The unnamed student failed a paper needed to get into a doctoral programme, and forfeited the course fees she'd already paid. File photo: Getty ImagesAn aspiring doctoral student who failed a paper required for her course has won an order for the university to pay her back the $8000 she spent on fees. The student enrolled in the doctoral course at the unnamed New Zealand university after completing her master’s degree at the same university. The name of the student, the university and the course she was taking were redacted from the tribunal’s decision. "Oddly, I can find no definition of the term ‘pastoral care’ in the code."

Source: Otago Daily Times February 22, 2026 10:42 UTC