U10.1 Students from the People's Republic of China (26/07/1999)

U10.1.1 Students sponsored by the Chinese Government and CHEP students

1. Students who are sponsored by the Chinese Government or who are on the China Exchange Programme (CHEP) may be issued with student visas and granted student permits to undertake any course of study, regardless of how long it lasts.
2. After the CHEP students arrive in New Zealand, MFAT is responsible only for paying their financial allowances and providing student support officer services. The Chinese Embassy in Wellington assumes all other responsibility for CHEP students and for students sponsored by the Chinese Government, and communicates directly with NZIS on immigration matters such as renewal of permits.
3. All applications for renewal or variations of permits from CHEP students or students sponsored by the Chinese Government must be supported by evidence of approval from the Chinese Embassy in Wellington.

U10.1.5 Full-fee students from China

1. Full-fee students from China are not eligible for student visas and permits to undertake any course of study or training that lasts less than 36 weeks unless:
   1. they arrived in New Zealand with student visas issued before 1 January 1992, or
   2. they are sponsored by the Chinese Government.
2. Full-fee students from China who apply for visas and permits to undertake courses that last 36 weeks or more must meet all the requirements in U10.1.10 below unless:
   1. they arrived in New Zealand with student visas issued before 1 January 1992, or
   2. they are sponsored by the Chinese Government.

U10.1.10 Requirements for full-fee students from China

Visa and immigration officers must be satisfied that applicants:

1. have an offer of a place from an educational institution; and
2. have paid the course fees or are exempt from having to pay them; and
3. are aged 29 or younger (unless applying for renewal of their student permit); and
4. have a university degree or equivalent (such as a trade certificate or advanced trade qualification); and
5. have a certificate from IELTS that is no more than 2 years old, which shows a minimum band total of 5 of each of the 4 components of the IELTS General Module; and
6. have provided evidence of onward travel arrangements, including:
   1. an open-dated or return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase one, or
   2. a financial undertaking as in paragraph (g); and
7. have provided evidence of funds for maintenance for the length of the course they are attending in New Zealand, including:
   1. a letter from the educational institution confirming that accommodation and other living expenses are included as part of a prepaid package, or
   2. a completed Financial Undertaking for a Student form, or
   3. a letter or certificate from a bank in New Zealand confirming that the amount of funds required by ordinary visitors for each month of the applicants' intended stay has been deposited in New Zealand.

      Note: Students who choose option (iii) do not need to provide evidence that funds have been transferred until their application has been approved in principle.

U10.1.15 Sponsorship for full-fee students from China

1. Students from China may not have third party sponsors, and the form Financial Undertaking for a Student must be completed by a close family member who is either:
   1. lawfully and permanently resident in New Zealand (See F4.1.1), or
   2. a sponsor from China, provided that the 'Bank Confirmation' section of the Financial Undertaking for a Student form is completed by a trading bank in New Zealand.
2. A 'close family member' means:
   • a parent, or
   • an adult sibling, or
   • an aunt, or
   • an uncle, or
   • a grandparent.
3. The applicant must provide evidence of:
   1. the relationship between the sponsor and the applicant, and
   2. the sponsor's immigration status if subparagraph (a)(i) above applies.

Effective 26/07/1999