Free Fees FAQs - Rotorua
What year at school must you be in to be eligible for free fees?
You must be in Year 12 or 13 and 16 years of age or older.
Do I still apply for course-related costs and student living allowance/loan through StudyLink?
Yes. Free Fees applies to your course cost only (tuition fees only). You still need to apply via StudyLink for all other costs including student levy.
I want to study part-time. Does first year free fees therefore cover a full year of study over two years part-time, or just the first year of part-time study?
Only the portion of the qualification that falls in 2027 will be covered (only those courses or the portion of the courses that are delivered in 2027).
I'm a school leaver, but the Toi Ohomai qualification I want to complete is online (Real Estate/Conveyancing/Other examples). Do I qualify for first year free fees?
No, only for courses studied on campus at our Mokoia Campus in Rotorua.
I'm a school leaver, but the Toi Ohomai qualification I want to complete is an apprenticeship in Rotorua. Do I qualify for first year free fees?
No.
What are the area boundaries for Secondary Schools?
There is no boundary but the offer is currently only available for study at Mokoia Campus.
What if I don’t pass the first year of my qualification? Are my fees still covered under first year free fees, and can I work to complete it again the following year for free?
No. All courses are only free once.
What if I decide to change what I’m studying/training mid-way through the first year of my learning at Toi Ohomai in Rotorua?
You'll be covered for the whole year.
I need books/a laptop/tools etc to support my first year of study. Is this covered as part of first year free fees at Mokoia?
No. You will need to apply via StudyLink for these costs.
What if I'm an Australian citizen (still considered a domestic student) will I qualify?
You'll just need to prove you were at school in 2026.
What if I have done Te Kura schooling but live within the Rotorua Secondary school area. Will I be eligible for the discounted fees.
Yes, you are eligible.
What if I did NCEA at Employ NZ (or another organisation) will I be eligible?
No. You must have been enrolled in a secondary school some time in 2026 to be eligible.
What if I'm an international student at secondary school in Rotorua, and I become a resident partway through the year. Can I apply for the discounted fees?
No, you must be a domestic student at the start of the year.
Do I have to apply to receive the discounted fees?
You need to provide the New Zealand secondary school you attended and the last year of school you attended (i.e. 2026) on your application form (we always ask these questions as standard in our application process). Along with a KAMAR print out or letter from your school confirming your enrolment in year 12 or 13 during 2026.
If you are eligible, will the discounted fees automatically be applied?
Yes, if you are eligible, it will automatically be applied when you enrol.
If my course gets cancelled and I enrol into something else, will the discounted fees carry over to that course?
Yes, if your course is cancelled by Toi Ohomai it will be transferred over to other study in 2027 at Level 3 or above.
I'm a Rotorua-based school leaver, but the Toi Ohomai qualification I want to complete is at a different campus. Do I qualify for first year free fees?
No, it is only for courses studied on campus at our Mokoia Campus in Rotorua.
Is it only for certain courses?
All courses Level 3 and above are covered.
What if I’m doing a multi-year qualification?
Only the first year is free.
If I drop out or fail, will I have to pay back the money. Or will it remain on my account for the next time I study.
No. There will be nothing to pay back.
What happens to Scholarships where in the past the funds would just be deducted from my fees?
You will still get Free Fees for your courses.
I don’t have enough NCEA credits to study what I want, will fees free cover a bridging or foundation course so I can go onto further study?
No, Free Fees applies to only to course Level 3 and above. Our Level 1 & 2 courses are free.
Does the free fees apply to Level 3 in Semester 2 if they do Foundation L1 or 2 in Semester One and then pathway into an available Level 3 course in Semester 2?
Yes, but this initiative only applies to the fees for the L3 course in Sem 2 2027, not a full year of course fees.
Does this first year free fees offering apply to any 2026 Y12/13 students who have already enrolled in courses starting at Mokoia Campus in 2027 at the time of this email going out?
Yes.
We work with a number of students who are not enrolled in school but are in the secondary school age (16-18) but generally don't have level 1,2 or 3. They can be signed up with NEET agencies as a 'holding' situation completing 12-week courses while they find their next option, would these students be eligible for free fees as they are the right age group?
No. You must have been enrolled in a secondary school some time in 2026 to be eligible.
If there was a big influx of secondary school students wanting to travel from Tauranga would we consider further transport options for them as in buses from Mount or Papamoa as well?
At this stage there are no plans for funded transport from Tauranga to our Rotorua Campus. If students are willing to travel to Rotorua, they are welcome to enrol at our Mokoia Campus.