Moving on - what's next
As they prepare to leave school, teenagers face important decisions about what they will do next. For many jobs, they will need qualifications – in most cases a tertiary qualification.
Tertiary study
Tertiary education is any form of education and training done after secondary school. There are many tertiary education providers in New Zealand and it’s important you and your teen choose the best one for their needs. Think about location, accommodation, course costs and your teen’s learning style.
The Careers New Zealand website has information about tertiary study, including a downloadable Countdown to Action worksheet that your teen can use to help decide about study and training. They also have an online chat service where career advisors can answer your teen’s questions and discuss their options.
A useful tool is Pathfinder on the Careers New Zealand website. It builds a personal profile of your teen, as they complete questionnaires on their interests, skills, education and preferred work conditions. This personal profile is used to generate a range of career ideas.
You can also use the Which Course Where website to find out more about where they might want to study. You can search by qualification, courses and providers.
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) also offers useful advice on private training establishments (PTEs) and what to look for if you are thinking of enrolling at a PTE.
Tertiary education costs
In New Zealand, the Government funds state tertiary institutions, such as universities, wānanga and polytechnics and meets most (but not all) tuition costs. Students need to contribute about 25% of their course costs.
The two main ways students receive financial assistance for tertiary study are through student allowances and student loans. Visit the StudyLink website for information on applying for a student allowance or loan.
Eligibility for a student allowance is normally based on the parents’ income until the student turns 25.
Other options for financial assistance are scholarships, awards and grants. BreakOut, a searchable database, gives the best matches of scholarships, awards and grants your child may be eligible for,,along with closing dates, application requirements and contact details.
Tertiary students are eligible for a Community Services Card to help with health care costs, so encourage them to apply for one.