”

    Inland Revenue · ird.govt.nz/fees-free ↑

  48. “To get Fees Free, you must start your final year on or after 1 January 2025, and complete your qualification or programme by 31 December 2026.”

    Inland Revenue · ird.govt.nz/fees-free ↑

  49. “The Government has confirmed there will be no transitional arrangements when Fees Free ends on 31 December 2026.”

    Inland Revenue · ird.govt.nz/fees-free ↑

  50. “In most cases you can only get Fees Free if you are starting study or work-based learning for the 1st time.”

    Inland Revenue · ird.govt.nz/fees-free ↑