Tertiary study will remain fees-free for first time students in 2019, opening up opportunities for new learners to come to UCOL | Te Pūkenga.
School leavers and anyone with less than six months full-time tertiary education or training will be able to study at UCOL | Te Pūkenga fees-free for 2019.
2019 fees-free study also covers people who have less than 120 credits from short industry training courses in 2018, and secondary school students enrolled in tertiary programmes.
816 students took up fees-free study at UCOL | Te Pūkenga in 2018.
UCOL | Te Pūkenga graduate Jared Renata took up fees-free study to complete the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Support Work), and is now employed as a Field Worker for support agency MOSAIC.
Previously working as a labourer, Jared saw fees-free study as a chance to pursue a new career path without a financial risk.
“Fees-free study gave me the chance to see what I really want to do in life. It gave me a boost of confidence knowing that I didn’t have a bill hanging over me for my studies, and it took a lot of financial stress off of my family. It also got me interested in doing more study.”
UCOL | Te Pūkenga student Justin Ward (pictured above) says fees-free study has helped him learn and develop new skills without worrying about a Student Loan. Having worked a number of jobs that were overtaken by new technology, Justin enrolled in the
New Zealand Diploma in Applied Science (Level 5) as “the sciences are clamouring for lab technicians”.
“With the way industries and jobs are changing, you’ve got to upskill or be prepared to adapt.”
Learners starting study in 2019 can check if they are eligible for fees-free study at
feesfree.govt.nz.
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