Youth Guarantee Eligibility and How to Apply

Who's Eligible for Youth Guarantee?

To qualify to study under the Youth Guarantee scheme, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
  • Be aged 16–24 before the course starts (students aged 15 with a Ministry-approved early exemption may also qualify, provided the exemption is in place before the course begins)
  • Priority is given to students who:
    • Have not yet achieved NCEA Level 1 or NCEA Level 2
    • Have completed a Level 2 qualification through a Youth Guarantee programme 

How to Apply for Youth Guarantee

To apply for the Youth Guarantee scholarship, follow these two steps in order:

  1. Apply online for a Youth Guarantee-funded course (the list of available courses may change as programmes are added, removed, or reach capacity)
  2. Submit the Youth Guarantee application form through our online portal (*applications for 2025 are currently closed)

Important: Scholarship decisions will be communicated by week 4 of the course, so we encourage you to proceed with a StudyLink application for loans or allowances in the meantime to ensure you’re financially covered for your studies.

Please note: As there are no guarantees you'll be entitled or eligible for Youth Guarantee, we encourage you to explore other funding options as well such as our scholarships.

Student Loan Scheme/Allowances

Youth Guarantee students aged 16–17 are not eligible for StudyLink loans or allowances. Students aged 18–19 may be able to access the Student Loan Scheme for living costs and allowances, subject to StudyLink’s case-by-case approval.

To ensure your financial needs are met, we recommend applying through StudyLink for a student loan to cover course costs. If your Youth Guarantee application is successful, we will handle any eligible backpay in the background, so you won’t be out of pocket.

For more details on loans or allowances, contact StudyLink directly.