Examples of what parents, caregivers and whānau do and do not have to pay

Learn more about what you can expect to pay if your school or kura opts in to the donations scheme.

Section 33 of the Education and Training Act 2020 states that every person who is not an international student is entitled to free enrolment and free education at any state school.

That person is entitled to free enrolment and free education for the period beginning on their fifth birthday and ending on 1 January after their 19th birthday.

This means that schools cannot charge domestic students a fee for:

  • enrolment
  • attendance
  • the delivery of the curriculum.

Education and Training Act 2020 – NZ Legislation(external link)

Key Description
X If my school has opted in to the donations scheme, I cannot be asked for a donation and I don’t have to pay
$ I must pay for this if I agree to buy it
D If my school has opted in to the donations scheme, I can be asked for a donation but I don’t have to pay

Enrolment

Fees for enrolment are unlawful.

Enrolment is free and there can be no charge for anything associated with the enrolment process.

Item

Category Key

Application fee

Other X

Enrolment fee

Other X

Out-of-zone ballot fee 

Other X

Bond

Other X

Operational costs

Boards cannot ask families, caregivers and whānau for contributions to operational costs.

These costs should be covered by the school’s operational funding. Operational funding is paid by the Ministry of Education.

Item 

Category Key

Heating, lighting and water

Operational X

Soap, hand sanitiser, tissues

Operational X

ICT

Item 

Category Key

Access to school/kura network

Curriculum  X

Use of school/kura hardware

Curriculum  X

Contribution towards devices such as tablets, smartphones, netbooks, laptops, chromebooks

Curriculum  X

Requiring students/rangatahi to provide software or pay for software licenses

Curriculum  X

Requiring students/rangatahi to provide calculators

Curriculum  X
Purchase of non-compulsory hardware or software

Goods and services

$

Programmes and courses

Out-of-school programmes that are not part of the core learning programme (curriculum) are considered a good/service.

Schools and kura are responsible for making it clear that participation is voluntary and incurs a charge.

Item 

Category Key
English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) Curriculum 

X

Reading recovery and learning support  Curriculum 

X

High school 'subject fees' Curriculum 

X

Specialist units (e.g. Montessori, Arrowsmith, Te Reo Māori, Gagana Sāmoa) Curriculum 

X

Supplementary programmes (e.g. Mathletics)  Curriculum 

X

STAR courses Curriculum 

X

Tertiary-level courses offered as part of the school programme 

Curriculum  

X

Tertiary course (dual enrolment at tertiary institution)  

Goods and services

$

Gifted education programmes  Goods and services

$

Resources and stationery

Item  Category Key
Textbooks Curriculum 

X

Workbooks (compulsory) Curriculum 

X

Workbooks (optional, when parents have agreed to purchase)

Goods and Services

$

Photocopying or printing as part of core education programme (curriculum use)

Curriculum 

X

Photocopying or printing (personal and not needed for core programme learning, extra-curricular use)

Goods and services

$

Stationery (if parents decide to buy from school or kura stationery shop) 

Goods and services

$

Swimming

Item Category Key
Swimming as part of general curriculum (at school or off site)  Curriculum X
Swimming as voluntary activity (lunch time or after hours) Goods and services $

Course materials

Schools and kura cannot ask you to pay for materials used in delivering the core learning programme (curriculum).

This includes cooking ingredients for a food technology class.

  • Food eaten as part of a food technology class is part of the core learning programme (curriculum).
  • This is because students need to taste the food they prepare to ensure it is fit for consumption (sensory evaluation).

Schools can charge parents/whānau for the cost of materials when they have agreed that the item can be taken home, for example, an item of clothing.

Item Category Key
Materials used as part of delivering core learning programme (curriculum)  Curriculum X
Take-home component where parents have agreed to purchase (for example, a letterbox or an item of clothing) Goods and services $

Music

Item Category Key
Tuition (course-related) Curriculum X
Tuition (optional outside of general education programme, extra-curricular) Goods and services $
Instrument hire (course delivery) Curriculum X
Instrument hire (optional, extra-curricular) Goods and services S

Optional activities

Boards can charge you for optional activities such as sports trips that are outside the core learning programme (curriculum).

Participation is optional and schools can charge you if you have agreed for your child to participate.

Item Item category Key
Visiting drama or music groups (non-curriculum) Goods and services $
School sports teams Goods and services $
After-hours/lunchtime/weekend culture or sports activities Goods and services $

Uniforms

Schools and kura are not expected to make profits from school uniforms – they should recover only what a uniform costs.

School uniforms and supplies — Commerce Commission(external link)

Item

Category Key

Uniform from a school or kura uniform shop

Goods and services $

Events and publications

Events such as school balls are not part of the core curriculum and are optional to attend. Students can attend this kind of event if they buy a ticket.

Students should not be stopped from accessing these kinds of optional activities because their parents or whānau have not paid for other items. For example, a school or kura should not require parents or whānau to pay for sports costs or make a donation towards the school camp before they can buy a ticket to the school ball.

Item

Category Key

School or kura ball

Goods and services $

School or kura magazines

Goods and services $

Camps, trips and education outside the classroom

A school or kura can continue to ask for donations for overnight school camps, even if they are part of the core learning programme (curriculum).

Such a request is for a donation. Families and whānau can choose to pay the donation in full, in part, or not at all.

What is a school camp?

Item 

Category Key

Overnight camp as part of specific course (for example, Year 12 Outdoor Education) 

Curriculum 

D

Overnight camp as part of general education programme (curriculum) (for example, Year 9 orientation camp, Year 7 EOTC camp) 

Curriculum 

D

Overnight geography field trip 

Curriculum 

D

Trip/visit as part of general curriculum 

Curriculum 

X

Charge/fee for an optional event (for example, extra-curricular weekend ski trip)  

Goods and services 

D

Attendance dues for state-integrated schools or kura

Item Category Key
Attendance dues Compulsory $

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