Fees Free is a New Zealand Government initiative designed to reduce the financial barrier to formal education by supporting first-time tertiary learners. The scheme now focuses on funding the final year of eligible tertiary study or the final two years of work-based learning, with funding capped at up to $12,000.
What changed from 2025?
Fees Free for the first year of study or work-based learning ended on 31 December 2024.
From 1 January 2025, the programme shifted to a “Fees Free for the final year” model. This means learners now receive support after completing their qualification or programme, rather than upfront.
To view official details, please refer to Fees Free – Inland Revenue.
Who is Eligible?
Learners may be eligible if they:
Meet residency and eligibility requirements
Are completing their first recognised qualification or programme
Have not previously received Fees Free funding or equivalent payments
Meeting basic criteria does not automatically guarantee eligibility. See ird.govt.nz for more details.
How to record Learner Fees for FeesFree?
- Navigate to LRM > Learners > Selected Learner > Learner Profile > Learner Fees
- Select Add Learner Fee
- Fee Date: Enter the fee date
- Fee Name: Enter the appropriate Fee Name (e.g. Material Fees)
- Fee Description: Enter the appropriate Fee Description (e.g. Equipment and Uniform Fees)
- Fee Category: Choose the appropriate Fee Category (e.g. Compulsory Course Costs Fee)
- Amount: Enter the appropriate amount
- For Reporting: Toggle ON if you want to include this fee in SDR exports
- Click Save
Fees Free Field Mapping
| SDR Field | Wisenet Field | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRD Number | IRD | Reported from the Learner > Personal Details | |
| Secondary School Programme Indicator | Still at School? | Reported from the Learner > Demographics | |
| Actual Course Fee | Unit Fees | Reported from the Selected Unit Enrolment > Detail > Unit Fees | |
| Qualification Completion Date | Actual End Date (If reporting from the course enrolment) | Reported from the Selected Course Enrolment > Timeline > Actual End Date | |
| Qualification Completion Date (If reporting from the qualification) | Reported from the Selected Qualification Enrolment > Completion Date | ||
| Linked Qualification Code for Fees Free | Not Supported | Not Supported | |
| Total Fee for Domestic Student | Now referring to the new Learner Fees filtered by SDR reporting year and For Reporting | Learner > Selected Learner > Learner Fees. Learn about Fees Free |
How the Reported Total Is Calculated?
Wisenet will calculate the final Total Fee for Domestic Student by combining:
- Automatically calculated invoice totals (if using Finance), and
- Manually reported fees entered in Learner Fees (where fee date YEAR is equal to SDR reporting year)
This combined value will be used in SDR exports.
How is Fees Free data reported?
Fees Free reporting is managed through national data collection channels and is not optional. Accurate, timely reporting is critical to funding integrity and regulatory compliance.
Fees Free data is reported through:
Single Data Return (SDR)
Provider-based enrolment and achievement data must be submitted through the Single Data Return (SDR). This is the primary source used to determine learner eligibility and validate study activity against Fees Free criteria. Providers are responsible for ensuring data accuracy, correct field population, and alignment with published data specifications.
Learn more Single Data Return (SDR)
Work-based data collection (DXP Ngā Kete)
Work-based learning data is reported via DXP Ngā Kete. This channel captures training agreement, programme, and progress data for industry and employer-based training. This data directly informs eligibility and payment decisions under the Fees Free framework.
Learn more Work Based Reporting (WBR)