GuidesThe guide, part 4 of 9
State, state-integrated and private schools
The different kinds of school in New Zealand by ownership and funding: state, state-integrated, private and charter schools, what each costs families, and what a school's special character means for enrolment.
Every statement on this page comes from an official source: Education Counts (Ministry of Education), Ministry of Education, Education Review Office, Charter School Agency and Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation).
What are the kinds of school?
In official school data, a school's authority describes its ownership: state, state-integrated, private or charter.1
At 1 July 2025 there were 2,536 schools in New Zealand across state, state-integrated, private and charter schools.2
State
State-integrated
Private
Charter
KuraHub shows each school's type so you can see which of the rules on this page apply to it. A school's type is not a measure of quality, and KuraHub does not rank schools.
State schools
Most schools in New Zealand are state schools, owned and funded by the government.3 They teach the national curriculum and are non-religious.11
Every child or young person who is not an international student is entitled to free enrolment and free education at any state school, from when they turn five until 1 January after their 19th birthday.12 State schools cannot charge domestic students a fee for enrolment, attendance or the delivery of the curriculum.4
Schools can ask families to pay for optional goods and services, such as stationery or food, and these purchases are voluntary.13 Boards of state and state-integrated schools can ask for a voluntary donation, which parents can pay in part, in full or not at all.14
If a school opts in to the school donation scheme, its board cannot ask parents for donations except for school camps, payment for camp is optional, and the school receives more government funding for each student.15
What is a state-integrated school?
Integration is the process by which a private school can become part of the state system on a basis that preserves and safeguards the special character of the education it provides.16
State-integrated schools are state schools that receive government funding to operate the school and to maintain and modernise the integrated school buildings.5 They differ from other state schools because their special character shapes how the curriculum is provided, and a private owner, the proprietor, owns the land and buildings.17
In law, education with a special character means education within the framework of a particular or general religious or philosophical belief, associated with observances or traditions relating to that belief.18
When a school integrates, the proprietor signs an Integration Agreement with the Minister of Education recording the terms, including the property, maximum roll and year levels offered.19 State-integrated schools make up approximately 13% of the schooling network, or 335 schools.20
Every student at a state-integrated school must be given free education on the same terms as students at a state school.21
Who can enrol at a state-integrated school?
Children whose parents have a philosophical or religious connection with a state-integrated school must be preferred for enrolment over other children.22 Most students at a state-integrated school are preference students who associate with the school's special character, and most schools have space for a small number of non-preference students.23
By enrolling a child at a state-integrated school, a parent is taken to have accepted that the child will take part in the general school programme that gives the school its special character.24
Where religious instruction and observances are part of a state-integrated school's special character, the school must be responsive to families of different beliefs, and may not require a student of a different religious or philosophical affiliation to take part in religious observances if a parent says they do not wish them to.25
What are attendance dues?
State-integrated schools can charge parents compulsory attendance dues if their integration agreement with the Crown allows for this.6 Most state-integrated schools charge fees to cover the cost of maintaining their special character and their privately owned land and buildings.26
Where charged, attendance dues are compulsory, and the school can enforce payment and charge GST.27 Revenue the proprietor receives from attendance dues must be used solely for improvements to the school's buildings and associated facilities required by an integration agreement, capital works the Minister may require, and debts, mortgages, liens or other charges on the school's land and buildings.28
Attendance dues are set at rates approved by the Minister.29 State-integrated schools cannot increase attendance dues without approval from the Minister of Education.30
Attendance dues are not a donation, so no tax credit can be claimed for them.31 Donations are different: payment of school donations is optional.32
Private schools
Private schools get some government funding but are mostly funded through fees charged to parents.7 Private schools can charge fees, and have a contract with the people paying for the child's tuition, generally the parents.33
Private schools can choose their own curriculum and do not have to follow The New Zealand Curriculum or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.8
Anyone who usually provides tuition for nine or more students aged between 5 and 16 must register as a private school.34 A private school is first registered only provisionally, and receives some government funding once it is fully registered.35 From 1 September 2026, the Education Review Office (ERO) registers private schools.36
Some private schools offer scholarships; contact the school to find out what they offer.37
Charter schools
Charter schools are public schools, but they are run by a sponsor instead of a school board, under a contract with the Crown.9 They can make their own decisions about teaching, curriculum, governance, school hours, term dates and how they use their funding.38
Charter schools are free to attend, like state schools, and cannot charge tuition fees.10 A charter school that used to be state-integrated may still charge a property maintenance fee, similar to attendance dues, if its contract allows it.39
Some charter schools have an approved distinguishing characteristic, which parents must accept when enrolling; if they do not, the school can refuse enrolment.40
Charter schools must meet performance targets for attendance and achievement, and unlike state schools, their funding can be withdrawn if the targets are not met.41
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 .
“School authority Describes the ownership of schools, that is, state, state-integrated, private and charter.”
Education Counts (Ministry of Education) · educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school/school/definitions ↑
“At 1 July 2025, the total number of schools in New Zealand (State, State-Integrated, Private and Charter) was 2,536.”
Education Counts (Ministry of Education) · educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/number-of-schools ↑
“Most schools in New Zealand are state schools, which are owned and funded by the government.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑
“State schools cannot charge domestic students a fee for: enrolment attendance the delivery of the curriculum.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/fun… ↑
“State-integrated schools are state schools that receive government funding to operate the school, and to maintain and modernise the integrated school buildings.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/information-releases/issue-specific-… ↑
“they can charge parents compulsory attendance dues if the integration agreement with the Crown allows for this.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/information-releases/issue-specific-… ↑
“Private schools get some government funding but are mostly funded through charging parents school fees.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑
“They have the freedom to choose an appropriate curriculum and do not have to follow The New Zealand Curriculum or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.”
Education Review Office · ero.govt.nz/for-schools-and-kura/learn-about-reviews-in-e… ↑
“Charter schools are public schools, but they are run by a sponsor instead of a school board. The sponsor signs a contract with the Crown to run the school.”
Charter School Agency · charterschools.govt.nz/home/about-charter-schools/what-is-a-charter-… ↑
“Charter schools are free to attend, just like state schools. They cannot charge tuition fees.”
Charter School Agency · charterschools.govt.nz/home/about-charter-schools/enrolment-and-access ↑
“They teach the national curriculum and are non-religious.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑
“Every tamariki | child or rangatahi | young person who is not an international student is entitled to free enrolment and free education at any state school in New Zealand. This starts when they turn 5 and ends on 1 January after their 19th birthday.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/fun… ↑
“Schools and kura can ask parents and whānau | families to pay for optional goods and services, such as stationery or food. These purchases are voluntary.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/fun… ↑
“Boards of state and state-integrated schools can ask families for a voluntary donation. Parents can claim tax back on this donation. Parents can pay donations in part, in full or not at all.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/fun… ↑
“If your school opts in to the school donation scheme, the board can’t ask parents or guardians for donations, except for school camps. Payment for camp is optional. Your child can go on the camp if you don't pay. Schools that are part of the school donation scheme receive more government funding for each student.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑
“integration means the conditions and procedures on and by which a private school may become established as part of the State system of education, and may remain part of that system, on a basis that preserves and safeguards the special character of the education that the school provides”
Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation) · legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest ↑
“the school’s ‘special character’ defines the philosophical or religious framework in which the curriculum is provided a private entity, the ‘proprietor’, owns the school buildings and land”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/information-releases/issue-specific-… ↑
“education with a special character means education within the framework of a particular or general religious or philosophical belief, and associated with observances or traditions relating to that belief”
Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation) · legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest ↑
“When a school integrates into the state system, the proprietor enters into an Integration Agreement with the Minister of Education. The Integration Agreement records the integration terms and conditions, including the property to be integrated, maximum roll, and year levels offered.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/information-releases/issue-specific-… ↑
“State-integrated schools make up approximately 13% (335 schools) of the schooling network.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/information-releases/issue-specific-… ↑
“Every student enrolled at a State integrated school must be given free education on the same terms and in accordance with the same conditions as students enrolled at a State school.”
Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation) · legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest ↑
“The children of parents who have a particular or general philosophical or religious connection with a State integrated school must be preferred to other children for enrolment at the school.”
Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation) · legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest ↑
“Most students who attend a state integrated school are ‘preference’ students who associate with the school’s special character. Most schools have space for a small number of non-preference students.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/information-releases/issue-specific-… ↑
“By enrolling a student at a State integrated school, a parent is taken to have accepted as a condition of enrolment that the student is to participate in the general school programme that gives the school its special character.”
Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation) · legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest ↑
“If religious instruction and observances form part of the education with a special character provided by a State integrated school, that school— (a) must be responsive to the sensitivities of students and parents of different religious or philosophical affiliations; and (b) may not require a student of a different religious or philosophical affiliation to participate in religious observances and religious instruction concerned with particular observances if a parent of the student states that they do not wish that student to participate.”
Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation) · legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest ↑
“Most state-integrated schools charge fees to cover the cost of maintaining their special character and privately owned land and buildings.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑
“Attendance dues (where charged) are compulsory for state-integrated schools and kura . The school can enforce payment and charge GST.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/fun… ↑
“Revenue received by the proprietor from attendance dues must be used solely for the following: (a) paying, in respect of the school or group of schools in respect of which it is received, for improvements to the State integrated school or schools’ buildings and associated facilities that are required by any integration agreement or integration agreements under clause 39(2)(c) : (b) any capital works that may be required by the Minister under clause 39(2)(d) : (c) meeting debts, mortgages, liens, or other charges associated with the land and the buildings that constitute the premises of the State integrated school or schools.”
Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation) · legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest ↑
“The dues must be established for the State integrated school or group of State integrated schools at the rates, and subject to any conditions, approved by the Minister by notice .”
Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation) · legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest ↑
“State-integrated schools and kura cannot increase attendance dues without approval from the Minister of Education.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/fun… ↑
“Attendance dues are not a donation so a tax credit cannot be requested or supplied.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/fun… ↑
“Payment of school donations is optional.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑
“Private schools can charge fees. They have a contract between the people paying for the child’s tuition (generally the parents) and the school’s managing body.”
Education Review Office · ero.govt.nz/for-schools-and-kura/learn-about-reviews-in-e… ↑
“If you usually provide tuition for 9 or more students aged between 5 and 16 years old, you must register as a private school.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/adm… ↑
“A private school is initially only provisionally registered. Once the school is fully registered, it receives some government funding.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/adm… ↑
“From 1 September 2026 the Education Review Office: licenses and certificates early childhood education (ECE) providers licenses school hostels registers private schools”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/our-purpose-and-role/role-m… ↑
“Some private schools offer scholarships. Contact the school to find out what they offer.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑
“They can make their own decisions about teaching, curriculum, governance, school hours, term dates, and how they use their funding.”
Charter School Agency · charterschools.govt.nz/home/about-charter-schools/what-is-a-charter-… ↑
“If a charter school used to be a state‑integrated school, it may still charge a property maintenance fee (similar to attendance dues), if its contract allows it.”
Charter School Agency · charterschools.govt.nz/home/about-charter-schools/enrolment-and-access ↑
“Some charter schools have approved distinguishing characteristics. A distinguishing characteristic is a special feature or focus that sets the charter school apart from other charter schools. Parents or caregivers must accept this characteristic when enrolling their child. If they don’t, that charter school can refuse enrolment.”
Charter School Agency · charterschools.govt.nz/home/about-charter-schools/enrolment-and-access ↑
“They must meet performance targets for students’ attendance and achievement. Unlike state schools, if these performance targets are not met, their funding can be withdrawn.”
Charter School Agency · charterschools.govt.nz/home/about-charter-schools/funding-and-resour… ↑