Student visa to continue a degree at university

[Applicant A] is a young Japanese student studying for a bachelor’s degree in grape growing and winemaking at a specialist university near Christchurch. He had studied in New Zealand before but not on a continuous visa, and he needed a new student visa to continue into his second year of the multi year degree.

We completed the online application capturing his identity, course, funding, and travel plans, and prepared a cover letter explaining his study history, his reasons for the gaps, and his plan to finish the degree. We set out how the practical placements form part of the course, and provided the third party funding undertaking together with his own savings and the university’s offer and fee details.

The application was lodged covering his full study history, funding, and the course work placements. Immigration New Zealand was satisfied and the student visa was granted.

Where study has not been continuous, the application is stronger if it explains the break and ties it to the current course, rather than leaving immigration to wonder. Practical placements built into a degree should be presented as part of the qualification so they are not mistaken for ordinary work. And where a course runs over several years, requesting a visa for the full period saves the student from repeated yearly applications.