Doctoral fees

You can find the estimated 2025 domestic, and 2025 and 2026 international student tuition fees for doctoral programmes in the tables below.

In addition to the tuition fees below, there is a Student Services Fee of $9.24 per point, estimated at $1,108.80 for full time study (120 points) in 2025.

*To be eligible for the domestic PhD fee, you must reside in New Zealand for the duration of your doctoral programme. However, you may undertake research activities overseas during your doctoral programme for a cumulative total of no more than 12 months.

As an international student, you are required to have health and travel insurance. See, Health and travel insurance.

If you are a new international PhD student, you will pay the same annual tuition fee as New Zealand PhD students. The 2025 PhD tuition fee is NZ$8,347.20 per annum.

In additional to the tuition fee, there is a Student Services Fee estimated at $1,108.80 for full-time study.

To be eligible for the domestic PhD fee, you must reside in New Zealand for the duration of your doctoral programme. However, you may undertake research activities overseas during your doctoral programme for a cumulative total of no more than 12 months.

Other benefits for international PhD students

• Your dependent children are classified as domestic students and can attend New Zealand’s primary and secondary schools at the same subsidised rate as New Zealand children.
• Your spouse/partner is eligible for an open work permit valid for the duration of your PhD programme.
• As a PhD student you have unlimited work rights under the terms of your student visa.
• On completion of your PhD, you can apply for a three-year post study open work visa through Immigration New Zealand, which allows you to work for any employer in New Zealand. During the period of this work visa, you may be eligible to apply for residence under the skilled migrant instructions, provided you meet the points requirement set out by Immigration New Zealand. 

Domestic

Tuition fees will be applied after you are enrolled by the School of Graduate Studies. Tuition fees are normally due at the end of the first month of enrolment.

If you are externally funded, you will normally need to generate your own statement and present this to your scholarship provider.

For more information, please see:

• Fee payment methods
• Statement, invoices, and receipts

International

As an international student, you can pay for your tuition fees using the payment information on the fees estimate you received with your offer. Please note that for online credit card payments will need to enter the amount to be paid manually.

Once payment has been made and processed, you will be able to generate a receipt of payment. Both a receipt of payment and the offer letter are required to support your visa application. If you are a scholarship recipient, you may be able to present a letter from your scholarship provider as evidence of financial support.

For more information, please see:

• Fee payment methods
• Statement, invoices, and receipts