PEOPLE’S INQUIRY

INTO STUDENT
WELLBEING 2022

Prepared by Point & Associates

This People’s Inquiry is led by:

The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand

New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA)
Te Mana Ākonga
Tauira Pasifika
the National Disabled Students’ Association

And supported by:

Albany Students’ Association (ASA) Unitec Student Council (USC)
Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA) University of Canterbury Students’ Association (UCSA)
AUT Students’ Association (AUTSA) Te Waiora o Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato me Te Kāhuinga Tumuaki
Lincoln University Students’ Association (LUSA) Te Akatoki
Manukau Institute of Technology Student Council (MITSC) Te Awhioraki
Massey at Distance (M@D) Te Rōpū Māori
Massey at Wellington Students’ Association (MAWSA) Manawatahi
Massey University Students’ Association (MUSA) Ngāi Tauira
Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) Ngā Tauira Māori
Students’ at UCOL (SAU) Tītahi ki Tua
Students’ Association at Wintec (SAWIT) Victoria University of Wellington Disabled Students’ Association
Student Connection Weltec & Whitireia Otago Disabled Students’ Association
Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA) Disabled Students @ Massey
Younited Students’ Association (EIT) University of Waikato Disabled Students’ Association
Contents
Forewords ................................................................................................................................................... 2

Executive summary ................................................................................................................................... 5

Recommendations ................................................................................................................................ 8

Who we heard from ................................................................................................................................ 10

Tertiary students in New Zealand: background ............................................................................... 15

Results ........................................................................................................................................................ 23

The gap between income and cost of living is causing students anxiety and distress ....... 23

Aspects of student allowance policy are considered unfair and inequitable........................ 28

Students often go without food, health care, clothing and other necessities ...................... 34

Just over half the respondents felt supported by their education provider’s COVID 19
response................................................................................................................................................ 38

Half of those in student accommodation felt supported by their provider’s response to

COVID 19 ............................................................................................................................................... 39

Most students reported a decline in their mental wellbeing during the COVID 19
pandemic............................................................................................................................................... 41

Financial hardship leads to poorer education outcomes .......................................................... 42

Discussion and recommendations ...................................................................................................... 44

Methodology............................................................................................................................................. 46

The questionnaire ................................................................................................................................... 48

1
Forewords
Chlöe Swarbrick MP
MP for Auckland Central Green Party Spokesperson for Tertiary Education

Education is a passport. It's the ticket to exploring our world and our histories, to growing
and challenging our ideas, to navigating global pandemics and solving climate change.

Across the political divide, it seems we can all agree that education is critical for the
wellbeing and productivity of our country. The problem is, there are very different views on
whether someone should have to suffer immense poverty and carry a lifetime of debt to be
able to learn.

Thirty years ago, things were different in Aotearoa. Getting an education simply meant a
nominal fee that nobody needed to take out a loan for. But today, many of our young
people start their adult lives in mounting debt, all while living on their bare bones, juggling
jobs on the side. Many people accept this “just part of student life,” but living in a state of
poverty isn’t an inevitability, it is a political decision.

We’ve seen it over the past three decades, and we saw it over the COVID-19 response.
Students’ needs are ignored and sacrificed. Ignored because of their historic low voter turn-
out and supposed disinterest in politics. But if launching this inquiry has proven one thing
to me, it’s that students understand that change is needed and they’re ready to push for
that change.

When we launched this inquiry with student unions, we asked students to be counted. The
response was overwhelming. In just a few days, over 2500 students had responded, and all

2
up 4593 students took the time to tell us about their personal circumstances.

Together, these students have given us the overwhelming data to show that the
Government’s decisions are leaving our young people living in poverty. They’re trapped in
rentals that are making them sick. Lack of Government action is leaving an overwhelming
majority in a state of mental distress, exacerbating the demands on our already overrun
mental health system. All of this affects students’ ability to learn and even complete their
studies.

This report outlines loud and clear that the current tertiary education system set up by the
Government is causing harm to those students who are simply trying to better themselves
and invest in their futures. I hope it signals to the Government that urgent change and
support is needed and I’m committed to continuing work with our student unions to push
for this.

Joint foreword from NZUSA, Te Mana Ākonga, Tauira Pasifika and the
National Disabled Students' Association

Students live in poverty. We all know this to be true and have had the evidence for thirty
years. But the results from our People’s Inquiry demonstrate just how stark this poverty is.

We started this Inquiry not just to expose the hardship that our students face but to bust
some of the myths about tertiary students that have developed over the decades.

This inquiry does more than paint a picture. It exposes lies. "Mistruths" stated by multiple
Governments too scared to do the right thing.

Our Inquiry also shows how broken promises from politicians can harm the lives of
students

Chris Hipkins tells us that the student allowance can be unliveable as students will be
subsidised by their parents. Our Inquiry proves that isn't true. Only 40% of students receive
any financial help from family.

Chris Hipkins tells us that students can still work while studying more than 50 hours a week.
Our Inquiry proves that isn't true. 64% of students sacrifice time in class to work so they
can afford to live.

Chris Hipkins tells us that he cares about equity. Our Inquiry proves that his student
support system fails Māori, Pasifika, and disabled students in droves.

Chris Hipkins tells us that restoring the post-grad allowance isn't "worth it". Our Inquiry
proves that isn't true.

3
While politicians play their childish games, our students can't afford lunch and struggle to
keep a roof over their heads. Yesterday's man holds back tomorrow's doctor.

Our Prime Minister says "that education is the greatest enabler in society". Their Tertiary
Education Strategy says that we need barrier-free access to education so we can address
equity gaps. Yet the Government refuses to support students to be able to live.

Covid has caused the greatest disruption to our way of life since the Second World War. But
it has also presented unparalleled opportunity to change systems for the better. A
revolutionary moment in the world's history is a time for revolution, not patching. Bold
action is hard, but it is the only way that we will fix things. Bold action to introduce a
universal education income, address fee increases and require meaningful support for our
students is the only way to make sure they can survive.

Governments only survive as long as their citizens do and our Cabinet could do with
remembering that. If our students can't survive, neither will this Government.

4
Executive summary
The Student Inquiry received feedback from 4,593 tertiary students across Aotearoa,
including from all the education hubs (Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington,
Christchurch and Dunedin), other towns and cities.

The Inquiry has highlighted that while many students are thriving in education, there is
significant student financial hardship and distress caused by a mismatch between student
income and the cost of living. Student hardship and distress may be leading to poorer
tertiary education outcomes for New Zealand’s future leaders.

Life as a student is harder than people think. My parents' peers tell me university was the
best time of their life. But I am in much more debt than they were due to studying, and the
debt I am taking out is not even enough to cover my living costs. Additionally, I am living in
worse quality housing and have been isolated from my community due to COVID. The
'student experience' I got was not the one society sold to me.
Many of the issues identified in this report existed before COVID 19. If anything, the
pandemic made them worse. Our findings highlight the need to rethink student loan living
costs and allowance policy settings, and work with education and student accommodation
providers to improve and protect student wellbeing.

The key issues outlined below are described more comprehensively in this report. Where
there is a notable difference in response by ethnicity, gender, or another sample subgroup
(such as students in shared flats) this is noted.

The gap between income and cost of living is causing students anxiety and distress
Many students feel that the government and people who were in tertiary education some
time ago either do not care or do not understand just how hard it is for students these
days to get by while doing their best to succeed. The struggle to make ends meet while
seeing debt mount up is a cause of significant anxiety and distress for many. Data allowing
comparison to the total adult population shows those in study or training are much more
likely to have ‘not enough money’ and ‘only just enough money’ to meet everyday needs1.

Aspects of student allowance policy are considered unfair and inequitable

Respondents are frustrated by some student allowance entitlement settings: in particular,
parent and partner income testing, graduate student ineligibility, reducing student
allowance payments if they earn “too much” in their part-time jobs, and eligibility age limits.

1
Wellbeing statistics: June 2020 quarter | Stats NZ accessed 21 June 2022.

5
These settings are contributing to students dropping out of their courses, reducing the
amount of time they put into their studies, and forcing students into debt to make ends
meet.

Most respondents (60%) are not, and sometimes cannot be, supported by their parents,
including parents with an income over the student allowance entitlement limit. Pasifika and
Māori are most likely to not be financially supported by their parents (75% and 70%
respectively).

Some students noted they need a postgraduate degree to gain registration for professional
practice in their fields (including some medical and health science students). These
students noted they are not entitled to a student allowance while undertaking their
postgraduate study. Furthermore, some students noted they are required to work in public
hospitals as part of their course without pay, yet trades apprentices get paid.

Students who rent a shared flat spend over half their income on their
accommodation, yet many report poor living conditions
On average across all respondents living in a shared flat, rent was $234 per week and 56%
of their weekly income. Spending up to 30% of one’s income on housing is recognised
internationally and by the New Zealand Government as the marker of housing
affordability2.

One in six students (14%) living in a shared flat said their housing did not meet their needs.
The most common unprompted reasons why housing did not meet their needs, were:

 Cold and poor insulation

 Damp and mould.

 Crowding and noise

 Lack of maintenance

 Poor or faulty appliances, fixtures and fittings.

Many said they did not or could not move somewhere better for lack of options or high
prices.

About three-quarters of renters are uncomfortable raising issues with their landlord or the
Tenancy Tribunal due to fear of their rent going up or being forced out of their
accommodation. These issues leave many feeling trapped.

2
Parliament TV On Demand - Parliament On Demand Minister Woods speaking in the House on
housing affordability. Accessed 22 June.

6
Large majorities would support a Rental Warrant of Fitness (82%) and Rent Controls (91%).

Students often go without food, health care, clothing and other necessities
About two-thirds of students regularly do not have enough money to buy food, clothing,
pay bills, get the health care they need or other basics. Disabled students, Māori and
Pasifika students were most likely to be in that position.

To help make ends meet, students said they would:

 Go without until more money comes in

 Borrow money from family or friends, student loans, “pay-day” loans or credit cards

 Draw down on savings stashed away over the summer break

 Not pay bills on time or use payment plans

 Take on extra shifts at work instead of attending class or studying.

Two-thirds of the respondents have been in a position where they couldn’t pay for
transport or the costs of running a vehicle. A large majority of all respondents – 91% - said
they would use public transport “more” if it was free, and 70% said they would go to
campus more often.

Just over half the respondents felt supported by their institution’s COVID 19 response
A small majority of students (58%) felt supported by their education provider’s response to
COVID 19. Disabled students (52%) were less likely to say they felt supported than students
who were not disabled (60%).

Some respondents noted individual lecturers and teachers showed concern and did what
they could do to help but felt the institution-wide response was poor.

There was considerable frustration and anger amongst those who were required to pay full
fees, despite being unable to access equipment and facilities and it being harder to get
time with or help from tutors and lecturers.

When students and staff were allowed to return to campus, respondents with health
conditions that made them particularly vulnerable to COVID 19 felt put at risk by their
institution’s COVID 19 protection measures.

Students who felt unsupported or uncomfortable with their provider’s response said this
was because:

 They felt there was a disregard for student stress and circumstance, including when
students were unwell or when they were providing support to others who were
unwell

7
  Students were disallowed a grade-bump, despite significant disruption to their
studies due to circumstances outside of their control

 Their institution’s policies or processes, including infection control, seemed unclear

or poorly disorganised

 Health care and support was inaccessible, particularly mental health services.

Amongst students living in student accommodation, just as many felt supported as

unsupported by their provider’s response to COVID 19
About half of the respondents living in student accommodation felt supported by their
provider’s response to COVID 19. Slightly fewer disabled students felt supported (48%
compared to 51%).

Reasons why respondents did not feel supported were:

 Poor internet, causing disruption to classes and communication with loved ones

 Limited or no interaction with Resident Assistants or opportunities to have time out

of bedrooms during lockdowns

 Poor infection control and limited opportunities to exercise, dine or interact in

“bubbles”

 Poor protection or support for mental wellbeing.

Most students reported a decline in mental wellbeing during the COVID 19 pandemic
Just over two-thirds (69%) of respondents reported poorer mental wellbeing during the
pandemic and some said this negatively impacted their studies. The respondents said this
was caused by:
 Isolation from family, friends and social settings

 It becoming increasingly difficult to get health care and support, especially for
mental health

 Lingering and persistent shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, difficulty concentrating,

and other symptoms associated with COVID 19

 Worry about contracting COVID and/or its social and economic impacts

 Feeling stressed trying to balance work and study commitments while recovering
from being unwell and/or caring for unwell others

 Lack of support.

Recommendations
Given these findings, we make the following recommendations:

8
 1. Help students meet their day-to-day costs of living and relieve the burden of longer-
term debt, by:
a. Making student allowances open to all (scrap parent and partner income
testing, exclusion of graduate students, and age limits)
b. Lifting the student allowance payments to match the cost of living and meet
the needs of different equity groups
c. Stop basing the amount of allowance students are entitled to based on how
much they earn in their part-time employment.
2. Work with tertiary education and student accommodation providers to embed the
Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Students Code of Practice 2021
3. Improve the accessibility and capacity of student mental health services
4. Make public transport free for tertiary students
5. Progress the Rental Warrant of Fitness and Rent Control proposals.

Adopting these recommendations will alleviate student financial hardship, reduce the
growing burden of student debt, alleviate high rates of stress and anxiety, and help them
succeed in their studies.

9
Who we heard from
The demographic profile of the sample is compared to Education Counts tertiary student
population statistics3 for 2021 to assess how closely the Inquiry’s sample represents the
student body. The comparison shows the sample is diverse, although short of international
students and students outside of the universities.

Throughout the report we say whether the results apply across the sample or to only a
subset of the sample.

Tertiary institute

Comparing the sample to the wider student body shows that Victoria University of
Wellington, University of Auckland, University of Otago and Massey University are over-
represented. Except for Ara Institute of Canterbury, Te Pūkenga is under-represented. The
table only indicates education providers represented by more than 1% of the Inquiry’s
sample.

Institute n Proportion Proportion

of sample of total
student
body
Victoria University of Wellington 1004 22% 7%
University of Auckland 956 21% 14%
University of Otago 623 14% 7%
Massey University 478 10% 7%
AUT 370 8% 8%
University of Canterbury 366 8% 6%
University or Waikato 226 5% 4%
Ara Institute of Canterbury 116 3% 3%
Other* 480 10% 44%
TOTAL** 4619 100% 100%

*Including UNITEC, Otago Polytechnic, WelTec/Whitireia, Lincoln University, Waikato Institute of

Technology, Manukau Institute of Technology, The Open Polytechnic of NZ, Te Wananga o Aotearoa,
Southern Institute of Technology, Eastern Institute of Technology, Nelson Marlborough Institute of

3
Tertiary Participation | Education Counts accessed 30 May 2022.

10
Technology, Wintec, UCOL - Universal College of Learning, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology,
NorthTec, Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki, Bay of Plenty
Polytechnic, Industry Training Organisations, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, Tai
Poutini Polytechnic, Taranaki Polytechnic, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, Tai Poutini
Polytechnic.

** Some respondents were enrolled with two education providers hence the number of students at
these tertiary providers adds up to more than 4,593 (i.e. the number of people we heard from).

Towns and cities

A third of respondents (33%) live in Auckland which is similar to Auckland’s share of New
Zealand’s population. Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch and Hamilton have returned more
respondents than their share of the New Zealand population but this is to be expected
given they are major education hubs.

City n Proportion Proportion

of sample of NZ
population

Auckland 1519 33% 31%

Wellington 1192 26% 10%
Dunedin 586 13% 3%
Christchurch 541 12% 8%
Hamilton 237 5% 3%
Palmerston North 107 2% 2%
Other 196 4% 43%
TOTAL 4593 100% 100%

Ethnicity

Māori, Asian and Pasifika students are under-represented, and Pākehā and people of other
ethnicities are over-represented.

Ethnicity n Proportion Proportion

of sample of total
student
body
Pākehā 3495 70% 56%
Māori 662 13% 18%

11
 Asian 333 7% 25%
Pasifika 179 4% 9%
Other 198 19% 6%
TOTAL* 5004 113% 114%

* Some respondents selected more than one ethnicity.

Connection to marae

The 662 students who identified as Māori were asked if they are connected to a marae on
campus. Overall, 22% of Māori respondents were connected to a marae on campus.

Are you connected to a marae on n %

campus?
Yes 146 22
No 391 59
There is no marae on campus 72 11
I don’t know if there is one 48 7
TOTAL 657 99%

Membership of a student union

The respondents were asked if they belong to a student union. Overall, 23% of respondents
said they were a member of a student union. Membership varied considerably by
education provider, ranging from 37% at Victoria University of Wellington to 11% at Massey
University and AUT. Note the survey was promoted through some student unions which
may lead to an over-sampling of those unions’ and providers’ members in the survey
sample.

Student union membership Yes (%) No (%) Unsure (%) Total (%)
Victoria University of Wellington 37% 35% 28% 100
University of Auckland 19% 60% 22% 100
University of Otago 33% 35% 32% 100
Massey University 11% 66% 23% 100
AUT 11% 74% 14% 100
University of Canterbury 29% 38% 33% 100
University or Waikato 36% 42% 23% 100

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 Sub-total 26% 49% 25% 100
Other institutes 5% 76% 20% 100
TOTAL 23% 52% 25% 100

Gender

In terms of gender, 69% are women, 23% are men, 8% are another gender. Education
Counts4 statistics only included “males” and “females” in their student body demographics.

Gender n Proportion Proportion

of sample of total
student
body
Woman 3152 69% 60%
Man 1058 23% 40%
Another gender 353 8% Unknown
TOTAL 4,563 100% 100%

Disability

One quarter (25%) have a disability which is about three times the proportion of tertiary
students with a disability as reported by Education Counts (8%)5, but the same as the wider
New Zealand population as reported by the Office for Disability Issues6. The survey was
promoted through NDSA7 social media, which may have led to the high level of response
from disabled students.

International students

Less than 1% of the sample are international students (n=36). This is much lower than the
number of international students in 2021 (11%).

4
Tertiary Participation | Education Counts accessed 30 May 2022.
5
Domestic equivalent full-time student units (EFTS) by disability status and selected characteristics
https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/tertiary-participation accessed 22 June 2021.
6
Key facts about disability in New Zealand - Office for Disability Issues (odi.govt.nz)
7
National Disabled Students’ Association

13
14
Tertiary students in New
Zealand: background
The tertiary student population

Education Counts8 data shows that the overall number of students enrolled at tertiary
providers in 2021 was 397,785. The student population dropped in 2019 and 2020 during
the Covid 19 pandemic (to a low of 380,090 in 2020) but-rebounded in 2021 to slightly
higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Domestic student numbers increased by 9.0% from 2020 to 358,890 in 2021, whereas the
number of international student numbers remained significantly down (by a third) on pre-
pandemic levels in 2021 at 39,005.

All ethnic groups saw an increase in enrolments for domestic students. Asian and Pacific
Peoples saw the highest percentage increases (14.6 percent and 9.9 percent respectively),
while Māori and European groups showed lower percentage increases (7.9 percent and 8.8
percent respectively).

Student loan and student allowance

In 2020/21, 148,905 students borrowed from the government’s loan scheme, with
borrowing averaging $10,479 per year. In 2020/21, the average loan balance was $23,3079.

As of March 2022, 117,009 students received student support10. The amount of payment a
student is entitled to under the Student Allowance scheme varies depending on
circumstance (e.g., if a student is living with an earning partner they are entitled to about
$80 less per week than is shown below, and if the student has a dependent child they are
entitled to about double what is shown below). The table shows entitlement for a single

8
Tertiary Participation. Education Counts, 2022. Accessed 24 May 2022.
https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/tertiary-participation#:~:text=Total%20participation-
,The%20overall%20number%20of%20students%20enrolled%20in%20formal%20study%20at,in%202
021%20than%20in%202020. This includes universities, Te Pūkenga, wānanga and government-
funded private training establishments.
9
A Case For Cancelling Student Debt | Newsroom accessed 3 June 2021.
10
https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-
resources/statistics/studylink/mar-22-student-allowance-and-student-loan/student-support-update-
january-to-march-2022.pdf. Accessed 30 May 2022.

15
student without dependent children (after tax).

Under 24 years, at home – up to $240.19

Under 24 years, away from home – up to $279.97
Independent circumstances $279.97
24 years or over, at home $272.00
24 years or over, away from home $319.74

Comparing the student allowance payments in 2021 to what was available in 1999 shows
that amount paid has not kept pace with the increased costs of living. In 1999, the average
amount of student allowance paid to each student was $4,420. In 2021, it was $6,641.
Adjusted for inflation, the 1999 value equates to approximately $8265 in 2021. This means
students in 2021 were about $1600 worse off than their counterparts in 199911.

Student allowances are not available for all students. Prior to the elections in 2017, the
Labour Party promised12 to restore the student allowance for postgraduate students. It
would also phase in a policy of three years of free tertiary study, starting with one free year
in 2018 and extending to three years by 2024. Currently, the only promise the Labour
government has delivered on is the one free year of tertiary education.

Student accommodation

An Inquiry into Student Accommodation was commissioned by the Government in June

2020 after the sometimes poor and inconsistent treatment of students by halls of
residence across Aotearoa New Zealand during lockdown. The Government noted that, for
an unknown period of time, students in student accommodation have faced difficulties and
a lack of support in a sector being increasingly exposed as under-regulated and unfit for
purpose13. The Education and Workforce Committee noted that COVID-19 hadn’t created
the issues facing students living in student accommodation, but exacerbated them. The
issues were exposed through media reporting and advocacy of students’ associations, local

11
Chloe Swarbrick: No, debt is not a rite of passage for tertiary education - New Zealand -
nzherald.co.nz (topnews.media)
12
What Labour promised, but will they deliver? | Newshub. Accessed 1 June 2022.
13
Inquiry into student accommodation, Education and Workforce Committee, 2020. Accessed 24
May 2022. https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-
submission/document/52SCEW_SCF_INQ_98038/Enquiry-into-student-accommodation

16
and central Government politicians14.

The Inquiry focused on both the experience of students during the COVID-19 lockdown,
and during normal semesters. It received 148 written submissions, 30 oral submissions and
advice from a variety of sources, including students, student associations, owners and
operators of student accommodation, and tertiary education providers. After considering
the submissions, the committee members all agreed that there is room for improvement
and made recommendations to the Government. Following the Inquiry, The Pastoral Care
Code was introduced which came into effect on 1 January 2022 to develop a system of
supports for the wellbeing and safety of domestic tertiary and international learners,
through one set of clear rules and expectations for providers that can be tailored to their
learners’ needs15. Providers are expected to:

● build capacity across their organisation to engage and empower learners to manage
their own wellbeing
● proactively identify and respond to learners who may face additional challenges as
early as possible and tailor extra support to meet their needs.
● respond effectively in an emergency.

The COVID 19 Hardship Fund

An open letter16 to Minister Hipkins in September 2021 from the National Disabled
Students Association, Te Mana Ākonga, NZUSA and Tauira Pasifika noted that forty-nine
students’ associations, councils, and organisations released their National Student Action
Plan on COVID-1917 in August 2021. The Action Plan was designed to ensure the wellbeing
of tertiary students was front of mind in Government decision-making about COVID 19. The
Action Plan had three key “asks” of the Government:

14
Ibid.
15
New code of practice for the pastoral care of tertiary and international learners, Ministry of
Education, 16 July 2021. Accessed 24 May 2022. https://www.education.govt.nz/news/new-code-of-
practice-for-the-pastoral-care-of-tertiary-and-international-
learners/#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20Government%20released%20a,%2C%20phone%20calls%2C
%20and%20hui.
16
Student Support During COVID 19, 2021. National Disabled Students Association, Te Mana
Ākonga, NZUSA and Tauira Pasifika
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f0515b1b1a21014b5d22dd6/t/61414c70b7fbd16f3de6811a
/1631669360546/Open-Letter-for-Minister-Hipkins-Student-Support-During-COVID-19.pdf
17
National Student Action Plan on COVID-19, New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations, August
2021.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f0515b1b1a21014b5d22dd6/t/5fa3c054889f954d1971600b
/1604567126623/National+Student+Action+Plan+010420.pdf

17
  extend income support from StudyLink to all domestic students as a temporary
Universal Education Income

 significantly increase resources allocated to the COVID-19 Hardship Fund to ensure

that all students have the financial support they need to make it through lockdown

 increase the mental health support for tertiary students and young people, in a
period where poor mental health is exacerbated by social isolation and uncertainty.

In the letter, the Student Associations note that “only one of these calls has been answered
– in the form of a $20 million increase in the Hardship Fund for Learners”. The Associations
said “this simply isn’t enough on its own. An ambulance at the bottom of the cliff doesn’t
solve the significant financial difficulties tens of thousands of our students are facing across
Aotearoa”.

Student mental wellbeing

Back in 2018, the New Zealand Union of Student Associations conducted a survey of
tertiary students’ mental wellbeing18. The survey canvassed a wide range of factors. We only
provide a snapshot of the results here that align with the themes of the Student Inquiry
survey in the interests of brevity.

The results showed that students commonly experience moderate levels of psychological
distress. Students who considered dropping out of their tertiary studies showed
significantly higher scores (i.e., more distress). The most common reasons for considering
dropping out were feeling overwhelmed, mental illness and fear of failure.

It was also found that tertiary students in paid work a high number of hours per week (20.1
to 30 hours) were more likely to have higher levels of psychological distress than those who
had less than 10 hours paid employment. How students feel about their financial situation
has a strong impact on psychological distress. Those who felt better about their financial
situation had significantly lower levels of stress, depression and anxiety.

Those who live with their partner or friends showed less distress than those who lived with
parents, relatives or strangers. Living in a hall of residence by itself was not associated with
more or less distress. Satisfaction with living situations was strongly correlated to level of
distress – the more satisfied with one’s living situation, the less psychological distress one

18
Kei to Pai? Report on Student Mental Health in Aotearoa. New Zealand Union of Student
Associations, 2018. https://gallery.mailchimp.com/b109fde7924adea2d9afaa28d/files/3d3cdb2b-
c0ef-4191-847e-3f32b0bf21eb/Kei_Te_Pai_Report_on_Student_Mental_Health.pdf . 1,762 tertiary
students took part in the survey, the majority of participants being 16 to 25 years old, Pākehā or New
Zealand Europeans and Māori.

18
has.

Feeling lonely, eating habits, adjusting and coping with university/student life and academic
anxiety were the most commonly reported factors that trigger depression, stress and
anxiety. Friends and social networks, family issues and/or responsibilities as well as financial
difficulties were the next most triggering factors, followed by social media and internet use.

Stress, anxiety, a lack of energy or motivation, depression, and feelings of hopelessness/

worthlessness were the most common self-diagnosed issues. However, regarding diagnosis
by a health professional, depression and anxiety were reported as the most common
issues by respondents.

More than half of the respondents reported that they have never used mental health
services at their tertiary institutions, and less than 10% mentioned they were using campus
mental health services at the time of the survey. Most respondents tried to feel better by
themselves or talked to a friend or family member when they were experiencing
depression, stress and anxiety. They also commonly reported feeling embarrassed to seek
help, high costs and long wait times.

Improving counselling services was by far ranked as the first action respondents required
their tertiary intuitions to act upon. Increasing the number of counsellors in order to
decrease the wait times was commonly mentioned by respondents. In addition, training
general and academic staff, and providing and supporting student peer groups and
services were the next highly ranked action points. Peer-support programmes were not
seen to be a good substitute to counselling services, but they could be a suitable addition.

This inquiry into student wellbeing finds the student body were facing similar issues in
2022.

Housing and income

In August 2020, Stuff reported19 that the average weekly rent for a tertiary student in the
capital was $215-$225. At the time, Victoria University’s cost calculator recommended
students set aside $245 to rent a room in a flat and the student loan living costs portion
lent students up to $239.76 a week. International students visa restrictions’ limit them to 20
hours paid work a week during the academic year. Education Minister Chris Hipkins
acknowledged there were affordability issues for students, but any further changes would

19
Wellington students call for better support for students living in the capital in the midst of a
housing crisis. Laura Wiltshire, 18 Jan 2021. Accessed 24 May 2022.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/123959056/wellington-students-call-for-better-support-
for-student-living-with-capital-in-midst-of-housing-crisis

19
need to be considered alongside other priorities for tertiary education, and wider
government commitments.

New Zealand Herald reported that Finance and Strategy Officer at Otago University, Emily
Fau-Goodwin, said she's now seeing the hours students are spending at work increasing20.
"I think in terms of students struggling, obviously rent rises everywhere. But it is also having
an impact on food - how people feed themselves week to week and what kind of things
they're eating. "There is less focus on trying to be healthy and more focus on "can we get
enough to feed ourselves and the flat?"

A study exploring people’s experience of renting in New Zealand reported that in the 2013
Census, 1 in every 100 people paid more than 50 percent of their income on rent21. In 2017
it was a rapidly growing problem. Many of the 610 renters who participated in the study
were paying 50% of their income on rent but even so were living “in dilapidated houses,
overcrowded houses, houses where there is no privacy or security of tenure”. Their report
describes how quality of housing affects quality of life, how people feel powerless to
challenge landlords, and how people struggle to create a stable home.

The Student Inquiry survey shows that the cost of living, especially rent and food, is a major
drain on student finances. The data suggests, as maybe expected, if anything, it’s getting
worse. The consumers price index (a measure of inflation for New Zealand households
which records changes in the price of goods and services) showed a +6.9% change in the
year to March 202222.

Shift to online learning

New Zealand universities began responding to the global COVID-19 pandemic from January
2020. The moves to Alert Level 3 and 4 in March 2020 meant they needed to take a wider
range of measures, including moving classes online, which worked well for some students.
However, universities have recognised that a great deal would be learnt from their
responses to the pandemic and agreed a scope for a ‘Good Practice Assessment’ to help
capture practices and collectively develop lessons for the future23.

20
Cost of living: Students going without to make ends meet. Georgia O’Connor-Harding, 30 Mar
2022. Accessed 24 May 2022. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cost-of-living-students-going-without-
to-make-ends-meet/4PNYEJNJZRV6A5I7EZDHTWKZQM/
21
The People’s Review of Renting. Renters United and Action Station, 2017.
22
Consumer Price Index (CPI). StatsNZ. Accessed 24 May 2022.
https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/consumers-price-index-cpi
23
Good Practice Assessment of Online Teaching in Universities in Aotearoa New Zealand during the
COVID-19 Pandemic and Lessons for the Future, Academic Quality Agency, 2022. Accessed 24 May

20
A qualitative study explored the impact of COVID-19 on the education and employment
prospects of young people in Auckland24. High school and university learners consistently
reported difficulties with the transition to online learning. Rates of attendance, completion
and achievement were amplified by inequities, where those with inadequate access to
digital devices, connectivity, or challenging home environments were less able to participate
in online learning.

Likewise, students at the University of Canterbury have indicated a clear desire for
structured, in-person delivery of education, for reasons including the ability to gain rapid
feedback from lecturers was missed, as was social interaction and informal learning among
peers25. There is further research underway about student experience of the shift to
“emergency remote learning and teaching during the pandemic”26. The results of this
research will be published soon.

A holistic assessment of the impact of COVID 19 on students

Research released in November 2020 showed the impact of COVID 19 on Māori students in
Te Pūkenga, Industry Training Organisations, and Private Training Establishments27. For the
sake of brevity, we only provide a summary of the results for students at private training
establishments because the impacts on students at Te Pūkenga and in ITOs were broadly
the similar:

 The shift to online learning did not serve many students well – only 71% were able
to continue their studies during lockdown. Furthermore, 18% did not have access to
a laptop or computer, another 22% had to share their device with someone else,
and 19% did not have a reliable internet connection.

 On the employment front, 7% lost their jobs during lockdown and another 9% had
their hours reduced. Although 33% of respondents reported they were comfortable
with their financial situation, 40% said they were stressed about it.

2022. https://www.aqa.ac.nz/node/369
24
COVID-19 and Auckland’s Youth Workforce, Martin Jenkins 2021.
https://www.aucklandnz.com/sites/build_auckland/files/media-library/documents/Impact-COVID-19-
Auckland-Youth-Workforce-Research.pdf

25
Student experiences of online learning due to COVID-19: The social and educational role of the
on-campus learning experience. Jenny Clarke and Deborah Munro, New Zealand Annual Review of
Education, 2020. Accessed 24 May 2022. https://ojs.victoria.ac.nz/nzaroe/article/view/6928/6078
26
Report: University students online learning experiences in COVID-times. Brown, C., Datt, A., Forbes,
D., Gedera, D., & Hartnett, M., 2021. https://studentonlinelearningexperiences.wordpress.com/
27
Reports by Te Mana Ākonga reveal the impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on Māori tertiary
students. Te Mana Ākonga in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, 2020.
https://www.temanaakonga.org.nz/nga-puka

21
 On the social front, 43% felt disconnected from society, and a significant proportion
(39%) reported that on most days, they had little to no social interactions. 65%
reported that they could connect well with whanau, however, 15% reported they
could not. The majority (72%) noted they felt supported by their bubble.

 Many respondents (36%) reported feeling happier during lockdown. However, 37%
reported feeling lonelier, 46% said they felt more stressed during lockdown, and
41% reported feeling more anxious. Almost half (43%) reported they were able to
uphold their tikanga.

22
Results
The Inquiry reinforces what the research and advocacy has told us about how things are for
students and, if anything, suggests that things are becoming even more difficult, especially
in terms of the mismatch between student income and the cost-of-living, and students’
mental wellbeing.

The gap between income and cost of living is causing students anxiety
and distress
Most students undertake paid employment on top of their study, including 68% of full-time
students and 87% of part-time students. Working while studying is not an issue when it
does not encroach on time needed for study. But when students need to work longer
hours to make ends meet at the expense of study time it becomes a problem.

Table 1, below, shows that disabled students are much less likely than people who are not
disabled to say they spend as much time studying as they would like. Men are much more
likely than women and people with another gender to say they spend as much time
studying as they would like. This may be because fewer men are in paid employment and
those that are, tend to work fewer hours (see Chart 1). Across the sample, 28% of men are
in paid employment (n=296), compared with 34% of women (n=1071) and 30% of people
with another gender (n=116).

Table 1: Do you spend as much time attending classes and studying as you would
like?
Yes % No % Total
Full-time students 38% 62% 3786
Part-time students 27% 73% 767
Men 47% 53% 1052
Women 32% 68% 3121
Another gender 39% 61% 381
Not disabled 39% 61% 3362
Disabled 28% 72% 1093
Total sample 36% 64% 4553

Students living in the most expensive housing markets (Auckland and Wellington) were

23
more likely to have paid employment than students living in less expensive centres
(Dunedin, Palmerston North). Likewise, students living in rental accommodation were more
likely to have paid employment (75%) than students not renting (65%).

I have had to start working. This has negatively impacted my studies. I have had to move
flats multiple times when the landlord has raised prices that I cannot pay. Moving
constantly has been a very large stress in my life.
I thought student allowance was made so that students don't have to work and study at
the same time. However, I still have to work as I can't afford anything even with the amount
I'm given.

Chart 1: Hours in paid employment per week by gender

20%
18%
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
Less than 5 6 to 10 11 to 15 16 to 20 21 to 25 26 to 30 31 to 35 36 to 40 More than
40

Women Men Another gender

24
Steve’s story
Being a parent/student, it's been real tough. I'm constantly
balancing my time between engaging with the content of the
course and being a dad. Each of these are full time jobs, and with
home-learning, it's all out the window. I get a lot of help from
friends and family but I've got to actively remind myself I'm not
being a burden to them. Despite the fact I'm working hard to learn
and upskill, I still somehow feel less worthy than when I was
working full time in a corporate job I hated. The simple fact that I'm
able to study full time is because I've managed to receive as much
of a student allowance as I'm eligible for. This is a privilege, but it
took a lot of time to figure everything out. It was frustrating how
hard it was to get support that I'm eligible for.

When I'm actually able to pick up spare shifts at work to make a bit
of extra money, StudyLink removes that exact amount from my
allowance if it breaches a certain amount per week. Serious change
is absolutely needed. It’s not like we are rolling around in money -
we go without good food sometimes and often put off medical and
dental and do without new clothes. Having so much of my income
going to a landlord means I'm focussed on survival rather than
future planning. This directly impacts my stress levels which are
already high due to studying and parenting.

I’m trying my best to maintain positive mental health of me and my

kid, while trying to keep her safe, keep on top of schoolwork, stay
safe at work/keep my staff safe (hospitality). All the while knowing
that the bills and expenses are gonna keep rolling in. It's bloody
tough trying to learn and better yourself while also having to
struggle constantly. I’ve found it so hard, and I live with a fair bit of
privilege so I can only imagine how hard it is for students from
marginalized groups/communities.

25
Many felt that the Government and people who were in tertiary education some time ago
do not seem to care or understand how hard it is for students to get by while doing their
best to succeed. Data from Stats NZ shows that, compared to the total adult population,
people in study or training are twice as likely to have ‘not enough money’ to meet everyday
needs (12.9% compared to 6.4%), and much more likely to have ‘only just enough money’ to
meet every day needs (35.4% compared to 23.2%).28

I've noticed a lot of people who've been through tertiary study a while ago say things like, "I
did it, so why can't you?" They forget to mention that the cost of housing and living has
gone up. It's draining to be in class from 9-5 and then have to work the nightshift, or to
lose your weekends to earn minimum wage.
My landlord is actually great, he has said he won't increase our rent for the last 3 years (he
is one of the outliers). But this leaves me in a position where I have been unable to leave my
current flatting situation because everywhere else is too expensive. My flatmates haven't
been great, and it's affected my mental health but I can't afford to leave until after I
graduate.

28
Wellbeing statistics: June 2020 quarter | Stats NZ

26
Steph’s story
I graduated at the end of 2021. I literally only survived by
borrowing money from my parents and the Government. Rents
have gone up exponentially in the 3 years since I started my
degree but my student loan weekly borrowing has remained
capped. I've had to move into progressively poorer quality housing
as flats have been sold from under us and new owners either
move in or hike the rent.

The flat we’re in now is cold and damp. I take immunosuppressive

medication for my autoimmune disease, so I'm more at risk of
infections. I have managed to avoid catching COVID so far by
staying home more than I otherwise would - I'm not so afraid of
the initial COVID infection but I'm terrified of "Long COVID".

The lifetime of the student allowance being cut from 200 weeks to
120 weeks at age 40 is age discrimination. I have gone back to
University to train as a nurse at age 39 and as soon as I turned 40 I
no longer qualified for an allowance so racked up 15k of student
loan JUST BECAUSE OF MY AGE! It's a massive disincentive to re-
train and I would not have commenced my Bachelor of Nursing if I
had realised the age was reassessed each year - I thought by
starting my degree before I turned 40, I would be eligible for the
full 3 years. It's not right to punish older students who are
changing careers - it makes no sense. I rely on my retired parents
to help me with the expectation I'll help them out after I graduate
and get full time work.

27
Aspects of student allowance policy are considered unfair and
inequitable
Many respondents said the policy settings determining how the Government supports
students were considered to be unfair, inequitable and hard to understand.

I'm from a country where tertiary education is free for up to 7 years and it makes a huge
difference in people's lives. My childhood best friend has finished university with a Master
degree (which is the same level I hope to finish at in a year or so) and she has no debt, so
she's immediately saving up for a house deposit after getting her first full-time job. By the
time I finish university, I will have about $100 000 of debt and a slew of mental and
physical health issues to boot. New Zealand is not doing well when it comes to the tertiary
sector. Students are exhausted, live in poverty and feel unheard and ignored.

Some students were worse off moving off Jobseeker Support into tertiary education.

Before studying I was receiving more support while on the unemployment benefit and while
I 100% agree with government support schemes I think this is a bit ridiculous!
As an unemployed person, I received a benefit whereas to retrain I am required to go into
further debt, while trying to manage on $250 a week. I have no hope of seeing a doctor or
dentist, I never go out, I haven't had a holiday in over 10 years. I feel the system should be
fair and that the random age of 40, a time of life when many people, especially women
who have cared for families, need retraining, should be abolished.
When I became a student, I transferred from job seekers to student allowance and faced a
$50 drop in income alongside a $35 increase in expenses due to having to travel and
prepare meals while on campus, it's unfair that students receive so much less than
beneficiary when they generally have higher expenses.

Pegging student allowance entitlement to parent and partner income was considered not
only unfair, but also out-of-step with many students’ and families’ realities.

I am Māori. I returned to study (my second degree) to reclaim te reo Māori for my whānau
and marae (we have few speakers. Our paepae is silent). My course is full time, face to face,
9-3pm Monday - Thursday. I work HARD. … It's messed up that student allowance support is
based on your partner's income. It facilitates financial abuse for many. I had to move in with
my partner because it was cheaper (but still expensive) to do so than live apart. We have been
together only 1 year and suddenly her income means I don't qualify for an allowance. What
about my autonomy? She doesn't earn enough to pay for us both. I think it's humiliating to
have to borrow money from the Government in order to reclaim the language that was
beaten from my tūpuna. And yet, the Government wants more reo speakers. They just don't
want to support us to get there. They want us when we're all shiny and make them look
good.

28
Sela’s story
I stay with my grandmother right now, to look after her but also
because the house that my parents own is too small and my dad
was the only one working up until a few weeks ago and supporting
7 mouths to feed. They barely have enough money to feed my
siblings and I after the automatic payments have gone out. And at
times they have had to stop paying bills for a week just so they
have money for dinner. The free lunches have been a massive help
for my parents but with the impact of COVID and my parents
always helping out other family members despite their struggles
they will always do everything with an open heart.

The cost of living has separated me from my parents and siblings,

it's taken a toll on my mental health, there are some nights when
all my family had to eat was rice and a can of fish. They’ve had to
put off having a plumber in the house to fix the toilet because it's
too expensive, can't afford to fix the hole in the shower floor which
you can see under the house, and haven’t been able to pay school
fees. My parents go to work without breakfast and lunch because
they want us kids to have enough food to eat. We’re not able to buy
new clothes so we just get hand me downs from cousins.

Thanks for taking the time to listen to my story, hopefully this

change that you are trying to implement goes ahead. Even though
my family and I are struggling there will always be people who are
going through worse. This is a touchy subject but one that needs to
be talked about in order for change to happen. University is very
dear and important to me and my family. I’d spend 50-60 hours on
classes and study each week.

29
Many families with an income above the threshold still struggled to make ends meet so
needed their ‘children’ to contribute financially to help the family make ends meet. Other
respondents were estranged from one or both of their parents. This meant most students
– even those with parents earning above the threshold – were not financially supported by
their family. As shown in the table below, only 40% of students are supported financially by
their family, dropping to 25% of Pasifika students and 30% of Māori students.

A lot of students don’t have the luxury of living with their parents while studying and the
rent prices, especially in Auckland (as well as the cost of living) makes it incredibly difficult
to put the time necessary into school rather than focusing on work.

Table 2: Do you have family or whānau who support you financially in your study?
Yes % No % Total
Māori 30% 70% 656
NZ European / Pākehā 41% 59% 3507
Pasifika 25% 75% 127
Asian 48% 52% 328
International 67% 33% 36
Women 38% 62% 3139
Men 45% 55% 1055
Another gender 43% 57% 385
Total sample 40% 60% 4566

Graduate students frequently mentioned their ineligibility for a student allowance and the
Labour government’s re-neg on their election promise.

One thing that I’m experiencing as a student to report is that I want to study a Master of
Counselling so I can help fill the gap of therapists in NZ but there’s no postgraduate student
allowance. ... I want to be a therapist and I’m so passionate about mental health, but I
actually can’t do the job I know would help so many people. There need to be more queer
disabled therapists, but the study is entirely inaccessible

30
 Charlie’s story
I'm a trans disabled student attempting University to feel more control
over my life and find interest in things that I can do while being
chronically ill. I didn't expect it to be so expensive. My rent is over half
my income. I sometimes don’t get to buy other necessities or eat the
food I need due to the cost. I actually go without fresh fruit and vege a
lot. If there is a sudden bill, the money will come out of my food money
which means I will skip meals but if it is an emergency, I'll try contact a
family member for help. Even if I were comfortable studying full time, I
would get less money from StudyLink than I do now, as I'm on the job
seekers benefit with medical exemption

While money was given freely to businesses, zero funds were given to students - instead, we
were given the opportunity to go $1000 extra into debt, if we so chose. Next lockdown, we
didn't even get this as an option. It was a bit of a slap in the face, especially from the
Government that campaigned on re-establishing postgraduate student allowance and then
reneged on this once they were elected (and don't even get me started on student allowance
being taxed, and the insanity of having to declare any additional job income as secondary
income).

Health care students were frustrated that, while working for publicly funded health services
as part of their study, they did not get paid, whereas trades-apprentices do get paid.

Placements as a nursing student are brutal. 40 hours a week plus a full-time portfolio to
complete. Essentially working for free.
I'm a student midwife - the type of student we most desperately need right now, an
essential health care worker. Apprentices get paid for training, but I'm supposed to cough
up $11-12k per year for 3 years to qualify as a midwife? And work unpaid hospital shifts?
Postgrads need money. Psychology students need scholarships so we can carry on to
become registered psychologists as there is a big shortage

Students who rent a shared flat spend over half their income on their
accommodation, yet many report poor living conditions

31
About 1 in 7 students in renting a flat (14%) said their housing does not meet their needs
(‘not at all’ or ‘not really’ (d= .333, p<0.001). The most common reasons they gave for
housing not meeting their needs were29:

● Cold and poorly insulated

● Damp and mouldy
● Crowded and noisy (living with a lot of people to help pay the rent)
● Poorly maintained
● Had poor quality or unusable appliances, such as stoves.

Doesn’t meet healthy homes standards, but it’s all I can afford (mouldy, almost broken
stove, windows that don’t close).
It's a really old, cold, damp house with floorboards all on a lean or broken and I get
respiratory illnesses a lot so it's not ideal living in a place like this even though it's nice to be
somewhere quiet and spacious for once.
I can't afford to move out, so I'm stuck in an unheated room that freezes in the winter.
However, I'm far luckier than most.

29
Throughout this report we list “the most common” reasons for reported issues. We identified the
most common reasons/themes in a stratified sub-sample of the 4593 responses. The sub-sample
were drew was 10% of the full sample (n=465) and stratified to make coding more manageable and
more closely represent the demographic profile of the national student body by gender, age,
ethnicity and education provider. The appendix includes tables describing this sample.

32
 Sabah’s story
I study part-time to give myself better options in the future and work 23
hours a week. Money is tight. When I need more money, I travel north
to work for dad, ask to borrow money, take one-off jobs, have one meal
every 3 days, no lights on, things like that. Everyday I do without
something. The place I live in is pretty bad, but I can’t afford anything
better in Wellington. Our fire alarm system doesn't work. The one out in
the stairwell does but if we had been asleep when it went off the other
night and not come out to our neighbours yelling in the stairwell, and it
had been a real fire (not just someone not knowing how to cook), we
could've been seriously injured or lost our lives. Plenty of my friends
have accepted the FACT that they will never own a house of their own -
some have agreed to live together long term and not have families to
save costs. For others like me, our only option is to move overseas. New
Zealand is no longer an option. It's bloody hard man.

Some renters said they stay in unsafe or poor housing due to a lack of other options – they
don’t believe they could afford anything better and if there is something affordable they say
the number of applicants is so great they would be unlikely to secure it.

If their landlord were to breach their responsibilities, a large majority (70%) said they would
feel “uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable” discussing the breach with them. Some
mentioned they would be concerned that if they asked for repairs or for broken appliances
to be replaced their landlord would increase the rent or evict them. Three-quarters (75%)
would feel uncomfortable raising matters with the Tenancy Tribunal. Most (82%) would
support a Rental Warrant of Fitness.

As shown in Table 3, the respondents paid an average of $234 per week on rent, although
this varied considerably across the main centres. The average weekly income amongst
students renting their accommodation (excluding student halls) was $416 per week, which
means they were paying an average of 56% of their weekly income on rent. This figure
varied widely from 44% in Palmerston North to 56% in Wellington and 57% in Auckland.

Over half of renters (55%) said their rent is less affordable than 12 months ago (including
those who said it is “much less” and “less” affordable). A large majority of all students - 91% -
would support Rent Controls.

33
Table 3: Weekly rent, income and affordability by main centre.30

City n Income Rent Rent as My rent is “much

average average proportion of less” affordable
income than 12 mths ago
Auckland 863 $470 $266 57% 13%
Wellington 903 $462 $261 56% 21%
Palmerston 68 $405 $177 44% 15%
North
Hamilton 151 $428 $215 50% 17%
Dunedin 464 $352 $168 48% 10%
Christchurch 345 $395 $184 47% 13%
All renters 2956 $418 $234 56% 16%

Students often go without food, health care, clothing and other

necessities
About two-thirds of students regularly do not have enough money to buy food, clothing or
get the health care they need. Over the last 12 months:

 22% were unable to afford food weekly or daily, rising to 32% fortnightly.

 53% were unable to afford medical or dental care “a lot” and another 33% were
unable to afford this sometimes.

 Students with a disability, Pasifika and Māori students were most likely to be in a
position where they could not afford food, fruit or vegetables, fruit or medical or
dental care, be able to pay for an unexpected $500 expense, clothing or shoes, pay
bills and/or transport.

 Students renting their housing were less likely than students in other types of
accommodation to be able to afford these things.

I’m currently filling this survey out while drinking lots of water because I don’t actually have
enough food for a meal tonight. I think that’s a summary of my personal experience as a
university student.

30
Box and whisker plots were used to identify exceptionally high incomes and rents which were
removed before calculating the averages.

34
To make ends meet, respondents would do the following (most common themes listed
first):

● Go without until more money comes in, for example making do with worn out
clothing, eating unappealing or less food, not go out, etc.
● Borrow money from family or friends
● Use student loans, “pay-day” loans or credit cards
● Draw down on savings stashed away over the summer break
● Fail to pay bills on time or use payment plans
● Take on extra shifts at work instead of attending class or studying
● Sell possessions and engage in “side-hustles”.

There were countless occasions last year where my weekly costs were too high. My
accommodation cost - Halls of residence being $434 weekly – is more than my weekly
income. This meant I was forced to borrow $7,000 in total across the year because my
laptop was out of date meaning I needed a new one, needed a large amount of software
and materials for Uni, in addition to other aspects of living my life. Costs increased over
summer with things such as wisdom teeth dentist, eye tests and glasses and a lot of other
factors. I paid for my accommodation in Wellington over summer, so I had a good location
for study the following year (2022/current). I didn’t want to risk not having a decent place. I
borrowed from my grandparents in the end having to get inheritance money early to be
able to continue to study.
I skip meals, walk places, look for one off jobs I can pick up to make extra cash.
Simply, I don’t meet my needs. My focus is paying rent and utilities. Whatever I have left
goes towards groceries and there have been multiple times where I spoil myself with take
out, but then that one meal could equal about 2 days of food that I can no longer afford.
This is my fifth year of scraping by.
My family will support me if I NEED money. It's embarrassing to reach out though, so I
avoid it.

35
 Wiremu’s story
I’m a fulltime student and work about 20 hours a week. To make ends
meet I borrow money, stay with family until I can afford to leave,
sacrifice certain things like hygiene products and do without food every
few weeks and don’t go to the doctor or dentist. It’s not like I live in one
of the most expensive cities or somewhere flash either - I sleep in an
uninsulated garage with a large garage door that lets rain in. It’s only
half carpeted. In the winter the walls condensate and both sides of the
windows frost over. I went looking for new places to stay recently but I
could not afford a single one of the places I viewed despite them being
pretty run down. When COVID hit, my kura offered support. I tried to
access the support and I did everything that was required of me, but
they didn't follow through.

Māori (34%), Pasifika (31%) and disabled students (36%) were much less likely to have never
been unable to pay for public transport, petrol, car insurance, car registration or a warrant
of fitness than other students. Students living in Dunedin (50%), non-renters (51%) and
students who identified as Asian (55%) were least likely to been unable to afford to pay for
these.

We found that 91% of students said they would use public transport “more” if it was free,
and 70% said they would study “more often” on campus if public transport was free. There
are notable differences in the responses to these questions between the main education
centres. Students in Wellington and Auckland were more likely to say they would use public
transport more often, and study on campus more often, if it was free.

Table 4: Would you use public transport “more” if it was free?

City Yes Yes

n %

Wellington 1155 97%

Auckland 1405 92%
Dunedin 521 89%

36
 Hamilton 205 86%
Christchurch 466 86%
Palmerston North 77 72%
Whole sample 4165 91%

Table 5: Would you study on campus more often if public transport was free?

City Yes Yes

n %

Wellington 899 75%

Auckland 1093 72%
Christchurch 291 54%
Dunedin 308 53%
Hamilton 118 50%
Palmerston North 41 38%
Whole sample 2935 64%

The respondents were asked how they get to campus. Most said they walk and/or catch the
bus, followed by car. Other modes of transport were much less commonly used.

Table 6: When you go to campus, how do you travel there?31

n %
Walk 2212 32
Bus 2038 30
Car 1490 22
Train 420 6
Bike 376 5
Scooter 149 2
Skate 79 1

31
Note the number of responses to this question is much larger the number of survey
respondents because some respondents use multiple modes of transport.

37
 Not Applicable 78 1
Total sample 6842 100

For some students, the time it takes to get to and from campus and cost of doing so are
significant. Even though the proposal to make public transport free was attractive to the
vast majority of students, for some students the time they can save by using a private
vehicle makes their lives much easier.

Time is precious. Driving to university takes me 13 minutes. By public transport it's more
than an hour. Parking at the university costs 25 dollars a day while public transport costs
me 4 dollars a day. If I didn't have to worry about how much parking costs, I would have 2
hours extra PER DAY. Over the course of a semester (12 weeks) driving versus taking public
transport would save me 120 hours. 3 FULL WEEKS OF STUDY TIME. It also means that I do
not have the option of limiting my exposure to Covid 19. This is in addition to the stress
that working longer hours causes and how much harder it makes it to recover from
emergencies which unexpectedly swallow time.

Just over half the respondents felt supported by their education

provider’s COVID 19 response
A small majority of students (57%) felt supported by their tertiary institution’s response to
COVID 19.

Disabled students (52%) were less likely to say they felt supported by their education
provider than students who were not disabled (60%). Many respondents with conditions
that made them particularly vulnerable to COVID 19 felt put at risk by the protection
measures their institutions put in place for when people were allowed to return to campus.

Some respondents noted individual lecturers and teachers showed concern and did what
they could do to help but said the institutional/corporate response was poor.

The reasons students felt unsupported were as follows (note that some reasons only apply
in certain cases (e.g., some institutions refused to give grade bumps and some courses
required access to specialised facilities or equipment):

 An apparent disregard for student stress and circumstances (such as those who
were unwell or providing support to others who were unwell)

 Policy and processes seeming either disorganised or poorly communicated,

including infection control

 Being required to pay full fees, despite being unable to access equipment and

38
 facilities and tutors and lecturers being less accessible

 The inaccessibility of health service access, particularly mental health services.

My sister and mum tested positive for COVID at a time when I had an assignment due. I
couldn't submit the assignment in time as I had to tend to younger siblings who had to
stay home for isolation. As such I applied for Special Consideration twice and both times
the uni rejected my application on grounds that I wasn't the one who tested positive for
COVID.
No support for doctoral students at all. When I tried to retroactively suspend lockdown in
2020, they told me it was too late and I couldn’t do that. I was really busy that year
because I was also doing a postgraduate diploma (essentially two full time courses) and I
had a chronic illness (endometriosis) that was untreated, and they wouldn’t make any
exceptions for it. I felt really let down by the University.
The services they offer with doctors and counselling have been overworked and it takes
days for them to get in contact. I felt like there wasn't time to recover fully from COVID with
stern deadlines for assignments. I'm exhausted emotionally from this year’s uni experience.
I am doing a dance degree and [the University] always turns a blind eye towards us when it
comes to COVID protocols. They prefer we learn via zoom and dance on unsafe floors in
our homes and sustain injuries that have cost some of us our careers instead of letting us
on campus. It makes no difference these days as we all see each other outside of class
anyway, they are ignoring our lecturers who vouch for what we need.

Half of those in student accommodation felt supported by their

provider’s response to COVID 19

Half (50%) of those living in student accommodation (n=1400) felt supported by their
provider’s response to COVID 19 (‘a little’ or ‘very much so’). Almost as many (48%) felt ‘not
really’ or ‘not at all’ supported; the remaining 2% were ‘not sure’. Disabled students were
slightly less likely to say they felt supported (48% compared to 51% of those who were not
disabled).

The reasons for not feeling supported were as follows (the more common reasons are
listed first):

 Poor internet, causing disruption to classes

 Limited or no interaction with Resident Assistants or opportunities to have time out

of bedrooms during lockdowns

 Poor infection control processes in place to support opportunities to exercise, dine

or interact in “bubbles”

 Poor protection or support for mental wellbeing

39
I was a Resident Advisor during 2021 and saw an appalling response to COVID-19 in terms
of pastoral care, isolation, and other lockdown procedures. I can say that in our
accommodation hall, student mental health suffered with each lockdown. They experienced
many study disturbances and long periods of isolation, and the mental health services at
the University of Auckland were simultaneously being underfunded and understaffed. A lot
of the burdens fell to the RAs, who were also experiencing these same issues. Furthermore,
having already (supposedly) taken lessons from 2020, I expected [the University’s]
accommodation department to have prepared procedures for going into a lockdown:
dining plans that preserved social distancing bubbles, training for doing socially distanced
rounds of the hall, and a commitment to student well-being. Instead, each lockdown was
met with chaos and impromptu adjustments, often enforced by RAs working overtime up
until 11.59pm. This University prioritizes profit over its students.
Also, when staying in student halls, we were put into lockdown because of a potential case
where we were not able to leave our small rooms for two weeks. Despite the internet there
having issues and affecting our online learning, the negative mental effects of a lack of
exercise and social interaction or being able to go outside, and despite exams and tests
taking place during these lockdowns the University of Auckland was firm in their position
that students’ grades would not be given a bump.
When I was in the halls in 2020 for my last undergraduate year, the majority of students
went back home while the rest of us dregs were left to fend for ourselves with no support or
interaction with RAs, essentially I lived alone and had no interactions with any people until
alert levels 1 or 2.
I was paying $320 a week to stay in my accommodation at [the University] and didn’t even
get help when I wasn’t able to leave my room.

40
 Bill’s story
Every year of my study so far (fulltime) I've had to use my study-related costs
and personal savings from working over summer to cover my weekly
expenses. It's super tiring as I never make progress financially and I don't have
money for bigger costs (EG: fixing my shitbox car), and I haven't been able to
afford much-needed therapy ($80/wk on the low end). Before the student
allowance went up recently, I was often a bit short at the end of the week and
constantly had to use my small savings to cover the shortfall, I had to sell my
mountain bike last year to cover expenses which kinda sucked as I won't be
able to afford another until I finish studying. (I bought it while working in my
gap year). I have put off buying clothes/shoes for months now lol. Power has
gotten insanely more expensive this year and is now around $100/wk for our
flat of four under what I'd say is pretty standard use.

I seem to have dodged COVID so far but lockdowns really affect my study as I
rely on attending lectures to maintain routine. This has resulted in me falling
behind several times now and negatively affects my mental health as I then
get stuck in a stress-burnout cycle. Also having to isolate from my partner who
caught it resulted in a 2-3 week low in which I struggled to get anything done
at all.

Most students reported a decline in their mental wellbeing during the

COVID 19 pandemic
More than two-thirds (69%) of respondents reported poorer mental wellbeing during the
pandemic, due to catching COVID 19, lockdowns, isolation from family and friends, campus
closures, and a shift to online learning. Many said this impacted on their studies because
they found it hard to concentrate, lost motivation and/or could not complete work on time.

The impacts of COVID 19 were (the most common are listed first):

● Loneliness
● A lack of motivation and difficulty concentrating
● Care and support became more difficult to access
● Anxiety, depression and other mental wellbeing issues became a problem or got
worse

41
 ● Worry about the social, political and economic impacts of COVID 19
● Stress trying to balance work and study commitments, recovering from being unwell
and/or caring for unwell others.
Mental health severely depleted with the ongoing feelings of isolation, stress and pressure. I
have depression and anxiety already and was left less supported than usual, so they just
ignited in full force despite taking medication, etc.
My mental health has worsened significantly. Studying from home means I interact with
much fewer people. Also, it is really difficult to concentrate at home, but I always feel guilty
and am hard on myself for not being more productive. I feel isolated from my peers and
alone, and this is obvious in my grades.
My family’s health issues have been quite severe as of late and it has taken a toll on my
family and my mental well-being has suffered due to lack of social interaction, fatigue from
screen time and lack of student engagement in student clubs

Financial hardship leads to poorer education outcomes

There were a lot of comments from students about the negative impacts of the mismatch
between their income and the costs of living on their educational achievement. Students
were spending more time than they would have liked working to try to make ends meet,
meaning they were taking time away from their studies. Some drop-out of their courses.
Furthermore, students reported stress and anxiety, caused in part by financial hardship,
made it hard to concentrate on their work. These problems lead to poorer education
outcomes.

Everyone is worse off when tertiary students are not as well educated as they could be,
given they – in large part – comprise the next generation of our country’s leaders.

I wish I didn't have to work while studying full-time as I'd really hoped to gain a scholarship
for postgrad. I haven't been able to achieve my full academic potential because of the
financial pressures imposed on students. This is coming from someone who lived at home
for 2/3 of their study. I can't even imagine the pressure on students who have paid all their
living expenses out of pocket.
I cannot live on a student loan because rent takes nearly the entirety of a week’s payment.
This meant I had to take a full-time summer job last summer and luckily live with my
partner’s family for that time, as well as get a scholarship payment to get through this year
financially. If I do not find a decent full-time job this summer I will not be able to afford rent
and finish my degree.
I ended up dropping out of my social work degree due to costs. These answers were based
on last year. I’m now doing a hairdressing apprenticeship earning below minimum wage,
but it’ll be worth it in the end right 😅

42
Jessy’s story
I’m a PhD student and have transferred my degree to part time to
pick-up some work as a cleaner so I can afford to keep going. I'm
lucky I'm in the final stage of writing the thesis, but the work I do is 3
hours of physical labour 5 days a week. I'm on empty when I do get to
sit and write but I'm lucky to have a job that allows me to keep
studying, it's just a challenging balance.

I’ve had challenges being a front-facing teacher with students who

won't comply with rules or lack the resources to have masks, etc. I've
reached a higher level of teaching in my roles which allowed me to
put pressure on my department to provide the resources needed but
I had to provide them while waiting for them e.g. masks, sanitiser,
signs, distancing guidelines, etc. I'm lucky I had the work experience
and authority to get what I needed done.

It's still a privilege to do this, I understand that, but it’s harder now
compared to 10 years ago. I really feel for new-entrance students.
Tuition fees have basically doubled, my weekly cost of living used to
be $150 to live walking distance to campus, now it's $300. Unless you
can find a family sized group of people to share the costs, it's not
viable and even then, you still have to work.

As a teacher at my University, I see first-hand the difference working

has on my students’ grades. They literally don't have to the time to
compete with A+ students who only study with full support. For them,
that translates to scholarships lost because they go to whoever's
grades are higher. The students breaking themselves with the
pressure of juggling work and study will be in the lower grade bracket
because of less time available to do their assessments and prepare
for exams.

43
Discussion and
recommendations
The Inquiry heard from a diverse sample of 4,593 tertiary students across New Zealand’s
universities and many other tertiary education providers.

The feedback has highlighted the extent of student hardship which may be impacting New
Zealand tertiary students’ academic performance by limiting academic achievement and
driving up drop-out rates. To make ends meet, students are taking more time than they
would like out of study in favour of paid employment or are giving up on study altogether.

The mismatch between student income and the cost of living and is clearly a problem. The
student allowance scheme has a range of payment rates tied to student circumstance (e.g.,
age, number of dependents, living arrangements, etc). The scheme allows up to $279 per
week for a student under 24 years of age living away from home. The respondents living in
rental accommodation (excluding student halls) were paying an average of 56% of their
income on rent, which is almost twice the 30% of income housing affordability test. Even so,
the student allowance scheme is of great value to the student body and excluding people
from it was a common cause of frustration. Limiting student allowance entitlement is
causing stress, anxiety and driving students into debt.

It is not as though the majority of students have more money than they need to get by.
About half have less than they need or just enough to make ends meet. Many are going
without basics, especially Māori, Pasifika and disabled students. Māori and Pasifika students
were most likely to not be financially supported by their parents. Some parents who earn
over the income threshold for student allowance eligibility are also struggling to make ends
meet.

A national tertiary student survey showed that mental wellbeing was a concern back in
2018. Our Inquiry suggests that things have got worse over the last few years. COVID-19 is
at least partly to blame, with two-thirds (69%) of respondents reporting poorer mental
wellbeing since the onset of the pandemic. Isolation from friends and family and the
inaccessibility of care and support, particularly mental health services, were major issues
reported to be caused in-part by COVID 19 outbreaks and control measures. One-third of
students (35%) reported losing income over this period.

The introduction of the Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Students Code of
Practice in 2021 came with an expectation that providers would provide better pastoral
care to students, including tailored care. A small majority of respondents to this survey felt

44
supported by their education provider’s response to the pandemic (58%), although fewer
students with a disability felt this way (52% compared to 60% of students who were not
disabled). Universities have acknowledged it will be valuable to reflect on their response to
the pandemic and that there is room for improvement. Student accommodation was also
problematic, with only half (50%) of the respondents saying they felt supported by their
accommodation provider during the COVID 19 pandemic.

A substantial minority (14%) of students who were flatting said their housing does not meet
their needs but stay in it because they cannot afford or access anything better. Many do
not raise breaches of the Healthy Housing Code or issues with landlords or the Tenancy
Tribunal for fear of repercussions such as their landlord increasing their rent. In short, they
feel trapped.

Taken together, we conclude that the cost of living and higher education and students’
living conditions make it difficult for many students to be at their best and reach their
learning potential. If students were not doing it so hard, New Zealand may benefit from
better tertiary education outcomes. A respondent put it like this,

We need to stop treating students like they're parasitic for needing help while they better
themselves. Students aren't the only ones who benefit when it is made easy for them to
focus on their education.
Given these findings, we make the following recommendations:

1. Help students meet their day-to-day costs of living and relieve the burden of longer-
term debt, by:
a. Making student allowances open to all (scrap parent and partner income
testing, exclusion of graduate students, and age limits)
b. Lifting the student allowance payments to match the cost of living and meet
the needs of different equity groups
c. Stop basing the amount of allowance students are entitled to based on how
much they earn in their part-time employment.
2. Work with tertiary education and student accommodation providers to embed the
Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Students Code of Practice 2021
3. Improve the accessibility and capacity of student mental health services
4. Make public transport free for tertiary students
5. Progress the Rental Warrant of Fitness and Rent Control proposals.

Adopting these recommendations will alleviate student financial hardship, reduce the
growing burden of student debt, alleviate high rates of stress and anxiety, and help them
succeed in their studies.

45
Methodology
Member support staff to Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick and New Zealand Union of Students'
Associations (NZUSA) drafted the survey questions. These were reviewed by Point &
Associates (Point) who made suggested improvements. The questionnaire was then
scripted online and tested with a small sample of students. Point made further
recommendations before the Green Party staff finalised the questionnaire.

Chlöe Swarbrick MP, NZUSA along with 33 other student unions across the country then
sent the survey to students on 12 April 2022. The survey was open for a month, closing on
13 May 2022. The responses were monitored as they came in to make sure we were
hearing from a wide range of students from across New Zealand’s tertiary institutions.

To process the data and report the findings, Point used descriptive statistics to show the
demographic profile of the respondents and each of the sub-group’s (e.g., by gender, town
or city, etc.) response to each of the fixed-choice questions. Chi-Square and effect size tests
were used to assess the degree of difference between sub-groups (because the sample is
so large, most variations were significant at the p=0.05 level).

There was limited time available to process the large dataset (4,593 responses, including
numerous open-ended questions) so a stratified sub-sample of the dataset was taken. We
found a 10% sub-sample was large enough to reach the point of “saturation”, i.e., the point
where no new themes were emerging in the responses to each question. The stratified
sub-sample we created was similar to the demographic profile of the national student body
(though we have assumed that Education Counts has under-reported gender diversity at
1% - we opted for closer to 5% as reported by StatsNZ32). Tables showing the profile of the
coded sub-sample are below.

The open-ended comments were analysed to identify themes and coded. Where
unprompted questions were thematically coded, the most common themes have been
listed first. These themes have been reported to help explain the reasons for the ratings
and understand student experience.

Quotes have been selected on the basis that they help elucidate the themes. The stories in
the pop-out boxes in the report have been chosen on the basis that their stories reflect the
experiences of a wide range of respondents. The storytellers selected have articulated
these experiences in some detail, explaining what they do to get by and the impact their

32
https://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/lgbt-plus-population-of-aotearoa-year-ended-june-2020
accessed 30 May 2022.

46
experiences are having on them. The quotes and stories are largely verbatim, except for
light editing to improve readability.

The name given to each story is similar to the student’s real name, which has been withheld
along with other identifying detail to protect their anonymity. Only quotes and stories from
students who have given permission have been used.

Tables: Demographic profile of the coded dataset

n %
Women 239 51%
Men 194 42%
Another gender 32 7%
TOTAL 465 100%

Māori 110 18%

Pasifika 46 7%
Pakeha 362 58%
Asian 63 10%
Other 42 7%
TOTAL 623 100%

Auckland 186 40%

Wellington 78 17%
Christchurch 61 13%
Dunedin 49 11%
Palmerston North 35 8%
Hamilton 25 5%
Other 31 7%
TOTAL 465 100%

47
The questionnaire
1. Hello there! We'd love to know how to address you. Can you tell us your name?

Section 1: Tell us about yourself

2. Alright [Name], which tertiary institution do you study through?

3. And where in the country do you currently live?

4. Have you moved cities to study at [education provider]?

5. If you're comfortable telling us, how old are you?

6. What ethnicity do you identify as?

7. Do you have iwi affiliations you would like to share?

8. Are you connected to a marae on campus?

9. Are you disabled?

10. Which gender identity do you most identify with?

11. Do you belong to a student union?

Section 2: Work/life balance

12. Do you study full time or part time?

13. Are you an international student?

14. And what level are you studying at?

15. Approximately how many hours do you spend attending class or studying per week?

16. Do you spend as much time attending classes and studying as you would like?

17. What prevents you from giving more time to studies?

18. Do you have paid employment on top of your study?

19. Why do you work as well as study?

20. On average, how many hours do you work a week on top of study?

21. Do you have more than one job?

22. Do you have family or whānau who support you financially in your study?

23. Do you have anyone who depends on you financially?

24. Do you have a scholarship that helps you cover your study, accommodation or daily
costs?

48
 25. At the moment, how many days do you study on campus, per week?

26. At the moment, how many days do you study from home per week?

27. When COVID-19 is no longer a factor, will you study on campus more often?

28. When you go to campus, how do you travel there?

29. Would you use public transport more if it was free?

30. Would you study on campus more often if public transport was free?

Section 3: Finances

31. What are your biggest costs aside from housing?

32. In the last 12 months, have you been in a position where you have not been able to
afford food?

33. In the last 12 months, have you ever gone without fresh fruit or vegetables because
of the cost?

34. In the last 12 months, have you postponed or put off visits to the doctor or dentist
because of the cost?

35. When buying, or thinking about buying, clothes or shoes for yourself, how much do
you usually feel limited by money available?

36. If you had an unexpected and unavoidable expense of $500 in the next week, could
you pay for it within a month without borrowing?

37. In the last 12 months, how often have you been unable to pay electricity, gas, rates
or water bills on time because of a shortage of money?

38. In the last 12 months, how often have you been unable to pay for public transport,
petrol, car insurance, car registration or a warrant of fitness on time?

39. How do you meet your needs when/if you don't have enough money to live in the
way you would like to?

40. What is your total weekly income (including any benefits, student allowance, etc)?

Section 4: Housing

41. Tell us about your housing arrangement

42. Does your housing meet your needs?

43. [If respondent selected no or not really] Please tell us how your housing does not
meet your needs

44. Have you been paying rent or board for 12 months or more?

45. How affordable is your rent or board compared to 12 months ago?

49
 46. What amount do you personally pay for rent/board per week?

47. How confident are you that you know your rights as a tenant?

48. If your landlord breached their responsibilities as a landlord, how comfortable

would you feel discussing this with them?

49. If you felt you had to take an issue or dispute to the Tenancy Tribunal, how
comfortable would you feel doing this?

50. Do you have a formal agreement, such as a Tenancy Agreement, with your
landlord/student accommodation?

51. Would a Rental Warrant of Fitness make renting better for you?

52. If you have lived in student accommodation anytime in the past two years, have you
felt supported by your accommodation provider’s response to COVID-19?

53. [If respondent said No] Why didn't you feel supported by your accommodation
provider's response to COVID-19?

54. Can you tell us how changing housing affordability has impacted you?

55. Would you support the Government implementing rent controls?

Section 5: COVID-19

56. Have you felt supported by your tertiary institution's response to COVID-19?

57. [If respondent selected no or not really] Why have you not felt supported by your
tertiary institute?

58. Do any of the following apply to you as a result of the pandemic?

a. I have underlying health conditions that mean I'm more vulnerable to COVID-
19

b. I've experienced poorer mental wellbeing during the pandemic

c. I'm experiencing ongoing health issues as a result of contracting COVID-19

59. Would you like to give more details about your health during the pandemic?

60. Has your total income increased or decreased as a direct result of the COVID-19
outbreaks, lockdowns or alert level changes?

61. Did your employer pass on any financial support that they got from the Government
as a result of COVID-19 restrictions?

And that's it - we're all done!

62. Are there any last comments about life as a student that you'd like to share?

63. Before you go, let us know how you would like to stay in touch

50
 a. I would like to receive the results of this survey

b. I'm happy to be contacted about a follow-up survey focusing on housing and

living costs

c. I'm keen to receive future communications from Chlöe Swarbrick and the
Green Party

d. I'm keen to receive future communications from NZUSA

64. [If respondent said they would like to stay in touch] Awesome. What is your email
address? And your phone number?

51