TTAF will cover fees for eligible programmes until 31 December 2022. No fees for enrolments starting after 31 December 2022 will be covered by TTAF. We have established rules for study and training that starts before 31 December 2022 and continues into 2023. Therefore, you may be charged some fees by your provider if your programme or courses end after 31 December 2022. However, TTAF will pay the full fees where:

1. The course ends on or before 31/1/23; or
2. The amount payable by the learner is calculated to be a $10 or less

You can find more information about fees that cover periods beyond this date in the TTAF End Date Rules 2022 section of our website. 

If you withdraw from a TTAF approved programme within the refund period, there is no effect on your future study.

If you withdraw from a TTAF approved programme after the withdrawal cut-off date, you can undertake other TTAF opportunities or retake the qualification you withdrew from.

If you fail a TTAF approved course/programme you don’t have to pay for it. You can retake that failed course/programme under TTAF or choose another TTAF approved programme to study.

You can see the list of eligible programmes and qualifications here.

Study includes targeted certificates, diplomas and micro-credentials at levels 3-7, targeted industry training, and all apprenticeships. 

Study in the following areas is covered by TTAF: 

• All apprenticeships (registered qualifications as at 1 June 2020) 
• Level 3-7 sub-degree programmes in targeted areas delivered by tertiary providers 
• Industry training, outside of apprenticeships, in targeted areas. 

The targeted areas are: 

• Primary industries, including agriculture, horticulture and viticulture, fisheries and forestry; 
• Construction, including building, plumbing, and civil engineering; 
• Community support, including youth work, care for elderly, care for people with disabilities, counselling (e.g. mental health and addiction support), interventions in family violence, and community health 
• Manufacturing and mechanical engineering and technology; 
• Electrical engineering; and 
• Road transport (vehicle operations only). 

The expanded target area list from January 2021, comprises of the target areas in the above list and now also includes the following:

• Conservation, including freshwater management, biodiversity and biosecurity training needs that support the Jobs for Nature initiative;
• Information technology, including cybersecurity, technical support and web development; and
• Expanded scope within community support, to specifically include enrolled nursing and cleaning (within community health), and programmes that train teacher aides and people learning to teach New Zealand Sign Language to others (within support for people with disabilities).

Please note that ‘information technology’ refers to: The information technology target area relates to people training towards information technology roles and professional skills.  Accordingly, the programmes eligible to be funded under the TTAF do not include qualifications or programmes to build personal computing or digital literacy skills as a user of technology, or general business administration skills.

All domestic students eligible for government tuition subsidies are eligible to access TTAF.   

For provider-based study, this includes all New Zealand citizens or residence visa holders studying in New Zealand.   

For industry training at a workplace, anyone legally entitled to work in New Zealand can access TTAF.  

This means that people of all ages, regardless of their prior study, can access study or training opportunities through TTAF without having to pay fees.   

Learners who need help determining their residency status can contact Immigration New Zealand through its contact centre on 0508 558 855. 

TTAF will cover fees from 1 July 2020* until 31 December 2022. 

*If you are enrolled at a Te Pūkenga subsidiary, Wānanga, Private Training Establishment or University, specific rules apply for courses that started before 1 July 2020 and continue after.

If you are enrolled with a Transitional Industry Training Organisation the proportion of study that occurs after 1 July 2020 will be covered; some fees relating to training during this period that were paid before 1 July 2019 may not be covered.

The diagram below explains which fees are covered:

Which fees are covered? Start date diagram for learners (PDF, 168 KB) (PDF, 168 Kb)

Contact tertiary education providers to find out about enrolment options in areas that interest you. 

Tertiary provider’s websites have information on what is delivered in your area and any other requirements for enrolling. Also information about courses and careers options is available on the careers website.   

If you are an employer with queries related to apprenticeships or other industry training for your staff, then contact the industry training organisation for your industry.

Learners do not need to apply to access TTAF funding. If you are enrolled in an eligible programme, then TTAF will automatically cover your fee costs. Your provider or training organisation will no longer require you to pay these fees. 

For those studying eligible programmes at tertiary providers, TTAF will cover: 

• tuition fees 
• compulsory course costs, and  
• compulsory student services fees. 

For those within industry training (including apprenticeships), TTAF will cover fees for training and assessment. 

Government agencies will work with Tertiary Education Organisations that have already received the fee payments for study or training that will now be covered by TTAF. This will include putting in place arrangements for fee-refunds or student loan reversals, if you have already borrowed fees through the student loan scheme. It may take time for the refunds to be made or student loan borrowing to be adjusted.  

If your fees were met through first-year’ Fees Free policy, for payments related to study or training that started after 1 July 2020, then your Fees Free entitlement will no longer be used. You do not need to apply to have your ‘first-year’ Fees Free record updated to make this adjustment. An administrative process will make the necessary amendments, and you will be able to access your remaining Fees Free entitlement on future study or training not covered by TTAF. It may take some time for your Fees Free record to show as updated.   

Yes. You can access TTAF regardless of prior study you have done, including any study undertaken through the existing Fees Free funding.    

Yes. If you access eligible programmes starting from 1 July 2020 for free through TTAF, this does not impact on, or use up, your entitlement to the existing Fees Free funding.

Yes. TTAF does not require study or training to be completed on a full-time basis.

This depends on the duration of your training, and in what area it is in, as these influence the cost of study that fees contribute to. Apprentices and learners within tertiary providers will save typically between $2,500 and $6,500 for training over a year.  

No, fees related to the recognition of prior learning are not covered under TTAF.

This means you may be charged fees for having your prior learning assessed by a transitional Industry Training Organisation or a registered assessor.

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is also known as recognition of current competency (RCC) and assessment of prior learning (APL). Neither RPL, RCC, nor APL are covered under TTAF, which only funds the formal teaching and learning activities that lead to qualifications.

We suggest you ask your provider or transitional Industry Training Organisation to make it clear which fees are covered by the government under this fund, and which fees you may have to pay.