StudyLink Wait Times up 37%

Posted 6:01pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Ruby Werry

If you feel like StudyLink wait times are longer than usual this year, you’re on the money. StudyLink claims that average wait times sit at around 20 minutes (up 5 minutes from last year) – but students have been reporting far longer ordeals. Phone calls are already a bit of a mission Read more...

You May Not Be Eligible For That Free $350

Posted 5:53pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Elliot Weir

While many students have already been scheming how they’ll spend the Government’s upcoming $350 cost of living payment, a caveat means that some students on a student loan will be ineligible to receive the payment. In May, as part of this year’s Budget, the Government announced Read more...

Multi-Million Dollar Church Reportedly Tells Students to Donate their Course-Related Costs

Posted 1:36am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Elliot Weir

Journalist and documentary filmmaker David Farrier has published an exposé of Arise Church. The piece alleges exploitation of their interns and attendees, including an account from an Otago Uni student who attended their Dunedin branch. Arise Church is one of the largest churches in Read more...

SHOCKER: Study Finds “Students Shivering inside Cold, Damp Homes”

Posted 1:38am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Zak Rudin

A recent study conducted by Otago Uni has found that many students live in miserably cold, damp and mouldy homes. Most students also don’t know that StudyLink can help with massive power bills.  The nationwide study, led by Dr. Kimberley O’Sullivan, was conducted by He Read more...

Your extra $25: Don’t Spend it All at Once!

Posted 1:50pm Saturday 9th April 2022 by Sean Gourley

No one likes being broke, but here we are. Brokeness is unfortunately a situation that arises all too often for students, caused by the many temptations of Dunedin, and the little income we get to spend on them. Retirees get $80 extra in the winter for heating costs and 15% off groceries with their Read more...

Busted Breatha Budgets Boosted

Posted 5:41pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Zak Rudin

With the cost of rent, fuel and food skyrocketing (looking at you, tomatoes), the Government’s plans to increase Student Allowance and Loan payments have been cautiously welcomed by cash-strapped students. From April 1, Student Allowance rates will rise by $25/week, and people receiving Read more...

Extra Course-Related Costs Look Unlikely

Posted 3:01pm Sunday 5th September 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

During the lockdown last year, the Government gave us the ability to put ourselves into an extra $1,000 of debt by expanding the course related costs scheme. But not this year. Students remain frustrated at the lack of financial support.  Education Minister Chris Hipkins did not respond in Read more...

Infant Reincarnated From Dead Breatha, Charged for His Student Loan

Posted 3:12pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by The Critical Tribune

A Dunedin baby, the world’s first scientifically confirmed reincarnation, has been sent a bill from StudyLink requesting repayment of her past self’s $70,000 student loan.  In a development that rocked the scientific community, the Otago Medical School confirmed that Katie Liu, Read more...

Students Getting the Dollars on Time

Posted 11:18am Sunday 16th August 2015 by Angus Shaw

StudyLink, working with the New Zealand Union of Students’ Association (NZUSA), has made efforts to improve its services for students. NZUSA said students were “deeply unhappy” with StudyLink’s service in 2013 and made improving StudyLink a top priority. In 2013, the Read more...