Don’t wait on the phone for an hour trying to get through to Studylink to sort out your loan! Here are some tips on how to make sure you correctly lodge your application the first time and make the process a lot smoother.
The best way to apply for your loan is online. Go to www.studylink.govt.nz
1. Before you apply for your loan online, ensure you have all the necessary information ready. You will need your IRD number, bank account number and your course details to enter into the application form.
2. After you have applied online for your loan, Studylink will send you a contract for you to sign and will request more information. The three most important documents required are listed below.
Note: It is important to send the loan contract with the supporting documents. This will ensure that all your documents are processed at the same time.
3. There are three documents which Studylink needs to sight before your loan can be processed. Make sure you have these documents before you apply for your loan. The three documents are:
- Evidence of you New Zealand residency: your New Zealand Passport OR your New Zealand Birth Certificate OR your passport with your permanent resident visa. IMPORTANT: You need to have had your permanent residency in New Zealand for at least two years before you can qualify for a student loan.
- Evidence of your bank account number: a bank statement.
- Evidence of your IRD number: an IRD card or letter from the IRD with your number on it. If you do not have any form of evidence for your IRD number, you will need to request a letter from the IRD, which can take ten days to post.
4. Before you send photocopies of these documents to Studylink, ensure they are verified. DO NOT SEND ORIGINALS.
Note: ‘Verified’ means your original document has been sighted and the copy has been sworn to be a true copy of the original by either a Justice of the Peace or from the education provider you are going to study with. So, you can bring your documents to the staff on the 1st floor of the Crown building to be verified.
If you take into account all the above information, your loan will be processed promptly. For more information, go to the Studylink website: www.studylink.govt.nz
