How many loans you can get

If you've already studied 7 EFTS, you may be able to get another Student Loan. You'll need to meet the criteria for an EFTS extension. This means you need to be studying either a:

• postgraduate qualification
• long undergraduate qualification
• doctorate.

Postgraduate qualification

If you're completing a postgraduate qualification, you may be able to get an EFTS extension for up to an extra 1 EFTS of study. You must have started this before you reached your 7 EFTS limit and are now finishing this qualification. 1 EFTS is around 120 credits/points. For example, a Masters Degree or the honours portion of a Bachelor with honours degree.

Note: You cannot get an extension if you're transferring credits or points you gained before you reached your 7 EFTS limit to a different qualification you intend to complete after you have reached your 7 EFTS limit.

There's more information about the New Zealand Qualifications Framework, including information on EFTS, credits/points, and postgraduate study, on the NZQA website:

Dental Surgery

If you're completing a Bachelor of Dental Surgery with Honours at University of Otago, you may be able to get up to an extra 3 EFTS of study. 

If you've already used extra EFTS, the amount you can get for this Bachelor with Honours reduces. For example, if you've already used 1 EFTS for other post graduate study, you can only get 2 EFTS.

Long undergraduate qualification

If you're studying a long undergraduate qualification, you may be able to get an EFTS extension for up to an extra 3 EFTS of study. 3 EFTS is around 360 credits/points.

You must be studying either:

• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at either the:
  • University of Auckland
  • University of Otago
• Bachelor of Optometry at the University of Auckland
• Bachelor of Veterinary Science at Massey University
• Bachelor of Dental Surgery at the University of Otago.

If you've already used extra EFTS, the amount you can get for a long undergraduate qualification reduces. For example, if you've already used:

• 1 EFTS for a long undergraduate qualification, you can only get 2 EFTS
• 1 EFTS for postgraduate study, you can only get 2 EFTS.

Doctorate

If you're doing a doctorate, you may be able to get an EFTS extension for up to an extra 3 EFTS of study. But if you've already used extra EFTS for other study, the amount you can get for a doctorate reduces. For example, if you've already used:

• 1 EFTS for a long undergraduate qualification, you can only get 2 EFTS 
• 1 EFTS for postgraduate study, you can only get 2 EFTS.

What you need to do

1. Apply online for a Student Loan (if you haven't already).
2. Fill out a Student Loan 7 EFTS extension application form
3. Log in to Connect and upload your form.

If you completely withdrew from a course and there was a full fee refund from your education provider, we won’t the count the EFTS for that course as part of the 7 EFTS.

You can check how many EFTS you've used online, in MyStudyLink.