17 February 2016 at 9:00 am
Pathway visa pilot update
Immigration New Zealand has made changes to the instructions for those institutions taking part in the Pathways Student Visa Pilot.
That is, an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test (or equivalent test) must be submitted by students who:
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intend to undertake a study pathway that begins with an English language course leading to a programme of study at levels 5 to 8 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework, and
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are from a country that has an annual decline rate of more than 20 per cent for student visa applications.
These students must demonstrate that they only need an improvement of an IELTS 0.5 band score (or equivalent) to gain entry to their intended level 5 – 8 course. For example, if a level 5 course has an English language entry requirement of IELTS 5.0, an IELTS test (or equivalent) must be submitted with a student’s application with a minimum overall band score of 4.5.
The English language course must also be completed within a 16 week period.
Students from countries with a visa approval rate of above 80 percent no longer need to demonstrate IELTS levels.
Find out more here.
