2025 Funding Conditions Changes

2025 Funding Conditions Changes

Last updated 21 October 2025
Last updated 21 October 2025

Changes to the 2025 Funding Conditions Catalogue are grouped into sections in the table below.

Changes which cover most, or all, of the funds are summarised under the heading “Multiple Funds”. Other changes are grouped into sections that align with the structure of the Funding Conditions Catalogue, and include “Foundation and Youth Transition Funds”, “Vocational and Non-degree Funds,” and “Degree and Research Funds”.

Multiple Funds

Definitions & Interpretations

Change subject Notes Reason

Component Course

Updated the term “Component Part” to “Component Course” to reflect updated terminology.

Updated for technical accuracy.

Data Specifications for Single Data Return

Replaced the term “SDR Manual” with “Data Specifications for Single Data Return” to align with changes to Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) data systems and updated terminology.

Updated for technical accuracy.

DXP Ngā Kete

Added definition of DXP Ngā Kete to align with changes to TEC data systems and updated terminology.

Updated for technical accuracy.

Registered PTE

Added definition of Registered Private Training Establishment (PTE) to differentiate a PTE that has been granted registration by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) from a PTE without NZQA registration.

Updated for clarity.

Base funding conditions

Change subject Notes Reason

Reporting

Added standard supply of information (reporting) requirement.

Updated to simplify requirements across all funds.

Recordkeeping

Added enrolment recordkeeping requirements to clarify existing requirements that apply to all funding. This change includes shifting existing requirements from individual funds to the Base Funding Conditions.

Updated for clarity and to simplify requirements across all funds.

Learner’s personal information

Added use and disclosure of learner’s personal information requirements. This change applies to learners commencing the enrolment process from 1 January 2025. Tertiary Education Organisations (TEOs) are not required to apply this retrospectively to learners already enrolled prior to this date, even if they have not yet started their study or training.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanisms.

Most funds

The following changes apply to almost all funds with some minor exceptions. Please also check the changes for the specific fund(s) conditions as relevant to your funding.

Change subject Notes Reason

TEO quality assurance

Removed sections on TEO quality assurance in organisation eligibility criteria. Tertiary Education Institutions and Registered PTEs are already subject to quality assurance requirements under the Education and Training Act 2020 and other regulations. In practice, there are no changes to quality assurance requirements.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanisms.

DXP Ngā Kete

Replaced references to Workspace 2 and STEO with DXP Ngā Kete to align with changes to TEC’s data systems.

Updated for technical accuracy.

Learner eligibility

Clarified that learner eligibility criteria only apply to the duration of the learner’s enrolment within the funding period, and not for the full duration of the funding period.

Updated for technical accuracy.

Learner eligibility verification

Updated wording for using a birth certificate to verify a learner’s eligibility, clarifying that if a learner is born on or after 1 January 2006, the birth certificate must confirm the learner is a New Zealand citizen at birth.

Updated for technical accuracy.

Learner identity verification

Specified that to verify a learner’s identity their given name(s), surname and date of birth must match their National Student Number (NSN).

Updated for technical accuracy.

Certified copies

Updated requirements for certified copies used for learner eligibility and identity verification.

Updated for technical accuracy.

Health and safety

Simplified health and safety regulatory compliance conditions. This change reflects current practice.

Updated for clarity.

Essential equipment

Replaced references to “necessary equipment” with “essential equipment”.

Updated for technical accuracy.

Regional Skills Leadership Groups

Removed references to Regional Skills Leadership Groups (RSLGs). This change reflects a Government decision to end funding for the advisory groups.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanisms.

Fee limits and student services fees

Updated fee limits and student services fee requirements. Simplified some student services fees conditions, and added 14-day time limit for a Registered PTE to submit a copy of their written report for learners to TEC.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanisms and for clarity.

Delivery classification

Updated sections on delivery classification. This change reflects current practice.

Updated for clarity.

Fees Free

Updated references to the Fees Free scheme. This change reflects policy changes.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanisms.

Disclosure of data

Updated references to legislation on disclosure of data from Statistics New Zealand’s Integrated Data Infrastructure sections.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanisms.

Foundation and Youth Transition Funds

ACE (Schools) fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Coordination funding

Removed all clauses related to coordination funding. This change reflects a Budget 2024 decision.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Programme duration

Added criteria that programmes must have a minimum duration of six hours. This change reflects an existing requirement.

Updated for clarity.

ACE (Communities and Schools) funds

Change subject Notes Reason

Face-to-face delivery

Clarified that eligible programmes must be delivered face-to-face unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanisms.

Language courses

Clarified that eligible language courses are not limited to the languages stated as examples.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanisms.

Funding priorities and responsibilities

Rearranged some requirements related to funding priorities and provider responsibilities.

Updated for clarity and technical accuracy.

Recordkeeping

Added clarification that the recordkeeping requirements included in the Base Funding Conditions do not apply to NSN data.

Updated for clarity.

DQ1-2 fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Purpose

Updated purpose statement.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Learners studying overseas

Specified that learners must be studying in New Zealand unless they meet criteria for exceptional circumstances determined by TEC.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Programme requirements

Redrafted minimum requirements of programmes and micro-credentials for simplicity and to reduce duplication.

Updated for clarity and simplicity.

Recordkeeping

Clarified that enrolment recordkeeping requirements included in the Base Funding Conditions only apply to learners enrolled in a programme or micro-credential of more than 0.03 EFTS.

Updated for clarity.

EWLN fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Organisation and learner eligibility

Redrafted some wording in organisation eligibility and learner eligibility criteria.

Updated for clarity and simplicity.

Face-to-face delivery

Clarified that eligible programmes must be delivered face-to-face unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

ELT ILN fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Fund name

Replaced “Intensive Literary and Numeracy Fund – English Language Teaching” with “English Language Teaching Intensive Literacy and Numeracy.”

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Duration of provision

Added additional detail about calculating the total duration of provision for which a learner may be eligible for funding.

Updated for clarity.

Programme eligibility

Simplified programme eligibility requirements.

Updated for clarity and simplicity.

ELT Refugee English fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Fund name

Replaced “Intensive Literacy and Numeracy Fund - Refugee English” with “English Language Teaching – Refugee English”.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Programme eligibility

Clarified programme eligibility criteria that an eligible Refugee English programme must lead to an English language qualification at Levels 3 to 5 on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF). 

Updated for technical accuracy.

ELT (ILN and Refugee English) funds

Change subject Notes Reason

Learner eligibility

Added learner eligibility criteria to clarify that a learner must not be enrolled as a full-time secondary student to be eligible for this funding. 

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanisms.

Subcontracting

Added subcontracting requirements.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanisms.

Gateway fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Establishment payment

Added information about an establishment payment that organisations may be eligible to receive.

Updated for clarity.

Learner eligibility

Redrafted learner eligibility criteria.

Updated for clarity.

Programme eligibility

Redrafted and updated programme eligibility criteria.

Updated for clarity and based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Activities and responsibilities

Updated ineligible activities and school responsibilities sections to align with the Gateway Handbook. Clarified that Gateway funding cannot be used to fund driver licence training, except where a student is required to obtain a specific class of driver licence to complete their workplace learning. This change reflects current requirements, and not policy changes.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism and for technical accuracy to align with the Gateway Handbook.

Reporting

Replaced access to and supply of information section with reporting requirements section.

Updated for simplicity and technical accuracy.

ILN fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Learner eligibility

Added a clause to learner eligibility criteria to clarify that an eligible learner cannot be enrolled as a full-time secondary school student. 

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Learner eligibility

Changed references to the Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool (LNAAT) steps so that learners are eligible if they are assessed using the LNAAT and do not present at Step 4 or higher on the Learning Progressions for reading and/or Step 5 or higher on the Learning Progressions for numeracy.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Face-to-face delivery

Clarified that eligible programmes must be delivered face-to-face unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

TEO-led WLN fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Face-to-face delivery

Clarified that eligible programmes must be delivered face-to-face unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Subcontracting

Updated subcontracting requirements to allow for subcontracting arrangements with TEC approval.

Updated for consistency with other funds.

YG fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Purpose

Updated purpose statement.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Funding rates

Removed references to funding rates. This information is available on the TEC website and is not a condition of funding.

Updated for simplicity.

Face-to-face delivery

Clarified that eligible programmes must be delivered face-to-face unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Withdrawal reporting

Updated withdrawal of enrolments reporting requirements.

Updated for consistency to other funds.

Recordkeeping

Clarified that enrolment recordkeeping requirements included in the Base Funding Conditions only apply to learners enrolled in a programme or micro-credential of more than 0.03 EFTS.

Updated for clarity.

Vocational and Non-degree Funds

ALE fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Removed fund

Removed all conditions of funding for the Adult Literacy Educator fund. This change reflects a Budget 2024 decision.

This fund has been revoked.

DQ3-7 fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Fund name

Replaced “Levels 3–7” with “Levels 3 to 7”.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Unified Funding System

Removed reference to the Unified Funding System.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Modes of delivery

Added modes of delivery definitions to funding information section.

Updated for clarity.

Learners studying overseas

Updated requirements for learners studying overseas, including clarifying that an “overseas campus or delivery site” refers solely to an offshore delivery site approved under the Offshore Programme Delivery Rules 2022.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Programme requirements

Simplified programme requirements.

Updated for simplicity.

Fee regulations

Redrafted fee regulation requirements to explicitly exclude all work-based learning.

Updated for technical accuracy.

Learner Component priorities

Updated performance expectations for Learner Component funding. This change aligns the expectations with the Tertiary Education Strategy. 

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Learner Component performance expectations

Streamlined the Learner Component performance expectations for TEOs receiving less than $100,000 of Learner Component funding.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Recordkeeping

Clarified that enrolment recordkeeping requirements included in the Base Funding Conditions only apply to learners enrolled in a programme or micro-credential of more than 0.03 EFTS.

Updated for clarity.

MPTT (Fees Top-ups and Brokerage Services) fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Funding information

Removed some funding information referencing payment information. This information is available on the TEC website and is not a condition of funding.

Updated for simplicity.

Organisation eligibility

Redrafted organisation eligibility criteria.

Updated for clarity and consistency to other funds.

Performance incentive payment

Shifted description of performance incentive payment to be with the funding information. The payment is not a condition of funding.

Updated for technical accuracy.

MPTT (Consortium Activities) fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Organisation eligibility

Redrafted organisation eligibility criteria.

Updated for clarity and consistency to other funds.

Strategic Component (Te Pūkenga and Wānanga) funds

Change subject Notes Reason

Removed funds

Removed all conditions of funding for the Strategic Component of the Unified Funding System for Vocational Education and Training funds – Te Pūkenga and Wananga. This change reflects a Government decision to reallocate funding.

These funds have been revoked.

Degree and Research Funds

DQ7-10 fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Fund name

Replaced “Levels 7 (degree) and above” with “Levels 7 (degree) to 10”.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Learners studying overseas

Updated requirements for learners studying overseas, including clarifying that an “overseas campus or delivery site” refers solely to an offshore delivery site approved under the Offshore Programme Delivery Rules 2022.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Recordkeeping

Clarified that enrolment recordkeeping requirements included in the Base Funding Conditions only apply to learners enrolled in a programme or micro-credential of more than 0.03 EFTS.

Updated for clarity.

Equity fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Purpose

Updated purpose statement.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Use of funding

Removed use of funding section. This requirement is included in the Base Funding Conditions.

Updated for simplicity.

PBRF fund

Change subject Notes Reason

Investment Plan

Specified that an eligible organisation must have an approved Investment Plan.

Updated for technical accuracy.

Eligible staff

Removed references to identifying eligible staff members as Māori or Pacific when submitting an Evidence Portfolio.

Updated based on amendments to the funding mechanism.

Definitions

Updated some definitions with wording approved by the TEC Board.

Updated for technical accuracy.