Frequently Asked Questions

Your textbook list will be given to you at the start of your course and are available to purchase from the SIT Bookshop located in our Student Services Centre at 133 Tay Street, Invercargill. SIT students also have the opportunity to use the large collection of resources located at the SIT Library next door. There is a range of services here at your disposal, from online journals to industry released magazines.

ID cards are assigned at the start of the new semester otherwise they are available at various times through out the semester. Students can contact Facilities to produce their individual cards. It is important to obtain your ID card as they give you access to important facilities around SIT and can get you some much needed discount from various places around Invercargill.

Every student at SIT is assigned a free email account. This account is accessed through the webmail access page. There are computer labs situated at different places around the campus and your ID will gain you access to this resource.

A full list of programmes can be found under our programme section of the website.

Application criteria is dependent upon which programme you choose. It is specified for each programme individually. View programmes

SIT recognises the need to avoid repetition that is why we have a recognition of prior learning unit set up. It will give the opportunity to assess students previous studies, and may help to transfer credits or cross credits points that are from papers that are similar in content level and credit value.

SIT is an accredited provider of New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) approved programmes. All accredited providers throughout New Zealand must meet these standards and therefore all programmes at SIT are nationally recognised as valid and official qualifications.

A full list of scholarships can be found under our scholarship section of the website.

A list of SIT accommodation can be found under our accommodation section of the website.

A list of student support services can be found under our services and support section of the website.

Print an enrolment form from our website (here) or phone 0800 SIT2LRN (0800 748 257 ext 3320) to request an application form and information pack.

Yes, you must have access to the internet and a computer. All communications between facilitators and students are via webmail or the internet based Blackboard Learning Management System.

What are the Hardware and Software Requirements?

PC: 200Mhz+ processor, 1024x768 monitor, 56k modem or greater. Win XP/Vista/7 + & IE 7.0 or Firefox 3.5 +

Mac: G3, 1024x768 monitor, 56k modem 56k or greater. Mac OS 10.5+ & Safari 4 .0 + /Firefox 3.5 +

You do not need access to SKY TV to complete your programme. The SIT2LRN programming that screens daily on SKY Digital Channel 200 and FreeView Channel 23 is supplementary to your programme materials.

The Zero Fees Scheme applies to most SIT2LRN programmes. Usually there are no tuition fees as long as you are a NZ citizen or permanent resident (residing in NZ). BUT there is a student direct material cost of $5.50 per credit of study undertaken, plus there may be textbooks that you’ll need to buy while studying with SIT2LRN.  You must maintain satisfactory academic progress to retain your Zero Fees Scheme entitlement.

Students should consider the following additional study costs:

All courses:

• Student Direct Material Cost - currently $5.50 per credit
• The need for computer and internet access
• Your own personal stationery etc

Some courses:

• Required text books (also available for loan through SIT Library by mail)
• Specific software and/or equipment requirements for some courses (eg - Diploma in Digital Film/Photography, Computing courses)
• If your course is a National Certificate or Diploma from the NZQA, once you have completed, you may then apply directly to the NZQA for the National Certificate or Diploma. NZQA currently charge $15 for these.

If you are an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident you must physically reside in NZ while studying to be eligible for the Zero Fee Scheme.  Alternatively, if you wish to study in Australia, then you have the option to pay as an international student.

International students should contact SIT to enquire about course costs.

The Zero Fees Scheme is available as a result of community funding and present Government policies.  Although not foreseen, SIT is unable to guarantee ongoing Zero Fees Scheme provision should present funding arrangements and/or Government policies be reviewed.

• Once you have been accepted into a course you will receive an email or letter from us letting you know the details of your acceptance (papers and intake dates). It will also contain your username and password, a link to go to to pay any fees owing and a list of any material that we will be posting to you.
• A Welcome Kit will be posted to first time SIT2LRN learners – please use this to familiarise yourself with our online learning environment (Blackboard) and SIT2LRN in general.
• From the intake start date you will have access to the online course material and your facilitator. Facilitator contact details will be emailed or posted to you prior to the intake start date.
• Study calendars, assignment information and due dates are posted on Blackboard. Most assignments are submitted to your facilitator via Blackboard. Interior décor and some Adult Education assignments are submitted by post.
• Approximately 6-8 weeks after the intake end date you will receive a progress report or a transcript.

Blackboard is the learning management system (http://blackboard.sit.ac.nz) that SIT2LRN uses to make information available to students.

Your facilitator may put any of the following on Blackboard:

• Course material: study guides & readings
• Assignment and assessment details
• Announcements
• Facilitator contact details
• Study and writing tips
• Discussion Board
• Surveys

It is important that you log in to Blackboard and check your course information regularly. If you have a question, you can post it on the discussion board. Questions are then answered by your facilitator, SIT2LRN staff or other students.

Each student is assigned a free email (webmail) account by SIT. This account is accessed through http://my.sit.ac.nz. Please use your webmail account for all of your SIT2LRN communications including emailing questions to your facilitator.

All SIT2LRN courses can be completed part-time.  Select the papers you would like to complete during each intake on your enrolment form.

All SIT2LRN programme assessments have due dates which need to be met.  All course materials and information, including assessments and due dates, are located on Blackboard.

• As a guideline, one credit equates to approximately 10 hours of study. For example, a 15-credit paper equates to 150 hours of study. Spread over a 17-week intake this means approximately 9 hours of study per week.
• All papers selected within an intake must be completed within that intake unless a transfer is requested (see further down this page: "Can I transfer into another intake?").
• Students should enrol in alternate intakes to avoid date overlaps.
• If you need to study full-time to access loans and allowances please contact Studylink for guidance on the number of credits you need to take per intake (www.studylink.govt.nz).

You should email your facilitator. Email details for your facilitator are located within Blackboard under Staff Information.

Yes, provided you are a New Zealand Citizen you can undertake study with SIT2LRN from anywhere in the world and access the Zero Fee Scheme.

A letter, txt or email from SIT2LRN will be sent to you acknowledging receipt of your application. Once the application has been processed you will be advised of the outcome either by email or by letter.

Follow the login instructions and familiarise yourself with Blackboard. Remember that your course material will only be available from the first day of the intake. In the meantime, if you are new to SIT2LRN, read through the Important Information booklet that came in your Welcome Kit.

• Within the first two weeks of an intake, all students are required to send an email to their facilitator confirming their start on the course of study. Students who have not emailed their facilitator or embarked upon their course of study by the end of the second week of an intake will be Faculty Withdrawn from the course. Such withdrawals may
  impact on future access to SIT’s Zero Fees Scheme. Student Direct Material Costs will still be payable.


• Look for the course outline on Blackboard and use that to get started.


• Expect a phone call from SIT2LRN in the first two weeks of the intake – we are just making sure that you are getting on okay with your study.

Applications must be received by SIT no later than 15 working days prior to programme commencement.  It is recommended students apply early to avoid delays during or near deadline periods, and be sure that they don't miss out if courses/intakes/Zero Fees Scheme places fill up quickly.

Enrolments for each calendar year typically open in October of the previous year. 

Application forms are filled out on a year by year basis and students are welcome to apply for multiple intakes on the one application form.  Further enrolment is the responsibility of individual students.  There is no automatic enrolment rollover.

Students new to SIT will be required to provide a verified copy (signed by a Justice of the Peace or Police) of your birth certificate, passport or active National Student Number with your enrolment.

You may apply for more than one course at a time, as long as both courses are to be studied part time and the total of your enrolment is within the limit allowed. However, it is recommended that students wanting to complete more than one course study and complete one course, then move on to the next one they want to do.

On the 4th page of each SIT2LRN application form, the individual unit/s or paper/s for the course are listed, along with the available intakes for each calendar year.

Students select just the unit/s or paper/s that they want to complete in each intake that they wish to enrol in for that year, and arrange their part time study by spreading their selections over several intakes.

No. Further enrolment is the responsibility of individual students.  There is no automatic enrolment rollover. Application forms are filled out on a year by year basis and students are welcome to apply for multiple intakes on the one application form.

You won't need to resend your verified identification as we keep that information on file. (However, if you have had a name change, or update to your residency/citizenship you should submit your new verified identification to show this change).

You will need to complete the first page of the application form, read and sign the declaration on the form, and most importantly - complete the last page where you will select the unit/module/papers you wish to study and note in which intake/s you wish to study them. You'll also need to note your intended payment method for the Student Direct Material Costs.

Payment is due on the start date of each intake enrolled in - for just the paper/s or unit/s that you have enrolled in for that intake. You can send payment with your application, or note your intended payment method on your enrolment/application form. Once you are accepted into study and enrolled, you will be sent a confirmation of acceptance letter (and invoice if you didn't submit payment with your application form).  Current payment options are: Student Loan, credit card, cheque, direct debit.

• Send us details of the paper(s) that you would like to be withdrawn from. This must be done in writing (letter or email).
• Students can withdraw at any point up to 75% of the way through an intake.
• Fees will be refunded only if the request is received at least 14 days prior to the intake start date.

• Transfers must be requested prior to, or within the first two weeks after an intake start date.
• Transfer requests must be made in writing (email or letter).
• Each transfer requested will incur an administration fee of $50.
• Transfers are not permitted between academic years.

Yes, all SIT2LRN courses are approved by Studylink.  Any queries regarding Studylink allowances, loans, and terms and conditions should be made directly to Studylink on 0800 88 99 00 or www.studylink.govt.nz.

SIT2LRN courses are approved by Studylink, but you will need to check with Studylink whether you are personally eligible for a Student Allowance whilst studying. Usually students must be studying full time to qualify for an allowance. Full time study requires approximately 38 - 40 hours per week of study time.

SIT2LRN courses are approved by Studylink, but you will need to check with Studylink whether you are eligible for a student loan whilst studying.

If you are studying as a part time student, Studylink may also require you to be enrolled for a set length of time to qualify for a Student Loan.

All students are sent an official SIT student transcript for each intake of study that they complete. This shows the topics/units/papers studied, and the students results for each one. Transcripts are sent out ASAP after an intake ends, and typically arrive 6 - 8 weeks after the end date of the intake.



Once students complete an SIT Certificate these are also sent out with the final transcript

Students completing Diploma level study are sent a programme completion letter and graduation ceremony information, in case they wish to attend graduation.

Students completing a National Certificate or National Diploma are sent the NZQA application form for these, along with their final transcript from SIT.

If you have already completed some unit standards in the Programme that you are applying for, please complete this Cross Credit form, and send it to us with a copy of your NZQA Record of Achievement when you apply for the Programme.