Annual Maximum Fee Movement set at 6%#

The Government regulates how much tertiary providers can increase their fees for domestic students each year through the AMFM. This caps the percentage increase on fees for existing courses at Level 3 and above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).

Following consultation, the Minister confirmed that the AMFM rate will be set at 6% for the 2026 calendar year. This permits up to a 6% increase on the fees (GST exclusive) charged in 2025 to domestic students. The proposed increase aims to strike a balance between supporting providers to manage cost pressures and supporting the affordability of tertiary education for students and their whānau | families.

Micro-credential fee cap set#

The micro-credential fee cap sets a per-credit cap on the fees providers can charge domestic students enrolled in micro-credentials. Following consultation, the Minister confirmed a $64 (GST inclusive) per credit fee cap will be maintained for the 2026 calendar year.

Other fee regulation setting changes#

Some minor and technical changes to improve the clarity of the fee regulation settings have also been confirmed for 2026. This includes a change allowing registered Private Training Establishments that charge student service fees to send their required report to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) by email or by post.

Regulations from 2025 allowing providers to temporarily reduce the fees for a course across calendar years, while retaining the flexibility to subsequently return to the previous fee, will continue for 2026. This will continue to provide flexibility with the AMFM and enables new and varied pricing strategies for providers.

The full fee settings will be available in the funding mechanisms and delegation, to be published on 1 October 2025.