Overview#

Tertiary providers must adhere to the requirements regarding student services fees.

Student services fees are regulated differently to tuition fees. Instead of determining how much these fees can increase by each year, the Government regulates the process providers must follow to set student services fees and decide what they are spent on. This provides flexibility for providers to charge a higher fee for services that students agree are of high value. This helps to ensure that tertiary providers are accountable to their students and transparent on what services are delivered through the student services fees.

The Minister for Universities, in consultation with the Minister for Vocational Education, has proposed a minor change to the way student service fees are regulated for 2026. The proposals are being publicly consulted on through a notice in the New Zealand Gazette.  

Read more about the proposed fee regulation settings for 2026 and how to provide feedback.

Consultation opens on tertiary fee regulation settings

Requirements on student services fees#

The proposed student services fee regulations are outlined in The Tertiary Education (2026 Fee Regulation Settings) Notice 2025 in the New Zealand Gazette. 

The Tertiary Education (2026 Fee Regulation Settings) Notice 2025 – New Zealand Gazette

The current student services fee regulations state that providers charging a student services fee must:

• not charge a compulsory fee for student services to apprentices and trainees. Instead, these learners must be given the choice to opt-in to paying student services fees
• only charge a student services fee for activities within specified categories of student services, such as health and counselling services, and sporting and cultural activities
• ensure students form part of the decision-making process when setting a student services fee. This aims to ensure that providers and students work together to set student services fees and determine what services are delivered
• separately account for student services fees income and expenditure
• report on their use of the student services fee by service each year so that students and government know what services the fee is funding
• provide basic information on their websites on the amount of the student services fee and how students can be involved in decisions on the fee.

From 2026, there is a change proposed to the reporting guidelines for registered Private Training Establishments (PTEs) written reports to students. Currently the reports are posted to the Tertiary Education Commission. From 2026, PTEs will have the option of emailing a copy of the report. 

Email: [email protected]

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) monitors whether or not tertiary providers are complying with their conditions of funding, including student services fees. The TEC publishes guidance for tertiary providers on how to comply with student services fee regulations.

2025 student services fees guidance – TEC