Paying for costs while you train or study

Don't let money worries stop you from studying or training. There's help available to assist you with fees and other costs involved when you train or study.

There's help to pay for things like:

  • course or tuition fees
  • clothing, tools or books
  • transport to your course
  • childcare, or a replacement carer if you're caring for someone.

Training

Training Incentive Allowance

TIA helps take away some of the financial pressure when you study. If you plan to study longer than 12 weeks and meet some other requirements, this might be right for you.

Training Incentive Allowance

Course Participation Assistance

Get help paying for costs like enrolment fees, transport, childcare and essential items. It's for short-term training that's less than 12 weeks.

Course Participation Assistance

Up to $1,000 over 52 weeks for people getting a benefit to help with course costs like fees, equipment, and transport.

Job and Training Support funds

Help to pay for extra training costs if you're disabled or have a health condition. These can be costs like interpreters, specialist equipment, and transport.

Job and Training Support Funds

Studying

StudyLink

Find out about Student Loans, Student Allowance, and other help you can get while studying.

How to pay for study (StudyLink)external

Normal costs

While you’re training or studying you might need a little help to pay normal costs, like rent, food, power or childcare.

You can use our online ‘Check What You Might Get’ tool to check what help you can get from us for you and your whānau:

Check What You Might Getexternal

An online tool to help you check how we can help you and your family.

Paying for childcare

There's help available to pay for:

  • pre-school care
  • before and after school care
  • childcare outside of normal hours.

If you're getting payments from us

Find out what happens to your payments from us, including benefits and help with living costs, while you train or study. 

What happens to your benefit while you train or study

Childcare