International Student Refund Policy

This policy dictates the circumstances in which course fees can be refunded to International Students.

Refunds of tuition fees will only be made in accordance with the following policy:

By accepting a place in a programme at Whitireia Polytechnic, a student enters a contract with Whitireia Polytechnic for a predetermined period.

• This contract means there is an obligation to pay the fee for the length of the programme.
• Students who wish to defer their programme to the following semester must notify the Whitireia Polytechnic International Unit a minimum of two weeks before the programme starts.
• Students who receive a deferment are not subsequently entitled to apply for a refund.
• There is no automatic right to a refund of fees if a student changes his/her mind about studying at Whitireia Polytechnic.
• All applications for refunds must be on the request for a withdrawal/refund application form, obtainable from the International Unit.
• Supporting information must be submitted in writing to the International Unit.
• All refunds will be paid in NZ dollars or a nominated currency by cheque or bank draft sent to the applicant’s registered address (in country of origin); or another institution
• Applications for refunds will be considered under the following categories. Most require supporting documentation.
• If New Zealand Immigration Services refuse to grant a student an initial visa for study in New Zealand or to extend an existing visa, the student is entitled to a 95% refund of the tuition fees (5% administration charge deducted).
• If Whitireia Polytechnic is unable to proceed with the programme offered to a student, the tuition fee is refunded in full.
• If a student wishes to withdraw from their programme and leave New Zealand and notice is received by the International Unit a minimum of two weeks before their programme starts, 75% of paid tuition fees will be refunded.
• If a student wishes to withdraw from their programme and/or does not attend the start of the programme, and gives notice to the International Unit within two weeks of the programme start date (either before or after the start date), paid tuition fees less an administration fee of 50%. NO refund will be given after classes have been operating for two weeks.
• If a student wishes to transfer to another institution, notice must be received by the International Unit a minimum of two weeks before the student’s programme starts, then 75% of paid tuition fees (less an administration fee of 25%) will be paid directly to that institution. An unconditional offer of place from the other institution will be required for the refund to be arranged.
• If a student taking a semester-based programme and gains New Zealand Permanent Residency, they will not receive a refund of fees for the semester in which Permanent Residency is granted. However, in following semesters they will be treated as a New Zealand Permanent Resident and refunded any International fees paid beyond the semester in which residency was granted.
• Exceptional circumstances of a compassionate nature, as approved by Whitireia Polytechnic, may necessitate a student’s withdrawal from a programme. In these circumstances, the amount of fees refunded will be at the discretion of Whitireia Polytechnic.
• If a student has extra weeks of pre-paid English study they cannot be refunded, but can be credited to another programme at Whitireia Polytechnic.
• Exceptions: Extra weeks of English study will only be refunded if a student achieves IELTS 6.0 whilst studying at Whitireia Polytechnic. Upon achieving IELTS 6.0 the student can enrol in an undergraduate degree programme at Whitireia Polytechnic or at another New Zealand university.
• If the student transfers to a Whitireia undergraduate degree programme they will be refunded in full. If the student transfers to another university’s undergraduate degree programme they must present a letter of offer from said university to be eligible for a refund. This refund will be the remainder tuition fee, less a 30% administration fee.