Fees for international students
Find out how much you’ll pay in tuition fees if you’re an international student.
Your tuition fees depend on the courses you’ve chosen. Your fees for the year are the sum of the fees for each individual course you have enrolled in. We calculate the fee for each individual course based on:
- the level it is taught at (undergraduate or postgraduate), and
- the per point cost of the subject area, and
- the point value of the course (typically 15 or 20 points).
The following programmes are charged at a flat point rate instead of course rate for international students: Study Abroad, Master of Conservation Biology, Master of Marine Conservation, Master of International Trade.
As well as tuition fees, you’ll also need to pay some other costs and levies.
Estimate your fees
We will calculate the final amount for your fees when we accept your enrolment application, but you can estimate the cost of your studies.
- Find the webpage for your qualification—it shows the average cost of a year’s full-time study (select the international option at the top of the page to see the appropriate fees and information).
- Use the course finder to locate course outline pages—each outline shows the domestic and international fees for that course.
- Use the cost per point in the tables below combined with the point value of your chosen courses to estimate your fees.
- Use the fees estimator tool—you can select your courses to get an estimate of the cost of your programme of study.
Renewing your student visa
As well as re-enrolling and paying your fees, you need to reapply for your student visa for each new academic year. You’ll need to be able to prove to Immigration New Zealand that you have paid your tuition fees.
If you think it may be difficult to pay your tuition fees in time to renew your student visa, contact the Student Fees Advisors, email student-finance@vuw.ac.nz.
Find more information on renewing your visa as an enrolled student.
Other costs and levies
The Student Services Levy and the Student Assistance Levy are compulsory fees for all students. They fund services for students that are not covered by tuition fees and assist students suffering exceptional financial hardship.
From 2024, these levies will be renamed the Student Services Fee and the Student Hardship Fee, respectively.
Some courses have additional costs for items such as study materials, equipment, or field trips. These additional costs are typically described in the online course outline—use the course finder to look up individual courses.
The University may charge you a fee to cover the cost of administrative tasks such as replacing your student ID card, processing a refund of credit, or processing a late payment.
As an international student, you must have approved medical and travel insurance, as well as a valid visa. Your visa and insurance will need to be renewed annually.
International tuition fees for 2024
For each subject area, the following tables show the cost per point and the average tuition fee for a year’s full-time study. All costs include GST.
| Undergraduate-level study | Cost per point, including GST ($) | Cost of average year of full-time study (120 points), including GST ($) |
|---|---|---|
Humanities and Social Sciences | 264.76 | 31,711.20 |
Education | 264.76 | 31,711.20 |
Music | 317.00 | 38,040.00 |
Health and Midwifery | 279.79 | 33,574.80 |
Commerce | 281.11 | 33,733.20 |
Law | 318.50 | 38,220.00 |
Science | 302.97 | 36,356.40 |
Design | 319.71 | 38,365.20 |
Architecture | 332.96 | 39,955.20 |
Engineering | 347.79 | 41,734.80 |
| Postgraduate (most courses) | Cost per point, including GST ($) | Cost of average year of full-time study (120 points), including GST ($) |
|---|---|---|
Humanities and Social Sciences | 289.54 | 34,744.80 |
Education | 289.54 | 34,744.80 |
Music | 341.65 | 40,988.00 |
Commerce | 296.09 | 35,530.80 |
Law | 336.65 | 40,398.00 |
Science | 350.17 | 42,020.40 |
Design | 358.31 | 42,997.20 |
Architecture | 372.98 | 44,757.60 |
Engineering | 377.29 | 45,274.80 |
Health, Nursing and Midwifery | 283.43 | 34,011.60 |
For most postgraduate courses, including Honours and Master’s degree thesis courses, the costs are as above. International students pay domestic student fees for PhD study if they are studying from New Zealand—find out more about doing a PhD.
Tuition fees for Professional Master’s programmes, such as the Executive MBA, are set individually. Find out more about our Master’s programmes.
International tuition fees for 2023
For each subject area, the following tables show the cost per point and the average tuition fee for a year’s full-time study. All costs include GST.
| Undergraduate-level study | Cost per point, including GST ($) | Cost of average year of full-time study (120 points), including GST ($) |
|---|---|---|
Humanities and Social Sciences | 254.58 | 30,549.60 |
Education | 254.58 | 30,549.60 |
Music | 304.81 | 36,577.20 |
Health and Midwifery | 269.03 | 32,283.60 |
Commerce | 270.30 | 32,436.00 |
Law | 306.25 | 36,750.00 |
Science | 291.32 | 34,958.40 |
Design | 307.42 | 36,890.40 |
Architecture | 320.16 | 38,419.20 |
Engineering | 331.23 | 39,747.60 |
| Postgraduate (most courses) | Cost per point, including GST ($) | Cost of average year of full-time study (120 points), including GST ($) |
|---|---|---|
Humanities and Social Sciences | 278.41 | 33,409.20 |
Education | 278.41 | 33,409.20 |
Music | 328.51 | 39,421.20 |
Commerce | 284.71 | 34,165.20 |
Law | 323.71 | 38,845.20 |
Science | 336.71 | 40,405.20 |
Design | 344.53 | 41,343.60 |
Architecture | 358.64 | 43,036.80 |
Engineering | 355.94 | 42,712.80 |
Health, Nursing and Midwifery | 272.53 | 32,703.60 |
For most postgraduate courses, including Honours and Master’s degree thesis courses, the costs are as above. International students pay domestic student fees for PhD study if they are studying from New Zealand—find out more about doing a PhD.
Tuition fees for Professional Master’s programmes, such as the Executive MBA, are set individually. Find out more about our Master’s programmes.
Money matters guide
Our Money Matters publication is a ‘financial survival’ guide for international students. It’s designed to help you plan for the costs of studying and manage your money as well as possible.