They're in the news following the arrest at Auckland Airport of a woman who'd come home from the United States.
Students living in New Zealand have no interest on their loans, but there's a four-percent interest rate for New Zealanders based overseas, and eight-percent for late payments.
FinCap CEO Tim Barnett says these rates can be overwhelming, especially if a person isn't working - and the debt can 'explode' by four or five times.