More than 40 international students say they've lost tens of thousands of dollars after the school they were studying at was shut down by NZQA.

The students, mainly from China and India, say they paid between $10,000 and $16,000 for a one year business diploma at New Zealand National College.

They'd almost finished it when NZQA shut the school down over "serious issues", including passing many students that shouldn't have.

All the students are now left without a diploma after a year's work, and got varying amounts back, some only half of what they paid in fees.

They're protesting today on Queen St.

Student Hyun Jin Oh wants some help from the Government.

"I don't know [what their job is], but I think they have to do what is right for the student. We are innocent, we just enrolled here. This is completely unfair to us."

She says they deserve some justice.

"Every student got a different amount of money for a refund. I paid [$10,000}, and I'll be getting $5,000. My friend pay [$16,000] but she [is] also getting $5,000."

A lawyer says we need to protect the reputation of our billion-dollar education export industry.

Lawyer Alastair McClymont says it's embarrassing to tell these students their school was Government-approved yet we take their money for nothing in return.

He says at the moment it looks to other international students as if we don't care about them.