19934 (2025). Shanan Halbert to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

19934 (2025). Shanan Halbert to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What actions, if any, has she taken regarding the 14,711 student allowance and 9,539 loan applications that were still incomplete as of 5 April 2025?

Hon Louise Upston: As done in previous years, the Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) ran a nationwide campaign urging people to apply for their StudyLink Student Loan or Allowance as early as possible if they were considering study. The campaign encouraged people to double check their applications and ensure all required information was included before they send it to the Ministry. I am advised by the Ministry that for Student Loans, these applications are predominantly waiting on the signed contract to be returned. For Student Allowance, the majority of these are waiting on parent income evidence/information. Information may have been supplied by students and will have since been sent to the Ministry for processing. Once processed, the student will be updated on the state of their application. Students have until the end of their study year to supply the required information. I am further advised that not all applications proceed to a finalised state. Historically, around 12 to 15 percent of applications will have an incomplete status. Students apply based on their intentions and understanding of entitlement as at that point in time. Subsequently, they may decide to not continue to study or they discover that they are not eligible for the assistance they applied for. Unless they contact us, these applications will remain at an incomplete state until they are closed at the end of their study period. This is also my response to written parliamentary question 19937 (2025).