All international students enrolled with a New Zealand education provider are covered by the New Zealand Government’s Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021. This is legislation that outlines the level of care that education providers, and their agents, must provide to international students while they live and study in New Zealand. The education system is regulated with strong quality assurance systems across the board.

What is the Code?

The Code sets out the roles and responsibilities of education providers in promoting and supporting your wellbeing, safety, and academic success.

Under the Code, your education provider should help you to be:

• Safe (physically and mentally)
• Respected and accepted for who you are
• Supported in your learning and wellbeing
• Connected with your social and cultural networks and
• Able to have a say in decisions about student services.

Learner wellbeing and Safety (PDF)

What you can expect of your education provider:

Your education provider must:

• enable you to make informed choices about your education
• support you to prepare and adjust to your studies
• provide a safe, supportive, and accessible environment for study
• ensure you can raise your concerns when you need to
• connect you quickly to appropriate support services
• have plans for helping you in an emergency – whether on campus or your student accommodation.

What can international learners expect?

Under the Code, international tertiary learners are entitled to the same kind of care and support as domestic tertiary learners.

Your education provider must acknowledge and consider that international learners have different support needs. They must seek to identify your needs and respond appropriately.

Your education provider must also ensure that:

• you are safe and well while living and studying in New Zealand
• you have a full and realistic picture of what it will be like to live and study in New Zealand
• you get reliable advice and support from your education agent
• they have good systems and documentation set up to manage your:
  • offer of study
  • enrolment process
  • contract of enrolment
  • your visa and insurance status and records.

Read about your insurance obligations

• you are clear on your likely educational outcomes, and your rights and responsibilities as an international learner before signing an enrolment contract
• you understand your rights and obligations if you withdraw from study, do not attend, or your education provider cancels a programme or closes for any reason.
• you can participate in an orientation programme and get ongoing information and support to help you settle into life and study in New Zealand.

Visit the NZQA website for full details of what’s covered in the Code (PDF)

Or visit the NZQA website for more info about the Code.

Complaints about our compliance with the Code

If you want to raise a concern or make a complaint, please go to our complaints section for  information and support on how to do this.

Study Complaints  (For financial and contractual disputes) 

If you are an international student or a domestic tertiary learner and you have an unresolved complaint (financial or contractual dispute) about a New Zealand education provider, you can contact Study Complaints.   

Students can contact the service on:

· Free phone: 0800 00 66 75

· Email: help@studycomplaints.org.nz

· Online: www.studycomplaints.org.nz