Frequently Asked Questions About Free Fees

How do I Study for Free at Toi Ohomai?

There are several different ways you can take advantage of free study at Toi Ohomai.

1. 'Fees Free'

'Fees Free' is a government initiative that came in to place on 1 January 2018 offering tertiary education to eligible, first-time tertiary students.

The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free policy will replace it, starting from 1 January 2025.

If you are a first-time tertiary learner in 2025, you may be able to get Fees Free for your final year of study or training. If you are eligible, you will need to apply for your entitlement through IRD from 2026 onwards.

For more information about the transition from first-year Fees Free or the final-year Fees Free policy, visit FeesFree.govt.nz.

'Fees Free' if eligible covers domestic tuition fees and domestic compulsory course fees, and compulsory student services levies only. It does not cover course related costs (CRC) or exam fees. 
 

2. Toi Ohomai Free Courses

Toi Ohomai offers a range of courses that have zero tuition fees. These are separate to the government’s ‘Fees Free’ initiative so you don’t need to check your eligibility in relation to fees.

Please note these programmes could affect your future 'Fees Free' entitlement e.g. if you enrol in a free course at level 3 or above e.g. Introduction to Nail Technology, the credit will be deducted from your 120 credit total. 

3. Youth Guarantee (YG)

We offer a range of Level 2 and 3 programmes that are Youth Guarantee funded. The Youth Guarantee funding is highly competitive, and places fill fast. There are specific eligibility criteria. 

Read more on our Youth Guarantee page.

4. Scholarships, including Maori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT)

Toi Ohomai administers a range of scholarships suited to all stages of study.

Te Ara Poutama provides scholarships to Maori and Pasifika students enrolled at Toi Ohomai who wish to gain qualifications in trades, and continue on to employment and apprenticeships.

Read more about MPTT and other scholarships on our Scholarships page.

How Do I Apply for Free Study?

Apply as you normally would, through the course page, and in many cases we manage the funding directly with TEC so you don't need to do anything more. If we do need more information we'll discuss this with you during the application process.

More information:

View the list of free courses at Toi Ohomai