How is the student allowance income-tested?

For students under a certain age without dependants, the allowance is tested against parental income; above a threshold it abates and eventually cuts out. Your own income above a weekly limit also reduces the allowance. Older and independent students are tested differently.

Is the student allowance the same as a student loan?

No. The allowance is a weekly payment you do not repay, but it is income-tested. The student loan living costs portion is borrowed money you repay later, and is not income-tested in the same way. Many students use a mix.

Through StudyLink. This calculator gives a rough estimate only; StudyLink does the official assessment based on your full circumstances and the current thresholds.

Student Allowance Calculator

This New Zealand calculator gives a rough estimate of your weekly student allowance against the parental and personal income tests. For younger students without dependants, the allowance reduces as parental income rises above a threshold, and your own earnings above a weekly limit reduce it too. You enter the figures, and the tool estimates your weekly allowance, before StudyLink does the official assessment on your full circumstances.

Full weekly allowance rate

Combined parental income

Parental income threshold

Abatement (cents per $ over)

estimated weekly student allowance

Per year (study weeks)$0

Reduction from parental income$0

A simplified estimate using thresholds you enter; the real test depends on your age, living situation, dependants and the current StudyLink rates. Enter the current figures from StudyLink for accuracy. Estimate only, not an entitlement.

How it works

The calculator starts from the full weekly allowance rate and reduces it for parental income above the threshold, at the abatement rate per dollar over. If parental income is below the threshold, you get the full rate; the higher above it, the more the allowance reduces, down to zero. Enter the current StudyLink rate and threshold for your situation, since these change each year.

Worked example

On a $320 full rate with parental income at the $65,000 threshold, there is no reduction, so the estimate is the full $320 a week. If parental income were $75,000, a 3.2 cent abatement on the $10,000 over reduces the allowance by about $6 a week.

Related calculators

Student Loan Repayment Calculator: loan repayments.
Tertiary Study Budget Calculator: study budget.
Flatting Costs Calculator: flatting costs.
Budget Calculator: your budget.

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