Southern Institute of Technology Admission 2027: Deadlines, Requirements, Fees for International Students

Admission at a glance

Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) is based in Invercargill at the southern tip of the South Island and is well known in New Zealand for its Zero Fees Scheme, which pays tuition for domestic students; this scheme does not extend to international students, who pay published fees like anywhere else. International bachelor's degree tuition runs from about NZD 19,000 a year for most programmes to NZD 26,000 for nursing, well below the fees charged by New Zealand's eight universities, though a separate Student Direct Material Cost applies on top even where a fee is reduced. English language evidence is required unless the applicant is exempt: an IELTS score of 5 (general or academic) with no individual band below 5, from one test sat within the previous two years, or an accepted equivalent such as TOEFL paper-based 500, TOEFL internet-based 35, or Cambridge English B2 First, a notably lower bar than most New Zealand universities set. SIT describes its international application process as open year-round across eight steps rather than closing to a fixed date tied to a particular semester, so applicants can apply at any time and are simply advised to leave enough time for a New Zealand student visa before their intended start. SIT also runs a Zero Fees English pathway scholarship, separate from its general Zero Fees Scheme, in which a tuition bond is credited toward further study once a student progresses from the English programme.

Requirements

Bachelor

Academic entry requirements are set per programme. The English requirement is IELTS 5 (general or academic) with no individual band below 5, or an accepted equivalent such as TOEFL iBT 35 or Cambridge English B2 First, from a single test within the previous two years.

Full requirements and documents