Changes in Student Allowances in 2008

Allowances recipients by provider type¹⁴

In 2008, more than half of student allowances recipients were studying at university¹⁵ and a quarter were studying at institutes of technology and polytechnics.  There was an increase in the proportion of assisted students studying in private training establishments (PTEs) from 14 percent in 2004 to 15 percent in 2005 and 17 percent in 2007.  However, in 2008 the proportion dropped to 16 percent.  This decrease was compensated for by a small increase in the proportion of allowances recipients studying at universities.

Table 4: Allowances recipients by provider type, 2008

Provider type	Allowances recipients	Sub-sector proportions	Average annual allowance
University	36,000	55%	$6,200
Polytechnic	16,300	25%	$5,900
Wānanga	1,700	3%	$7,500
Schools & Other	1,400	2%	$5,900
PTEs	10,300	16%	$5,400
All	65,700	100%	$6,000

In 2008, the average age of allowances recipients was 26.5 years.  The average age was 24 years in universities, 28 years in polytechnics, 30 years in private training establishments and 41 years in wānanga.

Figure 9: Proportions of allowances recipients by provider type

 

In 2008, the proportion of female allowances recipients was 54 percent overall.  However the proportion differed by provider type: 60 percent in wānanga, 55 percent in universities and private training establishments, and 50 percent in polytechnics.

Figure 10: Average age of allowances recipients by provider type

 
The allowance type composition differs markedly by provider type.  In 2008, the proportion of allowance recipients under the age of 25 with no dependants (a targeted group) was 57 percent.  For universities, polytechnics, wānanga, schools and other, and private training establishments it was 69 percent, 46 percent, 10 percent, 73 percent and 39 percent, respectively.

The difference in the profile of student allowances recipients in different provider types leads to variations in the average annual allowance by sub-sector.  In 2008, the highest average annual allowance was observed in wānanga (25 percent higher than the overall average of $6,000) and the lowest was observed at private training establishments (10 percent lower than the overall average).

Table 5: Allowances type composition by provider type, 2008 (%)

Allowance type	University	Polytechnic	Wānanga	Schools &other	PTEs	Total
16-24 year-olds, parental income tested	69	46	10	73	39	57
Independent circumstances allowances for 16-24 year-olds	2	4	3	5	5	3
Single, aged 25 years and over	22	30	37	4	34	26
Student with an earning spouse	1	3	4	1	3	2
Single student with child(ren)	1	4	8	2	4	2
Couple, one eligible	0	0	0	0	1	0
Couple, both eligible	1	2	7	2	4	2
Student with a dependent partner	4	11	31	13	12	8
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100

Footnotes

14. Provider  type is determined by the last provider at which a student received allowances in a calendar year.
    
15. For the purposes of this analysis, the colleges of education have been combined with universities, as they have all now merged with universities.