Can my husband and I study in New Zealand at the same time, with me pursuing an MBA and him a Post Graduate Diploma in Supply Chain Management?

You have two realistic structures available here, and which one makes more sense depends heavily on what your husband's Postgraduate Diploma in Supply Chain Management is actually classified as by Immigration New Zealand. Being married does not prevent two spouses from each holding their own Student Visa and studying full-time at the same time.

Two Separate Student Visas Versus One Partner Work Visa

• Both on Student Visas: you pursue your MBA and your husband pursues his own Postgraduate Diploma, each independently eligible and each paying international tuition.
• One Student Visa, one Partner Work Visa: if your MBA is a Level 9 master's qualification, your husband can instead apply for a Partner of a Student Work Visa, letting him work in New Zealand while you study rather than paying a second set of international fees.
• Genuine relationship evidence: whichever route you choose, Immigration New Zealand requires evidence that you are living together in a genuine and stable relationship, such as shared finances and a joint history.

What Your Husband's Programme Level Changes

The term Postgraduate Diploma in Supply Chain Management can describe different qualifications depending on the institution, and for immigration purposes it matters whether his specific programme sits at NZQF Level 8 or a Graduate Diploma at Level 7. This distinction affects his own post-study work rights afterward, particularly with New Zealand expanding Post-Study Work Visa eligibility to certain Level 7 Graduate Diplomas, where the graduate also holds a bachelor's degree, from 16 November 2026.

This Information Is Also Available On

Immigration New Zealand.

My Advice

Get written confirmation from your husband's target institution on the exact qualification level before deciding between the two routes. If his goal is genuinely to earn his own New Zealand qualification and build independent post-study work rights, his own Student Visa may serve him better long-term than riding on your Partner of a Student Work Visa, even though the latter saves on tuition upfront.