Private Training Establishment Rules 2026

2. Commencement

1. These Rules come into force on 19 January 2026.

Registration information and applications

4. Information requirements in applications for registration of private training establishments

1. In addition to the information required by section 344(2)(a) - (e) of the Act for applications for registration of a PTE, the following further information is required for the purposes of section 344(2)(f) of the Act:
   1. a list of the names of the governing members (as that term is defined in section 10(1) of the Act):
   2. a list of any material conflicts of interest of the PTE, and of any interests of the PTE, or of its body corporate owner(s), in organisations in the education or immigration sector that  provide goods or services to tertiary students:
   3. in the context of the information required by section 344(2)(a) of the Act (being the kinds of education proposed to be provided and the outcomes the establishment seeks to achieve), a description of how the PTE will meet the needs of its intended students, of its relevant communities (including whānau, hapū, iwi, or hapori Māori) and of its other key stakeholders (including any relevant academic, employer, industry, runānga, mārae, professional and other bodies)
   4. an organisation chart of the staff positions ( whether employees or contracted staff) and the names of the staff currently in, or appointed to, those positions:
   5. copies of the curriculum vitae and position descriptions of senior managers (as defined in section  10(1) of the Act):
   6. a copy of the PTE's quality management system required under the Quality Assurance of Tertiary Education Providers Rules 2026
2. Applicants must use the application form available on NZQA's website and pay a deposit of $1500 GST inclusive to NZQA.

5. Requests for Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance

1. When applying for registration of a PTE, an applicant may request that Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance is used for assessment of the application.
2. An applicant making a request under rule 5.1, in addition to providing the information on the application form and the deposit required under rule 4, must provide the information that the Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance framework and tools require.
3. NZQA will evaluate a request made under rule 5.1, together with the information supplied, in accordance with Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance.

Enrolment and academic records

7. Enrolment records

1. The enrolment records that must be kept and kept up to date by PTEs are:
   1. full name and address of the student;
   2. contact details for the student;
   3. the student’s national student number (where the student has a national student number);
   4. nationality and whether a domestic or international student;
   5. the education or training in which the student is enrolled;
   6. the start and finish dates of the education or training;
   7. details of the student meeting the entry requirements of the education or training including, where applicable, scores for English language entry requirements;
   8. invoices and receipts for fees paid to the PTE and the dates of payment, with course fees, commissions, accommodation fees, living expenses, and other fees separately identified; and
   9. for international students, their visa (if any) and other immigration details, the contact details of any agent through whom the student enrolled at the PTE, a copy of the student health and travel insurances, student fee protection trustee records, and passport numbers.
2. The enrolment records for each student must be kept until at least two years after the completion of the education or training in which the student is enrolled.
3. The enrolment records must be kept in a manner that ensures they are easily recovered and printed from, and readily available on, the PTE’s electronic data storage system.

8. Accurate academic records

1. The accurate academic records that must be kept, and kept up to date, by PTEs for students enrolled in education or training at the PTE are:
   1. records of individual student assessment and examination results (for example, for papers, or assessment standards) that include the name of the student, the date of achievement and the relevant grade, which are to be kept as a permanent record;
   2. any cross credits, credit transfer, and recognition of prior learning arrangements for individual students, and the evidential basis for them, which are to be kept as a permanent record;
   3. records of student attendance, which are to be kept for at least the duration of the student’s enrolment;
   4. records of the achievement of awards or qualifications by the students, which are to be kept as a permanent record.
2. PTEs must keep all student assessment materials generated from education or training in which students are enrolled, or full copies of them, for at least 12 months from the date of completion of that education or training (for the avoidance of doubt, this includes assessment materials of education or training provided by sub-contractors of the PTE).
3. The keeping of academic records under rule 8(1) or student assessment materials under rule 8(2) does not limit any requirements to keep records of student work under other rules made under section 452 of the Act.

Explanatory note

This note is not part of these Rules but is intended to indicate their general effect.

These Rules set out, in relation to registration of private training establishments, -

1. the processes for making applications and granting registration:
2. the requirements to maintain registration:
3. the keeping of enrolment and academic records.

These Rules were re-issued in 2026 to:

1. adjust terminology to reflect the removal of External Evaluation and Review (EER) as a quality assurance mechanism and its replacement with self-review and monitoring:
2. change the requirement for the annual financial return a PTE from annually to biennial (unless NZQA gives notice to a particular PTE that it is required annually):
3. place the enrolment and academic records rules in these rules and consequentially revoke the PTE Enrolment and Academic Records Rules 2022
4. revoke the Annual Fee Rules 2022 and consequentially amend rule 6(1)(c)(iii).