The annual fee return form and worksheets must be completed by wānanga and registered private training establishments (PTEs).
You must submit the forms to us by 30 June each year.
Download the annual fee return form [DOCX, 128 KB]
Education and training to include
All education and training that you provide to learners (including corporate training) must be included in calculations for the equivalent full-time student (EFTS) component of the annual fee, including:
- education and training attracting Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) student component funding (subsidised fee-paying students)
- education and training attracting TEC-targeted training programmes, including youth training, training opportunities, skill enhancement etc
- Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) and other government agency-funded training
- education and training for international students
- education and training for full fee-paying domestic students
- longer-term, short-term (based on days or hours) and on-demand training, including corporate training
- both face-to-face training and essential independent course work that is part of course requirements
- distance education
- short-term work experience visits that are solely for the purposes of training
- on-the-job training that involves direct instruction by a trainer whose key function at that time is training, including assessment. General work that is part of paid employment is not included.
On this page
Calculate the EFTS for each course
This information relates to section 3 of the annual fee return form. You are required to calculate the EFTS number, using the following worksheets:
For each course with a credit value
Credit value worksheet (AF02) [XLS, 29 KB]
For each course without a credit value
Learning hours worksheet (AF03) [XLS, 29 KB]
For courses longer than 12 months
Calculate only the hours that were completed within the 12-month period from 1 January to 31 December of the previous year.
The remaining hours will be picked up in the next annual fee return.
EFTS number based on credit value
Credit value measures the average amount of learning needed to complete the course or part of the course.
Learning hours include:
- contact hours
- assessments and assignments
- supervised practical placements
- self-directed learning and study time.
All New Zealand Qualifications and Credential Framework (NZQCF) qualifications are credit-based. So are the majority of approved local courses.
This is also the basis of student component funding from the TEC. The standard rule of thumb is:
- 1 credit = 10 hours of study time
- 120 credits = 1 standard full-time year of study.
The annual fee is calculated on the credit value of the course, not the credits achieved by individual students.
Calculate EFTS using credit values
EFTS = total credits for a course divided by 120, then multiplied by number of students.
If the course exceeds 120 credits, and the course is delivered within one year, the course attracts only 1 EFTS.
Enter 120 in the 'total credits for course' column on the credit value worksheet.
Examples
My course is 120 credits, I had 15 students enrolled in the previous year.
120 credits x 15 = 15 EFTS
My course is 60 credits. I had 15 students enrolled in the previous year.
60 credits divided by 120 x 15 = 7.5 EFTS
EFTS number based on learning hours
Learning hours include:
- lecturer and tutor contact hours, including workshops and tutorials
- tests and assignments
- supervised practical placements
- study time
- self-directed learning with tutorial support available
- assessment time.
Course learning hours are included in course prescriptions and course approval documentation.
Remember that for annual fee purposes, total course learning hours (as above) and not just face-to-face tuition must be used.
Calculate EFTS using learning hours
EFTS = Total hours for a course (i.e days/weeks x hours) multiplied by number of students divided by 1200.
If the learning hours exceed 1200, and the course is delivered within one year, the course attracts only 1 EFTS.
Enter 1200 in the 'total hours for course' column on the learning hours worksheet.
Examples
My course is 5 days in length, 6 learning hours per day. I had 100 clients enrolled in the previous year.
5 x 6 x 100 = 3000 learning hours, divided by 1200 = 2.5 EFTS
My course is 40 weeks, there are 30 learning hours per week. I had 15 students enrolled in the previous year.
40 x 30 x 15 = 18,000 learning hours, divided by 1200 = 15 EFTS
EFTS for short one-off courses to corporate clients
You will pay the base fee of $775 and work out your EFTS component using the learning hours worksheet.
EFTS for courses with a choice of part-time or full-time
Fill out a row for each course on the worksheets and do a calculation for each option.
For example:
Course name:
- Graphic Design Level 2 - part-time
- Graphic Design Level 2 - full-time.
Individualised learning programmes
If all your students are either part-time or on individual learning plans, or the course length is tailored to individual needs, you will pay the base fee of $775 and then work out your EFTS component as in the examples above.
It is often simpler to use the learning hours calculation, unless the individualised programmes are clearly structured around credit values.
If you have a large number of students doing individualised programmes, NZQA will accept a calculation based on an average figure for the weeks or hours, provided you support your calculation with evidence.
Rolling enrolments throughout the year
Use the same calculation as in the examples above.
Delivery through sub-contracting arrangement with another tertiary organisation
This information relates to section 5 of the annual fee return form.
If a provider does not 'enrol' students, but instead delivers under a sub-contracting arrangement for another organisation that receives funding from the TEC, the EFTS component is paid by the organisation that receives the funding and enrols that student.
If you have not delivered education or training
If you did not deliver education or training last year, you are required to pay the base fee of $775 + GST.
Enter NIL in boxes A - D on the annual fee return form.
Newly registered PTEs
The fee for PTEs registered in the current year is calculated as $300 plus $40 (+ GST) for each complete month of registration.
If you are newly registered within the current calendar year, you are not required to provide an annual fee return. Your invoice will be calculated for you and sent to you.
Deregistering PTEs
The annual fee applies to all PTEs registered with NZQA on 1 January of the current year.
If your registration is cancelled after 1 January but before the invoice is raised, an annual fee is payable up to the date of deregistration.
If your registration is cancelled after we have raised an invoice for the annual fee, NZQA will credit the unused portion of your annual fee from the date the registration is cancelled.