Direct Debit Service Agreement

Version 2026-09-01 — Last updated: September 2026

This Direct Debit Service Agreement explains the terms that apply when you authorise payments relating to your StudentPay payment arrangement to be collected from your nominated bank account by direct debit.

It should be read together with:

• your Direct Debit Instruction or authority;
• your StudentPay Payment Plan Agreement, where applicable; and
• any other terms specifically provided to you when your payment arrangement is established.

Use of the StudentPay website is also governed by our Terms of Use.

In this agreement, StudentPay, we, us and our mean StudentPay NZ Limited (NZBN 9429053388377).

You and your mean the person who has authorised the direct debit from the nominated bank account.

If there is any inconsistency between this agreement and mandatory rules applying to your Direct Debit Instruction or the New Zealand direct debit scheme, those mandatory rules will apply.

1. Your direct debit authority

By completing or approving a Direct Debit Instruction, you authorise payments to be collected from your nominated bank account in accordance with that authority and your applicable StudentPay payment arrangement.

We will only arrange a direct debit where it is authorised under your Direct Debit Instruction and the relevant payment arrangement.

Your Direct Debit Instruction may be established electronically.

Where a payment provider processes direct debits on our behalf, that provider's applicable direct debit terms and scheme requirements will also apply.

2. Your payment schedule

Your StudentPay payment arrangement will specify, or otherwise provide you with, information about the payments due from you.

Depending on your arrangement, payments may be:

• regular fixed payments;
• payments that vary in amount;
• catch-up or arrears payments;
• an upfront payment; or
• another payment that you have separately authorised.

We will provide, or arrange for you to receive, notice of direct debits in accordance with the applicable Direct Debit Instruction and New Zealand direct debit requirements.

Where you have agreed to a schedule of payments, that schedule may constitute notice of those payments to the extent permitted by the applicable direct debit arrangements.

3. Payment dates

Payments will normally be initiated on or around the dates shown in your payment schedule or otherwise notified to you.

If a payment date falls on a day when the relevant banking or payment systems are not processing direct debits, processing may occur on the next available banking day.

The date on which a payment is initiated may differ from the date on which it appears on your bank account.

If you are unsure when a payment will be processed, please contact us.

4. Changes to your payment arrangement

Your direct debit payment amount or schedule may change where:

• you and StudentPay agree to a change, including where you electronically accept a standard payment-plan variation that StudentPay is authorised to administer;
• StudentPay implements an accepted variation by changing future debit dates, timing, frequency or amounts as required to collect the revised arrangement;
• your education provider and StudentPay approve a change to your payment arrangement where that approval is required under your Payment Plan Agreement or the provider's agreement with StudentPay (for example a change to the amount you owe, or a cancellation or refund);
• you make an additional or catch-up payment;
• an unsuccessful payment needs to be rescheduled;
• your underlying payment obligation changes; or
• another change is permitted under your Payment Plan Agreement.

Where advance notice of a changed direct debit is required, we will provide that notice in accordance with the applicable direct debit requirements.

A change to your direct debit payment schedule does not by itself change the total amount you are required to pay under your underlying payment arrangement.

5. Changing your bank account

If you need to change the bank account used for your direct debit, contact StudentPay or use the available StudentPay account functionality where this feature is provided.

You may be required to complete a new Direct Debit Instruction before payments can be collected from the new account.

You are responsible for ensuring the account details you provide are correct.

6. Cancelling or stopping a direct debit

You may cancel your Direct Debit Instruction in accordance with the rights available to you under the New Zealand direct debit system.

You can generally cancel a direct debit authority by contacting:

• your bank; and
• StudentPay or the applicable direct debit initiator.

You may also instruct your bank to stop a particular direct debit in accordance with your bank's processes and applicable direct debit rules.

Cancelling your Direct Debit Instruction does not cancel your StudentPay payment plan or remove an amount you are otherwise required to pay.

If your direct debit is cancelled while amounts remain payable, you will need to arrange an alternative payment method with StudentPay.

Contact support@studentpay.co.nz if you need assistance changing or cancelling your payment method.

7. Your responsibilities

You are responsible for:

• ensuring your nominated account permits direct debits;
• providing correct bank account information;
• ensuring sufficient cleared funds are available when a payment is due;
• keeping your contact details reasonably current;
• reviewing payment notices and schedules provided to you;
• telling us promptly if your bank details change; and
• contacting us if you believe a direct debit has been processed incorrectly.

You should check your bank account periodically to confirm that direct debit transactions are consistent with your payment arrangement.

8. Unsuccessful payments

If there are insufficient funds in your nominated account, or a direct debit is otherwise declined or dishonoured:

• your bank may charge you a fee;
• the payment may remain outstanding;
• StudentPay may contact you about the unsuccessful payment;
• another payment attempt may be arranged where permitted under your payment arrangement; and
• you may need to make the payment by another available method.

Any fees that apply to your payment plan are set out in your StudentPay Payment Plan Agreement.

9. Re-attempting an unsuccessful payment

If a direct debit is unsuccessful, we may contact you to arrange another payment date or payment method. Any further direct debit will be processed in accordance with your Direct Debit Instruction and applicable payment arrangement.

10. Queries and disputed payments

If you believe a direct debit has been made incorrectly, contact StudentPay as soon as possible:

support@studentpay.co.nz

We will investigate the issue and provide reasonable assistance to resolve it.

You may also contact your bank about a direct debit you believe was unauthorised or incorrectly processed.

Your rights to challenge, stop or seek reversal of a direct debit are also subject to the rules applying to your bank account and the New Zealand direct debit system.

Nothing in this agreement limits any rights you have under those arrangements or applicable New Zealand law.

11. Payment provider

StudentPay uses a specialist payment provider to securely establish and process direct debit payments.

Where GoCardless processes your direct debit, GoCardless' applicable Direct Debit Instruction, payment terms and privacy notice will also apply to the processing of your payment.

The details presented when you establish your Direct Debit Instruction will identify the applicable direct debit provider and any information required under the New Zealand direct debit scheme.

12. Privacy

We handle personal information associated with your payment arrangement in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Payment providers and financial institutions involved in processing your direct debit may also handle personal information in accordance with their own privacy policies.

13. Security

StudentPay takes reasonable steps to protect payment and account information.

Where payment information is collected or processed through a specialist payment provider, that information may be provided directly to that provider rather than stored by StudentPay.

You should contact us promptly if you believe your StudentPay account or payment information has been compromised.

14. Ending this agreement

This Direct Debit Service Agreement applies while a Direct Debit Instruction associated with your StudentPay payment arrangement remains in effect.

It will cease to apply to future direct debits when the applicable authority is cancelled or otherwise terminated.

Ending the direct debit authority does not affect:

• payments already validly processed;
• amounts that remain payable under your Payment Plan Agreement; or
• rights and obligations that arose before the authority ended.

15. Changes to this agreement

We may update this Direct Debit Service Agreement from time to time.

Where a change affects an existing Direct Debit Instruction and advance notice is required under applicable law, scheme rules or the Direct Debit Instruction, we will provide the required notice.

The current version of this agreement will be published on the StudentPay website.

A website update alone does not override any additional notice requirements applying to an existing direct debit arrangement.

16. New Zealand law

This agreement is governed by New Zealand law.

Nothing in this agreement excludes, restricts or modifies any right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified.

17. Contact us

If you have a question about your direct debit or payment arrangement, contact: