Masters Fees and Funding in New Zealand - 2025

Masters fees for New Zealand students

The cost of higher education in New Zealand isn’t controlled by the government. Instead each university sets fees for its own degree programmes. These vary, but, as a New Zealand citizen, you’ll usually be charged a lot less than an international student.

For domestic students, a Masters in New Zealand will generally cost between NZD $6,594 and NZD $25,000 (USD $3,696-14,016). Within this broad range, the fees of specific Masters degrees will depend partly on how expensive they are to teach.

Arts and Humanities degrees are likely to be on the lower end of the scale, while more resource-intensive subjects (such as Science and Engineering courses) will be on the mid to higher end. Particularly expensive subjects include professional degree programmes and MBAs.

These fees are per year; remember that most Masters degrees in New Zealand require two years of study.

You may have heard about the New Zealand government’s policy of providing a year of free tuition for students. However, this is only available for recent school leavers, so it can’t be used to study a Masters (for the time being).

You can keep up to date with the latest developments at the New Zealand government’s dedicated tuition fee policy website.

Masters fees for international students in New Zealand

The bad news for international students in New Zealand is that you’ll normally be charged Masters fees at a higher rate. The good news is that there are various sources of funding and Masters scholarships for international students in New Zealand. This means you may not end up paying the full costs of your programme.

As a rough guide, you can expect to pay between NZD $20,000-45,000 (USD $11,213 - 25,229) per year as an international student in New Zealand.

Programmes in Arts and Humanities subjects will be towards the lower end of this price range; those in Science and Engineering subjects will be nearer the top.

Fees for international research students in New Zealand

It’s worth bearing in mind that, while fees for taught postgraduate programmes are higher for international students in New Zealand, this doesn’t apply to some research degrees. The cost of a PhD, for example, is the same is it is for domestic applicants. You can read more about postgraduate research in New Zealand at FindAPhD.com.

Masters funding for New Zealand students

There are two main Masters funding and scholarship options available to you as a domestic student in New Zealand.

The first is the New Zealand government's student loans system, which includes provision for citizens studying postgraduate degrees.

Alternatively, you can search for a funded Masters scholarship or similar grant. These are usually offered by individual universities, as well as other groups with an interest in funding New Zealand’s postgraduate education.

Postgraduate student loans in New Zealand

Postgraduate Masters degrees are covered by the New Zealand government’s national student loans system. These allow you to borrow money to cover your Masters tuition fees as well as other costs involved in studying a degree.

You will be eligible to apply for a student loan in New Zealand provided you have either:

• New Zealand citizenship
• The right to reside in New Zealand for at least three years, in addition to three years' existing residence in the country

You will also need to be under 55 and enrolled on a full-time course (or a part-time course that qualifies as limited full-time study).

You can borrow to cover three different expenses as a Masters student in New Zealand:

• Your tuition fees – These will usually be covered in full, with the appropriate amount paid directly to your university.
• Other course fees – These could include additional costs and expenses related to your degree (such as the price of equipment and resources). You can borrow up to NZD $1,000 (USD $560) a year for these.
• Living costs – You can borrow up to NZD $302.32 (USD $169) a week to support yourself as a Masters student in New Zealand. This can help you pay the cost of accommodation or other maintenance expenses.

The total amount you can borrow as a Masters student in New Zealand is capped by a lifetime limit, equivalent to the value of around seven or eight years of full-time study. This will include any amount you’ve already borrowed for your undergraduate degree, but should still be sufficient for you to take out another loan for a two-year Masters degree.

Student loans in New Zealand are administered by StudyLink, on behalf of the Ministry of Social Development. You can read more information about eligibility criteria, repayments and application procedures on the StudyLink website.

New Zealand university Masters scholarships

If you aren’t eligible for a student loan (or would prefer not to take on debt for your Masters degree) you may be able to secure funding from a university in New Zealand. Most offer their own scholarships to certain postgraduate students, selected according to financial need or individual merit.

With only eight universities to choose from (plus polytechnics and institutes of technology) searching for scholarships from institutions in New Zealand is relatively easy. Still, you can speed the process up by finding a New Zealand Masters degree and then getting in touch – all the course listings here at FindAMasters.com include contact details.

Postgraduate grants in New Zealand

In addition to government loans and university scholarships, Masters funding in New Zealand is also available from other, third-party, organisations.

These support postgraduate training in specific areas, or provide assistance to individuals from specific backgrounds (including indigenous Maori or Pasifika students). You can view a list of awards for different purposes on the Universities New Zealand website.

Some of this funding is targeted at PhD students, working on certain research topics, but other awards are available for taught postgraduate degrees. And, of course, you can always go back for the PhD funding after you’ve finished your Masters!