Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 21 May 2025
Last updated 21 May 2025

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This page sets out the prior study and training criteria for final-year Fees Free learner eligibility.
This page sets out the prior study and training criteria for final-year Fees Free learner eligibility.

On this page: 

Prior study and training eligibility will depend on:

if the learner has completed any other qualifications or programmes on or after 1 January 2025, and
if the learner has undertaken any study or training before 2025.

Fees Free is for the first qualification or programme a learner completes
Fees Free is to be used for the first qualification or programme a learner completes on or after 1 January 2025.
In most circumstances, learners will not be able to claim Fees Free for a qualification or programme that is not the first qualification or programme they have completed on or after 1 January 2025.
If a learner has completed any overseas tertiary qualification or programme at any level or any duration, on or after 1 January 2025, they are not eligible for Fees Free.
Learners will not be able to claim Fees Free if they have completed one or more qualifications or programmes that were:

completed on or after 1 January 2025, and
completed before they completed the qualification or programme they are seeking Fees Free for, and
at Level 3 or above on the NZQCF, and were

provider-based study equal to or greater than 0.5 equivalent full-time student (EFTS) units, or
work-based learning made up of at least 120 credits.

Exceptions
The following New Zealand qualifications will not affect a learner’s eligibility even if it was completed first:

school learning programmes and secondary tertiary programmes
certificates of proficiency
pathway qualifications
zero fee qualifications
qualifications funded through the Youth Guarantee (YG) Fund, Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT), or the Refugee English Funds. 

Any study or training undertaken on or after 1 January 2025 that a learner does not complete will not impact their eligibility for Fees Free.
Learners starting study or training for the first time on or after 1 January 2025
Learners can get Fees Free if they are starting study for the first time on or after 1 January 2025 and they meet the other residency and prior study criteria.
Learners are not considered to be starting study for the first time if they have undertaken any study or training before 1 January 2025. This includes study or training that:

was undertaken overseas
wasn’t funded by the Tertiary Education Commission
not completed, or was withdrawn from, outside the refund period
received a fail grade for
had no fees
was paid for by the learner or by a student loan (whether the loan is now repaid or not)
was part of workplace training or an apprenticeship
you undertaken while enrolled in secondary education as an adult learner.

Learners who have undertaken study or training before 1 January 2025
Learners will not be eligible for Fees Free if they have undertaken study or training before 1 January 2025 that is:

more than half a year of equivalent full-time tertiary education (0.5 EFTS or 60 credits), and
at Level 3 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF), and
any tertiary education at an equivalent level and duration undertaken in any country prior to 1 January 2025.

The following do not count as prior study or training undertaken before 1 January 2025:

any tertiary education undertaken while enrolled in secondary school
any credits achieved as part of an industry training programme of fewer than 120 credits that were reported on after 1 January 2018
any zero fee courses undertaken from 1 January 2023
any tertiary study or training that was funded through the Youth Guarantee, Māori and Pasifika Trades Training or Refugee English Funds
any study or training undertaken from 1 January 2025.

Targeted Training Apprenticeship Fund (TTAF)-funded programmes are included when assessing a learner’s prior study.
Definition of “undertaken”
If a learner has “undertaken” study or training, it means they have previously enrolled in tertiary education. For the purposes of Fees Free eligibility, this includes any tertiary education before 2025 that:

was undertaken in New Zealand and/or overseas
was not funded by the TEC
was part-time or full-time study or training
was workplace training or an apprenticeship
was New Zealand study or training that pre-dated the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) or New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF)
was not completed, including where a learner withdrew after the refund period
received a fail grade
was undertaken as a domestic or international student
before 2023 had no fees associated with it
was paid for by the learner accessing a student loan, using a scholarship, or paying for it themself.

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 21 May 2025
Last updated 21 May 2025

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This page sets out the learner eligibility criteria for the final-year Fees Free policy.
This page sets out the learner eligibility criteria for the final-year Fees Free policy.

From 2025, to get Fees Free for the final year of study or training, learners must:

complete a qualification or a programme that’s eligible for Fees Free, and
meet the residency criteria at the time they complete, and
meet the prior study and training criteria, and
not have already used Fees Free.

Learners who have used first-year Fees Free are not eligible for final-year Fees Free, even if they did not use their full first-year entitlement.
For more information, see:

Learner eligibility FAQs
Are there any age requirements for Fees Free?
There are no age requirements or restrictions for final-year Fees Free.
Are learners studying part-time eligible for Fees Free?
Learners eligible for Fees Free can study either part-time or full-time. However, Fees Free will not cover fees for study or training undertaken more than 5 years before the qualification or programme completion date.
Does a learner have to have a student loan to be eligible for Fees Free?
No. A learner with or without a student loan who meets the eligibility criteria will be eligible for final-year Fees Free.
If a learner defers or fails courses during their study, or takes longer than usual to complete a qualification, can they still get Fees Free?
There is no time limit within which a learner must start and complete a qualification or programme to be eligible for Fees Free. However, on completion, Fees Free will only cover the final 1 EFTS / 24 months / $12,000 used within the last 5 years. Fees Free will not cover fees for study or training towards the learner’s final year that was undertaken more than 5 years before completion.

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 17 February 2025
Last updated 17 February 2025

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This page provides information about transition to DXP Ngā Kete and changes to data requirements for Gateway-funded schools.
This page provides information about transition to DXP Ngā Kete and changes to data requirements for Gateway-funded schools.

What is DXP Ngā Kete?
The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has a major initiative under way to create a new and sustainable solution for collecting, managing and reporting data that supports investment decisions.
The new portal (DXP Ngā Kete) will replace Workspace 2 on 1 October 2024. You will be able to use it to:

access and submit Gateway data submissions
view and upload documents.

What are the main changes?
The main changes you will see are:

a new portal (DXP Ngā Kete) with a modernised look and feel
an online data-entry option (to simplify data entry for smaller Gateway data submissions)
a file upload process similar to the existing process on Workspace 2 but uses a CSV file format. Options are:

the new ‘Gateway-Actuals-template.csv’ in the portal, or
the ‘Gateway Actuals alternative template’ below (using WS2 columns).

Gateway Actuals alternative template (CSV 445 bytes)
There are also some changes to data requirements for Gateway Actuals:

‘Employer NZBN’ added – optional
‘Comments field’ removed
gender now aligned with the Stats NZ data standard.

Table of changes

Date
Version
Explanation of the change

21 September 2024
v0.3
Corrected field name for National Student Number

10 September 2024
v0.2
Removed Name ID code field added in version 0.1

For more information, see Data Requirements for Gateway Actuals 2024.
Data Requirements for Gateway Actuals 2024 v0.3 (DOCX 216 KB)
Reference data
The reference data lists values for specific fields referred to in the data requirements. Reference data aligns to the Stats NZ definitions (where possible).
For more information, see Reference Data for Gateway Actuals 2024.
Reference data for Other Fund Actuals v1.0 (XLSX 70 KB)
How do I access DXP Ngā Kete?
You don’t need to do anything to transition to DXP Ngā Kete. The Ministry of Education will add the DXP Ngā Kete roles to existing Education Sector Login (ESL) user profiles on 26 September 2024.
Going forward, you can request a DXP Ngā Kete role through the normal ESL processes.
For more information on DXP Ngā Kete roles, see DXP Ngā Kete access and roles – Data System Refresh.
For more information on how to login to DXP Ngā Kete, see Accessing DXP Ngā Kete user guide. 
When do I start using DXP Ngā Kete?
You start using DXP Ngā Kete from 1 October 2024. 
Gateway Actuals and Gateway Standard Actuals templates will be provisioned onto DXP Ngā Kete in the week starting 21 October 2024.
For now, continue using:

Ngā Kete (not DXP Ngā Kete) to access TEC Information Products/Qlik Reports, including My Gateway Provision: Data quality issues sheet
Workspace 2 to view historical returns and documents (until early 2025).

Learn more about DXP Ngā Kete
You are welcome to attend these online events to learn more about DXP Ngā Kete.

Helpful resources
The following resources are available in DXP Ngā Kete user guides:

User Guide: Gateway data submission – step-by-step instructions on how to submit your Gateway data submission (coming soon)
User Guide: Documents – step-by-step instructions on how to view, add/upload, edit and delete documents in DXP Ngā Kete
Gateway Handbook (PDF 786 KB)

Data System Refresh programme
For more information, see Data System Refresh (DSR) programme.
Need help?
Our Customer Contact Group (CCG) is your first point of contact as you begin to use DXP Ngā Kete. If you have any questions, please call 0800 601 301 or email customerservice@tec.govt.nz.

Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 12 November 2024
Last updated 12 November 2024

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This page contains information about the data requirements for Other Fund Actuals data submission from 1 October 2024.
This page contains information about the data requirements for Other Fund Actuals data submission from 1 October 2024.

Other Fund Actuals data submissions transition to DXP Ngā Kete on 1 October 2024, in time for submissions relating to the year to 30 September 2024.
Table of changes to Other Fund Actuals data requirements

Date

Version

Explanation of the Change

25 September 2024

V0.3

Corrected field name for National Student Number

11 September 2024

V0.2

Removed ‘Name ID code’ field previously added in V0.1

24 August 2024

V0.1

Added ‘Name ID code’ field for some templates
Updated some ‘field names’
Removal of fields no longer required
Added validation rules for some templates
Added a check for duplicate rows
CSV template format replaces Excel workbook

Data requirements – Other Fund Actuals
These documents detail the data that the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) needs when you submit Other Fund Actuals on DXP Ngā Kete from 1 October 2024. They include any new or changed fields and an explanation of the new validation rules (if applicable).
Data Requirements for all Other Fund Actuals v0.3 (DOCX 259 KB)
Examples of required templates
Please note: Some macrons do not display correctly in the .csv template but the data uploads correctly in DXP Ngā Kete.

Schedule of what is changing
This document lists the current (pre-1 October 2024) data requirements and a description of the changes required for 1 October 2024.
Data Requirements for Other Fund Actuals: schedule of changes v0.3 (DOCX 254 KB) 
Reference Data
The reference data lists values for specific fields referred to in the Data Requirements. Reference data is aligned to the Stats NZ definitions (where possible). 
Reference data for Other Fund Actuals v1.0 (XLSX 70 KB)
Helpful resources
View a recording of these online events to learn more about DXP Ngā Kete:

The following resources are available in DXP Ngā Kete user guides:

User Guide: Other Fund Actuals data submission – step-by-step instructions on how to submit your Other Fund Actuals data submission.
User Guide: Documents – step-by-step instructions on how to view, add/upload, edit and delete documents in DXP Ngā Kete. 

Data System Refresh programme
For more information, see Data System Refresh (DSR) programme.
Need help?
Our Customer Contact Group (CCG) is your first point of contact as you begin to use DXP Ngā Kete. If you have any questions, please call 0800 601 301 or email customerservice@tec.govt.nz.

Source: PHARMAC

Pharmac is consulting on a proposal to fund more medicines for melanoma, a type of skin cancer, from 1 June 2025. The medicines are:

• pembrolizumab (branded as Keytruda) for stage 3B or more advanced melanoma that can be removed by surgery
• dabrafenib (branded as Tafinlar) and trametinib (branded as Mekinist) for melanoma with a BRAF mutation that:
  • is stage 3B or more advanced and can be removed by surgery
  • has spread around the body or can’t be removed by surgery

Pharmac’s Director Pharmaceuticals, Geraldine MacGibbon, says funding these medicines would provide more treatment options to use around the time of surgery, or if people’s cancer is at a later stage and they can’t have surgery.

“These medicines would help prevent people’s cancer from spreading or coming back, which may help people live longer.”

Pembrolizumab is an immunotherapy, a targeted cancer treatment that helps the body’s immune system fight cancer cells. The medicines dabrafenib with trametinib are used together to create a stronger response to the cancer. They are taken orally which means people will be able to take them at home rather than travelling to a health clinic or hospital for treatment.

Pharmac estimates that about 260 people with melanoma would access these medicines in the first year of funding.

“We think these medicines will make a real difference for people, and we’re keen to hear what people think of our proposal before we make a decision,” says MacGibbon.

Consultation on Pharmac’s funding proposal for these medicines is now open and will close on Friday 4 April.

The Government provided additional funding to Pharmac in June 2024 to fund new medicines and widen access to medicines that are already funded. Since receiving the additional funding, Pharmac has funded 50 medicines for different health conditions (including the medicines in this announcement) and is currently considering 11 more.

Source: PHARMAC

Pharmac’s Board has begun the search for a new Chief Executive, advertising in New Zealand and overseas.

Board Chair Paula Bennett says the Board is looking for a mix of strategic and operational leadership to help Pharmac become a more outward-focused, empathetic organisation.

While recruitment is underway, Bennett says the Board has appointed experienced public sector leader Brendan Boyle as Pharmac’s Acting Chief Executive. He will start at Pharmac on Monday 31 March, for a period of up to six months. He takes over from Sarah Fitt, whose last day in the Pharmac office is 28 March.

Brendan Boyle has previously been the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development, Department of Internal Affairs, and Land Information New Zealand. He has also held roles within the health sector, including as a Board member of the Capital & Coast District Health Board.

“Pharmac has a big work programme ahead and Brendan’s wealth of experience delivering what New Zealanders need will lay the foundations of the reset for when the permanent Chief Executive is appointed,” says Bennett.

Source: PHARMAC

Funding nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab for eligible people with kidney cancer

We expect about 110 people with metastatic kidney cancer will benefit in the first year of funding.

Both nivolumab and ipilimumab are immune checkpoint inhibitors. They work by helping the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. The medicines are given to people in hospital. People would start on both medicines, then after a few cycles with ipilimumab, would continue on nivolumab only until the cancer gets worse or the treatment cannot be continued for other clinical reasons, like toxicity or disease progression.

From 1 November, we funded nivolumab for kidney cancer as a second treatment, however now it will be available as a first treatment option. People would be able to access other medicines like lenvatinib with everolimus, or axitinib or sunitinib at other points in their treatment.

Widening access to sunitinib for eligible people with kidney cancer that has spread

Sunitinib is currently funded for people with kidney cancer who have an intermediate or poor prognosis. After its inclusion in the 2023/24 Annual Tender, in July 2024 we consulted on widening access for people with kidney cancer who have a good prognosis, and now we are considering widening access further so it can be used at any point of treatment for more people. We are proposing this because of the changes made and proposed for the treatment options for kidney cancer.

Sunitinib is a type of medicine called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors impact the metabolic processes involved with the development of cancer. They slow down the progression of some cancers and may help people live longer.

Funding axitinib for eligible people with kidney cancer

We expect about 35 people with metastatic kidney cancer will benefit in the first year of funding. It would be funded when their condition has gotten worse after using a different treatment (second line).

When we consulted on funding axitinib we expected 10 people to benefit in the first year of funding. This has changed because we are moving the funding of nivolumab from second line to first line (with ipilimumab).

Axitinib is an oral tablet taken daily to stop the growth and spread of cancer cells.

Funding inotuzumab ozogamicin for eligible people with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

We expect about 15 people will benefit in the first year of funding. 

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia / lymphoma (ALL) is an aggressive form of ALL where there are too many white blood cells in the bone marrow and blood, which build up and prevent the growth of normal blood cells. 

Inotuzumab ozogamicin will be funded for people with B-cell ALL that has come back after, or has not responded to, initial treatment. This includes people with only a small amount of cancer left after initial treatment. Inotuzumab ozogamicin would be funded for all eligible people regardless of their transplant status. 

Inotuzumab ozogamicin is a targeted cancer medicine given in hospital. It is a combination medicine made up of inotuzumab, which identifies which cells to destroy, and ozogamicin, which then destroys the cancer cells to prevent the cancer developing further. The medicine improves the chance of having a curative stem cell transplant. 

Current access to blinatumomab through our Exceptional Circumstances framework for the small group of people with B-cell ALL and measurable residual disease seeking treatment as a bridge to transplant will remain unchanged as a result of this decision. 

Funding crizotinib for eligible people with non-small cell lung cancer 

We expect about 20 people will benefit in the first year of funding.

Crizotinib will be funded for people with the most common type of lung cancer, called non-small cell lung cancer, who have a mutation in their ROS-1 gene. It would provide substantial benefit for this group of people compared to currently available treatment options.

It is an oral capsule that is taken daily to stop the growth of cancer cells. It will provide a targeted treatment option for people to take at home, compared to current treatment with chemotherapy in hospital.

We fund immune checkpoint inhibitors (pembrolizumab and atezolizumab) for this group of people but have received advice these medicines have limited effectiveness for people with this mutation. 

Funding ceftazidime with avibactam for eligible people with antibiotic resistant infections

We expect about 30 people to benefit in the first year of funding, increasing to about 60 people each year over the next 5 years.

Ceftazidime with avibactam for people with these resistant infections would improve health outcomes and reduce the risk of kidney failure. Ceftazidime with avibactam is currently used in some Health New Zealand hospitals and accessed through Pharmac’s Named Patient Pharmaceutical Assessment (NPPA) process. The proposal ensures that eligible people will be able to receive funded treatment. 

We expect that funding ceftazidime with avibactam would improve health outcomes for people with these infections and reduce length of hospital stays. It is given in hospital, every 8 hours for a number of days in a row but will reduce the length of time people stay receiving treatment.

Price reduction and brand change for palbociclib

Palbociclib is a medicine for people with advanced breast cancer that is HR-positive, HER2-negative since 2020. About 550 people use this medicine each year.

The Ibrance brand of palbociclib is currently supplied by Pfizer, and we are changing the brand to Palbociclib Pfizer, which is also supplied by Pfizer. There is a reduction in price for palbociclib.

Palbociclib Pfizer is made by the same supplier, has been approved by Medsafe, is manufactured at the same site, to the same specifications, and is packaged similarly, to Ibrance. It is a type of medicine called a CDK4/6 inhibitor, which slows down the progression of cancer.

The new brand of palbociclib, Palbociclib Pfizer, will be funded from 1 July 2025. All people receiving palbociclib would need to transition from Ibrance to Palbociclib Pfizer within a five-month period. From 1 December 2025 the Ibrance brand would be delisted from the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

From 1 July 2024, we funded another CDK4/6 inhibitor, called ribociclib for this group.

Source: PHARMAC

Pharmac has decided to fund a new progestogen-only oral contraceptive pill called desogestrel (branded as Cerazette).

Melissa Copland, Pharmac’s Clinical Lead–Medicines Management, says desogestrel will be funded for anyone who needs it from 1 April 2025.

“Desogestrel is a progestogen-only contraceptive pill. It helps prevents pregnancy when taken within a 12-hour window each day, which is a wider window than other funded progestogen-only pills, which is three hours.

“We expect that over 43,000 New Zealanders will benefit from access to this contraceptive in the first year of funding. It will be funded without restrictions, which means it can be prescribed for any relevant use.”

Copland thanked everyone who provided feedback during Pharmac’s public consultation on desogestrel.

“We received a huge amount of positive feedback from people who would benefit from Pharmac’s decision to fund desogestrel.

“They shared with us their personal stories about how this funding decision would improve their health, and in many cases, benefit their lives.

“Many people were also happy that they will have more options for contraceptives. This was particularly important for people who couldn’t take other contraceptives because of side effects or existing health conditions.”

Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa Medical Director Dr Beth Messenger says desogestrel (Cerazette) is a contraceptive pill with a multitude of potential uses, making it an attractive option for many people.

“Subsidising Cerazette will offer many women the opportunity to try this pill which was previously out of reach. Not only is it a highly effective contraceptive, it can also help manage other reproductive health challenges. As a clinician, this is a great option to have in my prescribing tool kit,” says Dr Messenger.

Pharmac can fund desogestrel following the Government’s $604 million medicine budget increase in June 2024. Since receiving the additional funding, Pharmac has funded 44 medicines for different health conditions and is currently considering 14 more.

Source: PHARMAC

Pharmac Board Chair Paula Bennett is welcoming an independent report calling for stronger, more respectful relationships with consumers to ensure their voices are listened to and included in the organisation’s work.

The report was prepared for the Board following two workshops with advocacy groups representing people with lived experience of health conditions. The Board commissioned the workshops, which were independently chaired by Dame Kerry Prendergast in Wellington last November.

“I want to really thank the people who took part in the workshops and generously shared their personal experiences and insights into working with Pharmac,” says Bennett. 

Workshop participants identified a number of areas where Pharmac needs to improve the way it engages, communicates and works with consumer groups and advocates. This included better decision-making processes, meaningful and respectful engagement, and effective and transparent communications. 

“We’ve heard very clearly that we need to make sure our interactions are respectful and meaningful, and that people’s voices are valued and included throughout our work,” Bennett says. 

“There’s a lot for the Board and Pharmac’s senior management to think about, and we’re considering the next steps. This work is part of a wider reset for Pharmac to become an outward-focused organisation. The team at Pharmac does an amazing job and we’re committed to meaningful change to strengthen Pharmac’s relationships with consumers.”

She says the Board has proactively released the report of the workshops to demonstrate the organisation’s commitment to change and being transparent.

Source: PHARMAC

Information on what the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC) will be considering at its meeting in May 2025.