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Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Last updated 24 January 2025
Last updated 24 January 2025

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Investigations are a key part of monitoring the performance and compliance of the tertiary education sector.
Investigations are a key part of monitoring the performance and compliance of the tertiary education sector.

The Tertiary Education Commission (the TEC) has a range of powers, under the Education and Training Act 2020 and funding conditions, to conduct investigations ensuring the Government’s investment in tertiary education is used properly.
We begin an investigation of a tertiary education organisation (TEO) if we are concerned about practices or behaviours which may put student interests or government funding at risk.
TEO investigation guidelines
Our monitoring system is designed to ensure both the burden on TEOs and the level of TEC effort is proportionate to the level of risk. This means investigations vary in size and complexity depending on our concerns, the size of the TEO, and a range of other factors.
All monitoring activities (including investigations) are undertaken in accordance with our monitoring principles, which are included in the investigation guidelines below. These also include guidance on how we undertake investigations, the processes we follow, and how we deal with information supplied by TEOs under investigation.
The Tertiary Education Commission investigation guidelines – 2020 (PDF 788 KB) 
Outcomes of investigations
We generally publish investigation outcomes as part of a transparent, consistent approach to monitoring. This helps provide assurance that public funds are being well managed. Publication of investigation findings is also a key way we share learnings from monitoring activities with the sector, and helps other TEOs improve their performance and compliance.
The TEC has the discretion to not publish an investigation report or outcomes. Any such decision is made with reference to the provisions of the Official Information Act. For example, where there are no material findings, or issues identified are only minor, publishing the fact of an investigation may reduce public confidence in a TEO at a level disproportionate to the issues investigated. In such cases, the TEC would seek to share any valuable learnings from the investigation with the sector in another way, including through regular monitoring updates.
When investigation reports or outcomes are finalised and able to be made public, they are published below.

There were no investigations published in 2024.

Active Institute

Competenz

Tai Poutini Polytechnic 

BEST Pacific Institute of Education

Reviews
From 2014-2017, the TEC also conducted ‘reviews’ of smaller or less complex issues at TEOs. The TEC has updated its approach, and only conducts audits and investigations of TEOs. Historic reviews are now considered investigations.

Quantum Education Group

EnterpriseMIT

College of Natural Health and Homeopathy 

Reviews
From 2014-2017, the TEC also conducted ‘reviews’ of smaller or less complex issues at TEOs. The TEC has updated its approach, and only conducts audits and investigations of TEOs. Historic reviews are now considered investigations.

Lincoln University’s Telford Division

New Zealand School of Outdoor Studies

Reviews
From 2014-2017, the TEC also conducted ‘reviews’ of smaller or less complex issues at TEOs. The TEC has updated its approach, and only conducts audits and investigations of TEOs. Historic reviews are now considered investigations.

Manaakitanga Aotearoa Charitable Trust

Agribusiness Training Ltd 

Tectra Limited

Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre

Te Whare Wanānga o Awanuiārangi

Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT)

From 2014-2017, the TEC also conducted ‘reviews’ of smaller or less complex issues at TEOs. The TEC has updated its approach, and only conducts audits and investigations of TEOs. Historic reviews are now considered investigations.
The six reviews below focused on TEOs that offered programmes with similar features to those found in two previous investigations at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and WITT. We undertook the reviews to determine whether the issues found in the two investigations were prevalent across the sector. This was found not to be the case.

*Note: The TEC accepted the findings from an independent report commissioned by Service IQ.

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Source: Tertiary Education Commission

Only qualifications and programmes at Levels 3 and above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) are eligible. Eligible qualifications and programmes must be recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) or Universities New Zealand and funded by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) from:

the Delivery at Levels 3–7 (non-degree) on the NZQCF and all industry training Fund (DQ3-7), or
the Delivery at Levels 7 (degree) to 10 on the NZQCF Fund (DQ7-10), or
grants under section 556 of the Education and Training Act 2020 for tertiary provision towards a qualification on the NZQCF at Levels 3 or above.

Provider-based qualifications
Eligible provider-based qualifications are TEC-funded and are equal to or greater than 0.5 equivalent full-time students (EFTS).
Work-based programmes
Eligible work-based programmes are TEC-funded programmes comprising at least 120 credits.
Qualifications and programmes that are not eligible for final-year Fees Free
The following are not eligible for final-year Fees Free:

School learning programmes and secondary tertiary programmes
Certificates of proficiency
Pathway qualifications
Zero fee programmes
Programmes where fees are met under another funding arrangement, such as the Youth Guarantee (YG) Fund, Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT), or the Refugee English Fund
Qualifications and programmes at Levels 1 or 2 on the NZQCF
Provider-based qualifications that are less than 0.5 EFTS, or work-based programmes that are less than 120 credits.

Pathway qualifications
Pathway qualifications are qualifications that prepare learners to progress into further study and training by supporting them to meet minimum entry requirements and/or develop the required skills for higher study. For the purposes of final-year Fees Free:

This includes bridging qualifications, Certificates of University Preparation, Certificates in Study and Employment Pathways, and Level 3 Study and Career Preparation (except when primarily intended for career preparation).
This does not include qualifications that are used for staircasing, or programmes that comprise part of, or are cross-credited towards a higher qualification.

Any qualification confirmed as a pathway qualification will be excluded for all learners. The exclusion is not able to take into account individual learner intentions.
You can view the list of pathway qualifications that are excluded from Fees Free:
Pathway qualifications (XLSX 15 KB)
To request to add or remove a qualification from the list of pathway qualifications excluded from Fees Free, contact customerservice@tec.govt.nz with the subject: (EDUMIS number) Final-year Fees Free – pathway qualifications. Please briefly outline how the qualification you wish to add/remove from the list does/doesn’t meet the definition of a pathway qualification.
Qualification completion date
The date the learner completes their eligible provider-based qualification or work-based programme is defined as the date the requirements have been met by the learner to be awarded the qualification. This should align with what is recorded on the learner’s New Zealand Record of Achievement.
For provider-based study, TEOs will be required to submit the qualification completion date as part of their SDR submission from August 2025.
TEOs already report work-based programme completion dates to NZQA, which NZQA provide to TEC.
Qualification and programme eligibility FAQs
Why must provider-based qualifications comprise at least 0.5 EFTS and work-based programmes at least 120 credits to be eligible?
Setting a minimum threshold mitigates the risk of learners using their Fees Free entitlement on small pieces of study or training. For example, a learner will not be able to inadvertently consume their entitlement on a very short programme of 0.2 EFTS.
Setting the eligibility criteria for provider-based qualifications at 0.5 EFTS or greater means that the large number of learners who complete qualifications at this level, and don’t go on to do further study or training, can access final-year Fees Free.
A work-based programme minimum of 120 credits gives assurance that the training programme has career benefit to the learner. It reduces the risk that learners will use up their Fees Free entitlement on short training programmes directed by (and often entirely paid for by) their employers, or that employers will shift training costs onto learners.
Why aren’t Level 1 and 2 qualifications covered by Fees Free?
The Fees Free policy aligns eligibility with student support and government tuition subsidies.
Foundation programmes and qualifications (at NZQCF Levels 1 and 2) are excluded because provider-based Level 1 and 2 study is already fees-free, and learners shouldn’t have to use their Fees Free entitlement on courses and programmes intended to prepare them for tertiary education at Levels 3 and above.
Why do programmes and courses have to be recognised and funded to be available for Fees Free?
Fees Free was designed to help New Zealanders access high-quality tertiary education that provides skills for life and work. When a course or programme is both recognised by the NZQA or Universities New Zealand, and funded by the TEC, it means the course is of a high educational standard.
Are private training establishment (PTE) courses covered by Fees Free?
Yes, as long as the provider-based qualification or work-based programme meets the eligibility criteria.
What happens if a learner is enrolled in two qualifications at the same time?
For provider-based study, a learner enrolled in two qualifications at the same time will only receive Fees Free on completion of their first qualification. This applies, for example, when a learner is enrolled in a concurrent degree, or is studying towards two qualifications simultaneously. We’ll use the qualification completion date reported by TEOs to determine the first completed qualification.
For work-based learning, eligibility is based on the learner’s first programme completion (apprenticeship or training programme) rather than the qualifications that make up that programme, many of which will be under the 120-credit minimum.