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International Student Hardship Fund
Thank you for all the applications we have received.
The Fund has now been allocated and we are no longer able to accept applications.
The Government has established a $1M hardship fund for international students to address urgent, temporary needs, for example temporary inability to access cash or because of reduced part-time employment.
Criteria
We welcome applications from education providers and organisations to apply for grants of up to $20,000 (GST not to be included) to enable you to provide eligible international students with direct financial relief or other support, including food parcels and support towards living costs.
Organisations can apply for grants up to $20,000.
Applications can be made from 21 May until funding has been allocated.
Which organisations are eligible to apply to ENZ for grants?
- Education providers who are signatories to the Code of Practice
- Community groups
- Peak bodies, or
- Other organisations who currently work with international students and have the mechanisms and experience to support international students with hardship requests.
Individual students and education agents may not apply to ENZ to access the fund.
What grants are available?
- Eligible organisations may apply for grants of up to $20,000 (GST not to be included) per request to the fund.
- Grants are one-off; however, the same organisation may make additional requests after using their initial funding (subject to the availability of funding).
What can grants be used for?
The grants may be used to:
- scale up existing student hardship initiatives
- support eligible students through:
- Direct cash grants
- The purchase of resources on behalf of international students, such as food parcels, where this is appropriate.
- The maximum amount that can be applied for is up to $1,000 per international student your organisation is supporting.
- Funds may not be used for:
- Salaries or staff administration costs
- Funding for flights home
- Tuition fees
- Granting individual students support of more than $1,000 in cash or kind.
Which students are eligible for support?
- Grants can only be used to provide support to eligible students.
- An eligible student is:
- A current fee-paying international student, or enrolled as a fee-paying international student as at 23 March
- Currently in New Zealand
- In genuine, temporary hardship[1]
- Not eligible for other government financial support.
- International PhD students paying domestic fees are eligible for the government’s domestic student hardship fund and should be encouraged to seek help from that scheme in the first instance.
Table: Summary of eligible and ineligible students
Eligible students
Ineligible students
- A current fee-paying international student, or enrolled as an international student as at 23 March.
- In genuine, temporary hardship.
- International PhD students paying domestic fees.
- International students who are not currently enrolled or who were not enrolled as an international student as at 23 March.
- International students who are eligible for other government support.
How do organisations apply?
- To apply for grant funding, organisations must complete and submit an online application form to ENZ.
- Organisations will need to provide the following information:
- Their strategy and approach to identifying students in need, including outreach efforts and ensuring eligibility criteria are met
- Estimated number of international students and basic demographics (e.g. age range, sector, nationalities, region)
- Total amount requested, what it will be used for, and how it has been calculated
- The organisation’s resources to ensure appropriate distribution
- Agreement to meet reporting requirements (including publication) and to repay any underspend within 12 weeks of having been granted the funds
- Invoice and bank details for payment.
- Process – Applications are now closed.
- Assessment of applications will be completed within five working days. Approval will be notified by email, as will confirmation of distribution of funds.
- Any queries about the International Student Hardship Fund can be sent to response@enz.govt.nz or raised with Sahinde Pala, Director of Student Experience & Global Citizens at Education New Zealand.
Reporting requirements:
- Organisations will need to report to ENZ on:
- The number of students assisted, and basic demographics (e.g. age range, sector, nationalities, region of New Zealand)
- The type of assistance provided
- How much was provided.
- To demonstrate programme outcomes, and as part of its commitment to ensuring value for money from expenditure, ENZ will publish reports from participating organisations in whole or part.
Closing date
Applications can be made from 21 May, until funding has been allocated.
Further information
Frequently asked questions are available here.
Any queries or concerns about the International Student Hardship Fund can be sent to response@enz.govt.nz or raised with Sahinde Pala, Director of Student Experience & Global Citizens at Education New Zealand.
Thank you for your assistance in helping to support international students currently studying here during these unprecedented times.
[1] Organisations will have the discretion to determine what constitutes significant, temporary hardship in accordance with their existing policies and practices.
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Stronger together: TNZ and ENZ support school sector growth through agent famil
The week-long programme brought eight agents from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to Wellington, Marlborough and Canterbury.
The aim was to give agents first-hand experience of New Zealand’s short-term study offerings in schools, strengthen connections with regional education providers, and explore opportunities to develop tailored study tour programmes.
The famil was funded by TNZ, with ENZ collaborating with Schools International Education Business Association of New Zealand (SIEBA) to manage the itinerary and logistics.
ENZ Senior Market Development Manager (China), Felix Ye, and TNZ Trade Development Manager (Greater China), Sandy He, led the delegation of eight agents - providing on-the-ground support and sector insights.
In the year ended December 2024 New Zealand exported $1.29 billion of education related travel to China. This represented 35.8% of all exports of education related travel. For trade in education related travel China, People's Republic of ranked 1 of 140 for highest export value. [1] According to data from Stat NZ, 7.9k Chinese students holding visitor visas came to New Zealand for short-term programmes or study tours - the majority visiting during China’s school holidays in July. [2]
The agents visited St Mark’s School in Wellington, meeting with Erica Harrison, the Acting Principal, and her team.
The agents met with 15 schools across the three cities, including a mix of private, state-integrated, and single-sex schools. The journey began in Wellington with a warm welcome at Rāroa Normal Intermediate, where the group received a traditional mihi whakatau — a first-time experience for many.
Deputy Principal Dave Gillies said it was a great opportunity to showcase the school’s experiential learning focus.
“We’re excited about developing professional relationships with the agents and the opportunities that will grow from this visit,” he said.
Students from Chisnallwood Intermediate School perform a haka to welcome the group to the school.
In the South Island, the group explored a range of school offerings and regional initiatives.
In Blenheim, agents gained insights into the unique characteristics of state-integrated education at Richmond View School, Marlborough Boys' College, and Marlborough Girls' College.
In Methven, Mt Hutt College showcased its tailored short-term programme, featuring sustainability-focused tourism at Ōpuke Thermal Pools and hands-on alpine and agricultural experiences – a creative integration of local resources into learning.
The famil concluded in Christchurch, where SIEBA and Christchurch Educated gave overviews of the New Zealand school system and introduced how their initiatives support the growth of international education across the sector.
ENZ Regional Director of Greater China, Dr Ron Xavier, said study tours are a growing area of interest among Chinese agents.
“This famil gave a genuine sense of what New Zealand schools can offer — from cultural experiences to hands-on learning — and helped connect agents with educators who are eager to host students,” he said.
ENZ and TNZ plan to work closely with participating partners to develop new study tours across different regions for 2026, helping raise awareness of New Zealand as an education destination for Chinese students.
SIEBA Executive Director, John van der Zwan, is looking forward to experiencing the benefits of the study tour famil.
“Study tours have significant potential, we look forward to the outcomes of this famil increasing the exposure of New Zealand’s regional schools in the China market,” he said.
Paddling a waka on the Avon River. Beyond education, the famil also highlighted New Zealand’s unique culture and natural beauty. From visiting Te Papa and Wētā Workshop to paddling a waka on the Avon River in Ōtautahi Christchurch, agents experienced the blend of tradition and innovation that makes New Zealand a compelling destination.
[1] Tourism data | Corporate and Stats NZ
[2] https://tourismnewzealand.com/insights/tourism-data/
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The rise of services in our economy
Mr Holborow was commenting on a summary report prepared by MFAT of New Zealand’s goods and services trade for the year ended March 2017.
Over the last two years, New Zealand's total exports were up 5.2 per cent ($3.2 billion) – above the global average. But the real star was the services sector which grew 18 per cent ($3.4 billion), more than off-setting a $221 million (-0.5%) decline in goods exports over that period.
“The decline in the value of goods exports can be largely attributed to the declining value of dairy exports (down $1.3 billion from 2015),” the report says.
“Tourism and education travel services have more than compensated for this decline, bringing in an additional $1.8 billion and $916 million respectively over the past two years.
“Growth in the value of other goods exports, namely fruit and logs, also partially counteracted this decline.”
The report noted that New Zealand’s dairy exports have also “recovered somewhat” over the past (March ended) year, increasing for the first time since their peak in 2014.
Mr Holborow said in the face of the soft goods story, the “current glamour kids on the block in the services sector” should be acknowledged.
“The overall goods and services growth [New Zealand] achieved of 5% growth is driven off an 18% increase in services exports over the last two years (up $3.4 billion). This services growth is beginning to emerge as a trend.
“In the last 5 years our services exports, as a percentage of total exports, have increased from 26% to 31%. Today tourism accounts for 13% of our total exports, commercials services 7%, education 5%, air transport 3% and 'other' is 3%.”
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Around the world in five
GLOBAL
Survey highlights growing “engagement gap” between international student expectations and institutional response
One in three prospective students say they abandoned an application to a university because of communication issues. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, institutions must quickly and meaningfully engage with students across a widening field of channels.
ASIA
Why Asian universities can no longer overlook trade deals
As trade negotiations increasingly shift away from goods and tariffs to encompass talent mobility, ecosystems of innovation and skills creation, universities are quietly finding themselves at the nexus of economic policy and labour change.
GLOBAL
How business schools can produce globally minded graduates
Make internationalisation a core part of the student experience, rather than an optional extra, by embedding it into the curriculum.
CHINA
China seniors pursue overseas education after retirement to realise unfulfilled dreams
Increasing demand from retirees leaves country facing challenge of finding ‘deeper’ learning strategies, not just ‘hobby’ courses.
GLOBAL
The greatest risk of AI in higher education isn't cheating - it's the erosion of learning itself
Public debate about artificial intelligence in higher education has largely orbited a familiar worry: cheating. But focusing so much on cheating misses the larger transformation already underway, one that extends far beyond student misconduct and even the classroom.
- ENZ Aus 2
