Dozens of international students are terrified to tell their families they've potentially wasted yet another year of study.
Tasman International Academies students will protest outside the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment in Auckland on Thursday after NZQA blocked them receiving their qualifications over concerns with the school.
Twenty of them were only a day away from graduating with business diplomas.
Union Network of Migrants coordinator Mandeep Bela told Newshub the students have been left out-of-pocket.
"Many of the students haven't even told the families because of their depression, and also the hardship it's going to [cause]."
For some of the students, it's the second time this has happened. New Zealand National College was shut down earlier this year after NZQA found the service it was offering wasn't up to scratch, months after NZQA found evidence of poor marking and plagiarism going unpunished.
"[The students] contacted NZQA and asked if whether Tasman was a good college, because they didn't want to be in the same situation again," said Mr Bela.
He says NZQA reassured them Tasman International Academies was "suitable for you to seek enrolment with". But a year later, that doesn't appear to be the case.
"NZQA needs to make these checks before terms start - it needs to freeze enrolments, not results… New Zealand prides itself on its education but education for international students in New Zealand is chaotic. Right now it appears preference is given to profits over quality education."
The Government on Wednesday said it was scrapping employer-assisted work visas, a move expected to see between 1200 and 6000 fewer international students each year.
Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said they were open to exploitation. Asked whether the changes could force some tertiary institutions to close, Mr Galloway said: "We don't want low quality providers in New Zealand."
He has reportedly asked for advice on what to tell the students to do next.
If there's no satisfactory resolution, the students have threatened to go on a hunger strike.
"We will go to a hunger strike, and we will fight to our death," Lakwhinder Singh told RNZ. "This is our life, our future."
Mr Singh is among those who have completed courses twice, only to have the qualifications withheld.
NZQA says it will meet with the students soon to figure out what can be done. In the meantime, it's likely many will have to apply - and pay - for temporary visas.
Thursday's protest is scheduled for 12:30pm.
Newshub.
