Enrolment eligibility

Policy

All children aged between five and nineteen have a right to enrol in a state school if they are a domestic student or an approved exchange student. Boards are required to check the eligibility status of all students before enrolment and declare them correctly on roll returns.

Audit implications

Because a large part of a board’s resourcing is based on roll information, during audits the Ministry’s resourcing auditors look for proof of students’ eligibility status as a way of ensuring boards are correctly resourced.

It is critical that boards verify the eligibility status of all students being claimed as domestic students for funding purposes.

Documentation required at enrolment: domestic students

Boards need to attach a copy of all relevant documents such as a birth certificate or passport to the student’s enrolment form. If the student is eligible as a New Zealand citizen, New Zealand resident or Australian citizen, this only needs to be done if the board is the first in New Zealand to enrol that student.

Documentation required at enrolment: international students

Boards need to attach a copy of all relevant documents such as passport and student visa/permit or a limited purpose permit to the student’s enrolment form. The board must have a process in place to monitor the expiry dates for all student visas/permits or a limited purpose permit for international students.

Further information

Circular 2011/01 - Eligibility for enrolment in New Zealand schools has specific information about how to determine a student’s eligibility status and what documentation is needed.