[Colm Denton]

Hi,

Just recently joined; my Dad recommended me to this part of the forum for any help with Uni stuff. I'm literally two days away from completing my A-Levels in England. I'm moving to NZ in August with my family on a 'Permanent Residency' visa. I have been in contact with several Universities to confirm a few enquires such has how much my fees are (which are domestic fees), grades etc...

I understand quite a bit of the Uni system in New Zealand, but I'm struggling to understand how the loan system works. I know obviously that I have to pay it back and that is based on my salary when I get a job. But what exactly am I entitled to? From what I can see I'm entitled to the Compulsory Loan (for fees and admin costs) and course related fees. But does that include accomodation? Is is possible to apply not on the Internet, just like the English students do here? Also the process on the Studylink website seems bewildering to me? lol

Can anyone help please, or set me in the right direction? Your help will be truly appreciated :)

Thanks

Colm

[wwwdot]

Welcome to the forum Colm!:)

This could be a good starting point:
http://www.ird.govt.nz/studentloans/

Good luck with your studies! What are you planning to study and where?

[JandM]

Hello, and welcome to the forum.:) I'm sure you'll get more help when the NZ residents come online a bit later.

[Colm Denton]

Thanks, some of that has been useful to me. But there is one question that still bugs me lol

Would I still get accomodation financial help. It says that you have to be under a certain salary bracket. But it doesn't say my parents it just says Your yearly income. That suggests to me that it would be my personal yearly wage. This needs confirming!!

I'm planning on studying Computer Engineering at Canterbury University =D

Edit: By the way this is the link about the accomodation help http://www.studylink.govt.nz/thinking-about-study/what-studylink-offers/extra-help-with-costs/help-with-accommodation-costs.html I may have got the wrong thing lol

[slider]

Hello, and welcome to the forum :)

[TrentBridge]

Hi Colm

Welcome to the forum. I'm afraid I can't help you with your queries but we will be in a similar position to you next August (hopefully). Eldest has just finished his AS exams and we plan to move to NZ next Jul/Aug after A levels (and GCSEs for youngest), so it would be great if you could keep in touch with the forum and let us know how you are getting on. Perhaps you could let us know of your experiences and pass on any tips (as long as you're not too busy studying that is) :D

Hope all goes well for you. :)

[Steadybears]

Hi Colm
Our son has just enrolled himself into Waikato Uni to do Mech Engineering - he knows the ins and outs about the loans - hes at soccer but will get him to reply once he returns.

Til then all the best

[Steadybears]

Hi Colm

My son has said that since you will only be starting uni in 2009 you should only submit your application for studylink once you arrive here. What happens with the studylink is they ask for your student id number in your application and then they contact the uni and find out how much your course costs will be and then they will send the fees directly to the uni when your course starts. On your application they ask if you would like living costs, they supply you with a max of $150 per week for food,accommodation etc. The above are all student loan cost and have to be repaid. Student allowance you dont have to repay - but you only get that if your household income is less than $80 000 per annum.

All you need to do is fill in the online application form on the net for a student loan but i recommend you do that only once you move here as they send the forms in the post to you for you to sign it. You have heaps of time so I think it would be easiest to organise your loan once you move.

Hope that helps
Jayne

[thewoodies]

Hi colm, well im impressed a teenager who knows what they want, ask your mum if she wants to swap?:laugh

Im a mum of a daughter who has just finished her AS's but isnt finishing her A levels - and hasnt bothered to go back to school to start them!:wah

we are going out in december and she was supposed to join us when she had completed her A levels

At the moment she wants to come with us - but it changes day by day

What course could she do instead of A LEVELS in NZ?

Is there an access course to University - she doesnt want to repeat the year because she doesnt want to be with younger kids . Anyone with any suggestions reading this thread ??? I need help thanks:confused:

[dusk]

hello and best of luck figuring out the info, i think they treat working out how to fill in application forms for grants and loans as part of your education :)

[wwwdot]

What course could she do instead of A LEVELS in NZ?

Is there an access course to University - she doesnt want to repeat the year because she doesnt want to be with younger kids . Anyone with any suggestions reading this thread ???

It might be worth searching uni websites for discretionary or provisional entrance; see for example http://www.otago.ac.nz/study/entrance/discretionaryentrance.html

Personally I would recommend finishing the A levels first, before considering any academic route. In my experience (I am a university lecturer), many students with fairly good A levels (even grade B) find academic studies very difficult.

[thewoodies]

It might be worth searching uni websites for discretionary or provisional entrance; see for example http://www.otago.ac.nz/study/entrance/discretionaryentrance.html

Personally I would recommend finishing the A levels first, before considering any academic route. In my experience (I am a university lecturer), many students with fairly good A levels (even grade B) find academic studies very difficult.

Thanks she has just told me she has handed in her notice at school !!!!!
and isnt going back!!!!!!

:wah!!!!

:mad:!!!!!

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think your right she would find the academic route very hard(im a teacher - little ones) .
I will check the website out thanks

- i need a miracle - to get this kid to see sense - might as well talk to the wall:confused::wah

Will show her this post thanks

[Colm Denton]

Hi Colm

My son has said that since you will only be starting uni in 2009 you should only submit your application for studylink once you arrive here. What happens with the studylink is they ask for your student id number in your application and then they contact the uni and find out how much your course costs will be and then they will send the fees directly to the uni when your course starts. On your application they ask if you would like living costs, they supply you with a max of $150 per week for food,accommodation etc. The above are all student loan cost and have to be repaid. Student allowance you dont have to repay - but you only get that if your household income is less than $80 000 per annum.

All you need to do is fill in the online application form on the net for a student loan but i recommend you do that only once you move here as they send the forms in the post to you for you to sign it. You have heaps of time so I think it would be easiest to organise your loan once you move.

Hope that helps
Jayne


Thanks,

I did find quite a bit of this out, but the living costs don't really pay for accomodation. Accomodation at Canterbury costs $160 alone, I believe. Also Student allowences are only given to those that have lived in New Zealand for two years.

I think that I have worked it out now, and I will apply ASAP when I move in August. Thanks for the help, and I will certainly stay on the forum to give my experience.

Hi colm, well im impressed a teenager who knows what they want, ask your mum if she wants to swap?

Haha Thanks alot =D To be honest I have always known what I wanted to do to be fair. I'm sure that your daughter will know what she wants to do =)

[Steadybears]

Im booked into res at Waikato Uni - and its costing $2298 for the six months for full board.

Good luck and PM if we can help with anything else or we can call the right folk from our side.

Andrew

[wwwdot]

Thanks she has just told me she has handed in her notice at school !!!!!
and isnt going back!!!!!!

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think your right she would find the academic route very hard(im a teacher - little ones) .
I will check the website out thanks

- i need a miracle - to get this kid to see sense - might as well talk to the wall:confused::wah

Will show her this post thanks

Trust her to know what is best for her, I would say (sorry if this is not what you want to hear as a parent;)). I did some shocking things in my school days and still wisened up and got the education up to a PhD.

I think a lot of teenagers in that stage could benefit from a gap year or two - working and/or travelling. They seem to be put under so much pressure to get the degree and the 2:1, although they do not always even know what what they want to do with the rest of their lives. At uni the age difference really doesn't matter; I started uni when I was a bit older.

Colm, good luck with your studies!:nice1