Study Abroad
How much does it cost to study in New Zealand from Nepal? Tuition ranges, INZ living funds, NZD 850 visa fee, insurance, FTS and real living costs explained.
"How much will New Zealand cost in total?" Nepali families usually ask this before they ask about courses, and it is the right question. The total has several parts: tuition, the living-cost funds Immigration New Zealand (INZ) wants to see, the visa fee, compulsory medical and travel insurance, flights, and what you actually spend each week once you arrive. This guide breaks down the cost of studying in New Zealand for Nepali students using INZ, Study with New Zealand and university fee pages. Fees and costs change often, so check every figure on immigration.govt.nz and your provider's website before you pay or apply.
All amounts are in New Zealand dollars (NZD). Convert them at your bank's rate on the day you plan your budget, because the rupee rate moves.
For the full visa process (offer of place, documents, health and character checks), read our New Zealand student visa from Nepal guide. This article focuses on the money.
New Zealand providers set their own international fees, so the price depends on the institution, the subject and the level of study. Study with New Zealand, the government's official study site, gives these approximate ranges:
Bachelor's degree: about NZD 35,000 to NZD 55,000 a year, with higher fees for subjects such as medicine and veterinary science. Many bachelor's degrees take three years.
Postgraduate degree: about NZD 20,000 to NZD 45,000, again higher for medicine and veterinary science.
PhD: international PhD students pay the same as New Zealand PhD students, about NZD 6,500 to NZD 7,500 a year for most subjects.
A real example: AUT lists its Bachelor of Arts at NZD 37,100 tuition plus a student services levy of about NZD 1,260 for a full-time year (120 points). Many universities charge a levy like this on top of tuition, so add it to your budget.
Always use the exact fee on your offer of place. Ask whether fees rise in later years. To compare institutions and entry routes, see our guide to universities in New Zealand for Nepali students.
INZ asks for proof that you have paid tuition for 1 year of study or 1 course, whichever is shorter. A receipt or confirmation from your education provider is accepted; screenshots of bank transfers and receipts from education agents are not.
If you apply from outside New Zealand, you can choose approval in principle (AIP). INZ assesses your application first, and you pay tuition only after it is approved in principle. The deadline to send the fee receipt is usually 10 days, or 15 days if you are using the Funds Transfer Scheme, so keep the money ready.
For tertiary study (university, polytechnic, private training establishment or English language), INZ says you must have:
NZD 20,000 for each year if you are studying for one year or more
NZD 1,667 for each month if your study is shorter than one year
On top of this you need money for a ticket out of New Zealand, or a fully paid outward ticket. If you are pregnant, you must also show NZD 9,000 for maternity care.
Worked example (illustrative only): a one-year postgraduate student with an annual fee of NZD 38,000 would need the NZD 38,000 tuition paid (or ready under AIP), plus NZD 20,000 for living costs, plus enough for a flight home. Your figure depends on your actual fee and course length.
INZ accepts these as primary evidence:
Bank statements showing the account holder's name and the last 3 months of transactions
Fixed-deposit certificates for deposits held for at least 3 months
An education loan sanction letter and disbursal letter from a nationalised or multinational bank, secured against your fixed assets, showing the security, moratorium period, interest and repayments
A scholarship award letter
Provident funds that can be withdrawn
INZ may ask for the source of funds too. Deposits over NZD 2,000, many smaller deposits or a recently opened account need an explanation, with tax returns, payslips, business or rental income documents. If you use a loan, be ready to explain how it will be repaid.
Who can support you: for citizens of Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan applying from those countries, only immediate family (partner, parents, siblings, grandparents and parents-in-law) can sponsor you or give a financial undertaking.
Funds Transfer Scheme (FTS): Nepal is one of the countries covered by INZ's FTS, run through ANZ. INZ will tell you if you must use it (it can be an AIP condition), and it does not guarantee a visa. Our education loan in Nepal guide was written for Australia, but most of the bank paperwork is similar, and you will also need an NOC from Nepal before sending money abroad.
Student visa fee: INZ lists the Fee Paying Student Visa as from NZD 850. Its May 2026 Fees Guide shows this as a NZD 485 application fee, a NZD 265 immigration levy and the NZD 100 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). Confirm the exact total for a Nepali passport with INZ's online fee tool before you pay.
Chest X-ray and medical: if you will stay more than 6 months and come from a country without a low incidence of tuberculosis, you need a chest X-ray from an approved panel clinic. A medical certificate is not normally needed for stays under 12 months. Ask the clinic for its current fee.
Police certificate: needed if you are 17 or older and your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer.
English test: budget for IELTS, PTE or another accepted test if your provider needs one.
Flights and arrival: budget for your flight from Kathmandu, plus a cushion for the first weeks, such as a rent bond, bedding, a SIM card and transport.
Insurance is a condition of the student visa. INZ says you must have travel and health insurance from the start of your course until your visa expires, and it must meet the Code of Practice 2021 and be acceptable to your provider. PhD students are the exception.
Most universities use the Studentsafe Inbound University policy and add it to your fee invoice unless you arrange approved alternative cover. Massey, Canterbury and AUT list the individual premium as NZD 899 for a full year in 2026 and NZD 999 for 2027. Pre-existing conditions are not covered automatically. Check your own provider's price, because polytechnics and private providers may use other policies.
The NZD 20,000 INZ figure is a visa threshold, not a promise that this is all you will spend. University estimates are higher:
Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington's Money Matters 2026 guide estimates about NZD 24,000 for essential living costs and NZD 33,000 for a more generous lifestyle over a 40-week academic year. It says most single students spend between NZD 26,000 and NZD 42,900 over a full 52 weeks.
Dunedin: the University of Otago recommends NZD 22,000 to NZD 27,000 for 40 weeks, and says you will need more for a full calendar year.
Food: the Wellington guide gives weekly food examples from about NZD 90 (cooking everything at home cheaply) to NZD 130 (mostly cooking at home) and NZD 200 (eating out several times a week).
Rent is the biggest variable, so your city and your choice between a hall of residence and a shared flat make a large difference.
Consider one-year postgraduate options: fewer months of rent and only one year of tuition, if the course still meets your career goals.
Apply early for scholarships: many universities offer international merit awards or fee discounts with early deadlines. The New Zealand Government's Manaaki scholarships are open to Nepali citizens for postgraduate study, not undergraduate.
Work within the rules: most tertiary students can work up to 25 hours a week during study and full-time in scheduled holidays. Our guide to part-time work in New Zealand for Nepali students explains the limits, wages and tax. Never count on part-time income to meet the visa funds requirement.
Plan for after graduation: if you want to stay and work, budget for the New Zealand post-study work visa, which has its own fee.
Still comparing destinations? Our guide to the cost of studying in the UK for Nepali students uses the same format.
You need your first year's tuition (or one course, if shorter) paid or ready under approval in principle, plus NZD 20,000 for each year of study (or NZD 1,667 a month for courses under a year), plus money for an outward ticket.
INZ asks for bank statements with the last 3 months of transactions, and fixed deposits held for at least 3 months. Large or recent deposits must be explained.
INZ lists it as from NZD 850, made up of the application fee, the immigration levy and the IVL. Check the exact amount with INZ's fee tool.
Yes. Acceptable medical and travel insurance from the start of your course until your visa expires is a visa condition. University Studentsafe cover is NZD 899 a year for 2026 at several universities.
Not if you apply from Nepal. INZ only accepts immediate family (partner, parents, siblings, grandparents and parents-in-law) as sponsors or guarantors for South Asian applicants applying from the region.
Everest Global Education has helped Nepali students plan their study abroad since 2016. For New Zealand, we compare course fees and scholarships, calculate the tuition and living funds for your exact course, review bank statements, fixed deposits and loan letters against INZ's evidence rules, explain AIP and the Funds Transfer Scheme, and offer IELTS and PTE preparation, all checked against current INZ guidance.
Kathmandu: Putalisadak, Opposite of MIT College
Pokhara: Pushpa Ratna Bhawan, Siddharthachowk-4, Pokhara 33700
Beni: New Road, Beni Bazar, Myagdi
Dhangadhi: Boradadi Road, Dhangadhi 10900
Janakpur: Girija Path, Murli Chowk, Janakpur
Perth (Australia): 102 James St, Northbridge WA 6003, Australia
Sydney (Australia): Level 1/483 Princes Highway, Rockdale NSW 2216, Australia
Share your academic transcripts, English score, preferred course and family budget, and we will help you work out the total cost and the funds you need to show before you apply.
Submit an enquiry at https://everestglobaledu.com/enquiry and our team will contact you by phone or email.
Everest Global Education
Phone: +61 8 6157 0080
Email: info@everestglobal.com
Website: https://everestglobaledu.com/
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