GuidesA closer look

What is Te Kura, and who can enrol?

What Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu, the state distance school, offers, the enrolment gateways that decide who can learn with it, what it costs, and how to apply.

Every statement on this page comes from an official source: Ministry of Education and Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu.

What Te Kura is

Te Kura (Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu) is New Zealand's distance learning school, providing teaching and resources.¹ Students can learn from home, school or anywhere else that works for them, with their whānau involved.² Te Kura supports preschoolers through to adults, and its curriculum covers early childhood through to NCEA Level 3.³

Full-time enrolment exists to give equity of access to compulsory education for students whose location, itinerancy, educational or personal circumstances prevent them attending a reasonably convenient school.⁴

On home education: The Ministry of Education says home education is different from enrolling your child at Te Kura.⁵

Who can enrol

To learn with Te Kura, a student must meet the criteria of one of the 'gateways' in the Ministry of Education's enrolment policy.⁶ Te Kura sums up who can enrol like this:

You are a domestic student living in New Zealand, unless the enrolment policy says otherwise.⁷
You can't attend a face-to-face school — for example you live far away, or have been referred for engagement or wellbeing needs — or you meet the criteria in the enrolment policy.⁸
You are a young adult over 16, or an adult who wants to keep learning.⁹
Your main school wants you to study some subjects through Te Kura.¹⁰
Your child meets the criteria for Te Kura's early childhood programme, Te Ara Kōhungahunga.¹¹

Students aged 5 to 19 (or up to 21 with Ongoing Resourcing Scheme funding or a Section 37 agreement) may enrol full-time if they meet the criteria for one of the gateways.¹² Full-time gateways come in two kinds: 'access', where a parent or student applies, and 'referral', where the application must be backed by referral documents.¹³

Full-time enrolment gateways

Except for the engagement and wellbeing gateway, a student stops being eligible when changed circumstances mean the gateway's criteria no longer apply.¹⁴

The policy's full-time gateways include these.

The geographic isolation gateway is for students who cannot attend the closest state or state-integrated school because of distance from their home or other inaccessibility.¹⁵ To qualify on distance, the home must be 3.2 km or further (Years 1–8) or 4.8 km or further (Years 9–13) from the closest school and school bus route, and 2.4 km from suitable public transport.¹⁶
The itinerancy gateway is for students who would otherwise have to change schools each term because their caregivers are itinerant; the minimum enrolment period is six months.¹⁷
The exceptional arts or sports performance gateway is for elite athletes, dancers, musicians, sports people or outstanding actors or performers whose development programme rules out attending a reasonably convenient school.¹⁸
The young parents gateway is for students who are pregnant or whose main responsibility for caring for a child prevents them attending school.¹⁹
The government-funded overseas domestic students gateway is for New Zealand citizens or permanent residents living or travelling overseas, either temporarily, where the family can prove they intend to return within 2 years, or where the family cannot necessarily prove that or the stay is longer than 2 years, but can prove that there is no suitable or comparable education option where they live, that the student cannot get into a local school or would be impoverished by paying fees, or that the student is a candidate for NZ qualifications who intends to go on to a NZ tertiary institution.²⁰
The Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children gateway is for students in the custody or guardianship of Oranga Tamariki who cannot attend a local school; Oranga Tamariki is the referral agency, and every such enrolment needs a manager’s approval.²¹
The engagement and wellbeing gateway is for learners who have disengaged, or are at risk of disengaging, from school, including learners who are non-enrolled, excluded or expelled, and learners whose psychological or psycho-social needs are not being met where they are learning now; the Ministry of Education is the referral agency.²²

Full-time gateways by category

Access

The exceptional arts or sports performance gateway is for elite athletes, dancers, musicians, sports people or outstanding actors or performers whose development programme rules out attending a reasonably convenient school.¹⁸
The geographic isolation gateway is for students who cannot attend the closest state or state-integrated school because of distance from their home or other inaccessibility.¹⁵
The itinerancy gateway is for students who would otherwise have to change schools each term because their caregivers are itinerant; the minimum enrolment period is six months.¹⁷
The young parents gateway is for students who are pregnant or whose main responsibility for caring for a child prevents them attending school.¹⁹
The government-funded overseas domestic students gateway is for New Zealand citizens or permanent residents living or travelling overseas, either temporarily, where the family can prove they intend to return within 2 years, or where the family cannot necessarily prove that or the stay is longer than 2 years, but can prove that there is no suitable or comparable education option where they live, that the student cannot get into a local school or would be impoverished by paying fees, or that the student is a candidate for NZ qualifications who intends to go on to a NZ tertiary institution.²⁰

Referral

The Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children gateway is for students in the custody or guardianship of Oranga Tamariki who cannot attend a local school; Oranga Tamariki is the referral agency, and every such enrolment needs a manager’s approval.²¹
The engagement and wellbeing gateway is for learners who have disengaged, or are at risk of disengaging, from school, including learners who are non-enrolled, excluded or expelled, and learners whose psychological or psycho-social needs are not being met where they are learning now; the Ministry of Education is the referral agency.²²

Unless a gateway says otherwise, the minimum full-time enrolment is one term, an educational profile must reach Te Kura within six weeks, enrolments are reviewed each year, and the student must live in New Zealand and be a domestic student.²³

Young adults and adults

The young adult gateway is for students aged 16 to 19 who are not attending a school full-time.²⁴ Students on a Youth Guarantee funded course or a fees-free tertiary course cannot use this gateway; those who do may stay enrolled until the end of the school year in which they turn 19.²⁵

The adult gateway is for students aged 20 or over during the year of enrolment who are not attending school full-time; adult students are charged a tuition administration fee (except those enrolled by the Department of Corrections).²⁶

Early childhood

Te Kura says its early childhood programme is for tamariki from 2 to 6 years old who can't access a local early childhood service because of health, location or other reasons.²⁷ The Ministry's enrolment policy words the age criterion differently: Under the Ministry’s enrolment policy, to be eligible for a Te Kura early childhood programme a child must be a domestic student, under the age of six, and not enrolled in a primary school (or about to be enrolled within the first two weeks of February that year), and must meet the criteria for the programme and for a gateway where a place is available.²⁸

Government-funded early childhood places are capped, so not every eligible child may get a place when they first apply.²⁹

Geographic isolation: the nearest licensed or chartered early childhood service must be more than six kilometres from home, or behind a geographic barrier such as an unbridged river.³⁰
High health needs: for children with a long-term illness or medical condition that prevents them attending an early childhood service.³¹

Taking some subjects while at another school

Dual enrolment is for students enrolled at their main school or kura who also learn one or more subjects through Te Kura; the school must complete the application.³² Students registered for dual tuition must still attend their own school full-time.³³

Summer School is for eligible students who need up to 12 NCEA credits to move on to further study, training or employment, with applications online each November.³⁴

What it costs

Te Kura says most enrolments are free, but if you live overseas or don't meet certain criteria you might have to pay fees.³⁵ Where enrolment is government funded, no enrolment fee has been set, except the tuition administration fee for adult students.³⁶

Adult students pay a tuition administration fee of $116.00 per course, with no administration fee for Te Reo Māori and Kaupapa Māori courses.³⁷

On supervisor payments: A registered supervisor of a full-time student may be eligible for a support payment twice a year.³⁸ If all requirements are met, the half-year payments are $398.00 for the first child, $338.50 for the second, $278.50 for the third and $199.00 for the fourth.³⁹ Young adult, overseas, early childhood, adult and fee-paying students do not qualify for a supervisor payment, nor do students whose supervisor is paid by another agency.⁴⁰

How to enrol

Full-time, young adult, overseas and early childhood students start by completing an online application in Te Kura's Onboarding Tool.⁴¹ Adult and fee-paying students currently use a separate online application.⁴²

Some gateways need supporting documents, such as a letter from a government agency or national sports body, or a travel itinerary; others can be completed online with proof of ID and other details.⁴³

You can contact Te Kura's Student and Whānau Support team at any time during enrolment.⁴⁴

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 5 October 2026.

“Te Kura is New Zealand's distance learning school that provides teaching and resources for your child.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/home… ↑
“You can learn from home, school, or anywhere else that works for you, with your whānau involved every step of the way.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/who-we-are ↑
“We support preschoolers to teenagers to adults, and our curriculum covers early childhood all the way to NCEA Level 3.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/who-we-are ↑
“The purpose of full-time enrolment at Te Kura is to provide equity of access to compulsory education for students whose location, itinerancy, educational or personal circumstances prevent attendance at a reasonably convenient school.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“Home education is different from enrolling your child at Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/home… ↑
“To access learning with Te Kura, a student must meet the criteria as set out in one of the 'gateways' in this document.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“You are a domestic student who is living in New Zealand, unless specified in our enrolment policy.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“You can't attend a face-to-face school, e.g. you live far away, you have been referred to us for engagement or wellbeing needs, or if you meet the criteria in our enrolment policy.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“You are a young adult over the age of 16 or an adult who wants to keep learning.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“Your main school wants you to study some subjects through Te Kura.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“You meet the criteria for our Te Ara Kōhungahunga | Early Childhood programme.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“Students aged 5–19, (or up to aged 21 with Ongoing Resourcing Scheme funding or a Section 37 agreement), may be enrolled in a full-time primary or secondary programme at Te Kura where they meet the entry criteria for one of the enrolment gateways identified.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“There are two categories of full-time enrolment: Access – a parent or student can make an application for the student's enrolment; and Referral – the application must be supported by referral documents”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“Except for students enrolled in the engagement and wellbeing gateway, eligibility ceases when changed circumstances mean that the entry criteria for the gateway concerned no longer apply.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“This gateway is for students who cannot attend the closest state or state-integrated school due to distance from their home or other inaccessibility.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“3.2 kilometres or further for students in Years 1–8, and 4.8 kilometres or further for students in Year 9-13 from the closest school and school bus route, and b. 2.4 kilometres from suitable public transport”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“This gateway is for students who would otherwise need to change schools each term because caregivers are itinerant. The minimum enrolment period is six months.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“This gateway is for students who are an elite athlete, dancer, musician, sports person or an outstanding actor or performer whose development programme precludes attendance at a reasonably convenient school.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“This gateway is for students who are pregnant or whose primary care responsibility for a child prevents school attendance.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“This gateway is for overseas domestic students (New Zealand citizens or permanent residents) entitled to free enrolment and free education at any State school under section 33 of the Education and Training Act. Enrolment through this gateway is available for students who meet the following criteria: a. Continuity: Domestic students who are temporarily living or travelling overseas whose family can prove their intention to return within 2 years; OR b. Access: Domestic students who are living or travelling overseas whose family cannot necessarily prove their intention to return / are going for more than 2 years but can prove that: i. there is not (or is no longer) a suitable or comparable option for education in their country of residence; OR ii. they are unable to obtain admission to a local school / would be impoverished if they had to pay fees; OR iii. they are a candidate for NZ Qualifications and intend to continue to an education pathway at a NZ tertiary institution.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“For students who are in the custody and/or guardianship of Oranga Tamariki and cannot attend a local school. Oranga Tamariki are the referral agency, and all such enrolments require the approval of a manager.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“This gateway is for learners who have been, or are at risk of, disengaging from school. This includes: a. Learners who are non-enrolled, excluded or expelled. b. Learners who have psychological or psycho-social needs that are not being met within their current learning environment. The Ministry of Education is the referral agency for this gateway.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“Unless otherwise stated: the minimum period of enrolment is one term; an educational profile of the student is to be provided to Te Kura within six weeks of enrolment; the student’s continued enrolment is subject to meeting Te Kura’s engagement and tuition requirements (if students are found to be ineligible for continued enrolment, they will be withdrawn); all enrolments must be reviewed by Te Kura on an annual basis or as otherwise speciﬁed for a speciﬁc category; the student must be resident in New Zealand; and the student must be a domestic student”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“This gateway is for students who are 16 to 19 years of age and are not attending a school full-time.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“If a student is attending a youth guarantee funded course, or a fees-free tertiary course, they will be ineligible to enrol through this gateway. Students enrolled under this gateway may remain enrolled up to and including the end of the school year in which the student turns 19 years of age.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“This gateway is for adult students who are 20 years of age or over during the year of enrolment and are not attending a school full-time. Adult students will be charged a tuition administration fee (excluding students enrolled by the Department of Corrections).”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“For tamariki from 2-6 years old who can't access a local ECE service due to health, location, or other reasons”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“To be eligible for enrolment in an ECE programme at Te Kura, children must be: domestic students 3 ; under the age of six; not enrolled in a primary school, or about to be enrolled within the first two weeks of February that year; meet the criteria for enrolment in a Te Kura ECE programme; and meet the criteria for a gateway where a place is available.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“Government funded places in the Te Kura early childhood programme are capped. This may mean that not all children who are eligible may be able to be enrolled at the time they first apply.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“To qualify, the nearest licensed and/or chartered service must be: a. more than six kilometres away from the child’s home; or b. located behind a geographic barrier (e.g., an un-bridged river) that prevents reasonable access to the service.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“This gateway is for children with a long-term illness or medical condition preventing their attending a licensed and/or chartered ECE service.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“Dual For ākonga enrolled at their main school or kura who are also learning one or more subjects through Te Kura Your school must complete the application for you”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“Students registered with Te Kura must attend the school that they are enrolled in on a full-time basis.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“Summer School For eligible ākonga who need up to 12 NCEA credits to move on to further study, training, or employment Apply online each November”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“Most enrolments with us are free. If you live overseas or don't meet certain criteria, you might have to pay fees”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“Where enrolment is government funded, no fee for enrolment has been prescribed by the Board under Section 69 of the Education and Training Act 2020, except the tuition administration fee for adult students.”
Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/legislation/secondary-legislation/te… ↑
“Payment of a tuition administration fee of $116.00 per course There are no administration fees for Te Reo Māori and Kaupapa Māori courses”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“If you are a registered supervisor of a full-time ākonga, you may be eligible for a support payment twice a year.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/support/konga-support-payment ↑
“If all the requirements are met, the half-year payments are as follows: First child – $398.00 Second child – $338.50 Third child – $278.50 Fourth child – $199.00”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/support/konga-support-payment ↑
“The following enrolment types do not qualify for a payment: young adult ākonga overseas ākonga Early Childhood ākonga individual ākonga whose supervisor is paid by another agency such as the Ministry of Education or Oranga Tamariki adult ākonga fee-paying ākonga”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/support/konga-support-payment ↑
“You can start the enrolment process by logging into our Onboarding Tool and completing an online application. This application is for full-time, young adult, overseas, and early childhood ākonga.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“We currently have a separate online application for adult and fee-paying ākonga.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“For some of our gateways, you will need to provide supporting documents such as a letter from a government agency or national sports body, or an itinerary for travel. Applications for other gateways can be completed directly through our website, with proof of ID and other details.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑
“You can contact our Student and Whānau Support team at any time during the enrolment process.”
Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu · tekura.school.nz/about-us/enrol ↑