The zero fees scheme will continue next year for people studying with Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) Te Pūkenga at Southern campuses. 

“We are already seeing the benefits for our Southern ākonga [students], with improved access to learning opportunities and single national qualifications," Te Pūkenga delivery deputy chief executive Gus Gilmore said.

SIT is no longer competing with every other polytechnic across the country for students and is able to collaborate with other vocational education providers to make new programmes available to the region’s students, he said.

Students will be increasingly able to complete a single national qualification, through a mix of online, in-work and campus-based education from anywhere in the country.

In 2024 the SIT zero fees scheme will continue to apply to students residing in the Southern region, and those studying at SIT’s Queenstown, Invercargill, Gore, and Telford (Balclutha) campuses. 

For current SIT students who are enrolled in multi-year programmes, the SIT zero fees scheme will continue while they complete their current programmes.

Those enrolling for multi-year programmes in 2024 will continue to be eligible for SIT’s zero fees scheme while they are studying at the SIT Southern region campuses.

"Te Pūkenga recognises the positive impact SIT makes to the local community, and we are committed to supporting local communities. The zero fees scheme transformed SIT’s student numbers and made a significant impact on the region’s economy. Unfortunately, recent changes to tertiary education funding have meant the scheme is no longer sustainable," Gus said.

The SIT zero fees scheme was introduced in 2001 with the aim of attracting more students and boosting the Southern regional economy.

SIT transitioned into Te Pūkenga in 2022. It was agreed that existing fee strategies across the network of Te Pūkenga would continue for 2023 while overall fee unification work continued.

Gus said pricing decisions for 2025 and beyond have not been determined and are likely to be communicated in the first half of 2024. All local fee strategies will need to be financially viable.