New Zealand also has an international reputation as a provider of quality education.
It offers a safe learning environment which provides excellent study opportunities and support services for international students. Courses are available for academic, professional and vocational studies at universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, secondary schools and private training establishments.
has become a preferred study destination for many international students due to the following reasons: –
1) Safe yet modern: – This country of just over 4 million people is an easy going and one of the safest places on this earth with high quality living conditions and a modern lifestyle. New Zealand has never seen war on its own shores and crime here is extremely low compared to America and Europe. The New Zealand government is also very stable and the New Zealanders are very outward looking and welcoming of new cultures.
2) British based education system: – The New Zealand education programs and degrees are based on the worlds most recognized and accredited education system- The British System- without the same expense.
3) International recognition of courses and degrees: – New Zealand qualifications are of a high quality and have a reputation around the world for being practical, modern and desired. All courses, programs and qualifications offered by New Zealand institutions are quality assured by the New Zealand government. Major employers around the world recognize New Zealand qualifications and employ New Zealand graduates.
4) Competitive Costs: – New Zealand offers very affordable tuition fee compared with many other countries around the world. Competitive tuition fees coupled with a low cost of living represents a good value for your money.
5) Multiculturalism: – New Zealand has a dynamic and harmonious multicultural society. Kiwis are friendly and pleasant and are opening their doors to offer you warm and welcoming environments. International students are highly respected in New Zealand and you will feel most welcome here.
6) Support Services: – New Zealand has a long history of teaching international students and New Zealand institutions are sensitive to the needs of international students. The “International Office” in tertiary institutions provides a high quality support service to help you adjust to your new environment and successfully complete your studies.
7) Recreational wonderland: – From the rugged mountains to the sandy beaches New Zealand is a land of great variety. This is also true of educational and cultural programs on offer to international students. Although New Zealand has a population of only 4.3 million and is similar in geographical size to the U.K. and Japan, its breathtaking scenery sets it apart from the rest of the world. New Zealand offers exciting landscape and recreational opportunities as well as great outdoors to treasure.
8) Work while you study: – All students on a student visa can work up to 20 hours per week during semester and full time during vacations i.e. 40 hours. Many New Zealand institutions offer a student employment service called ‘Student Job Search’ to help you find work.
9) Opportunity to settle permanently in New Zealand: – If you complete your course successfully, you automatically get a 12 months ‘Work Permit’ under the student visa policy. In most instances this permit will be done at your institution itself. This allows you to work full time in any job of your choice. However if you want to get a New Zealand Permanent Residency (PR), then you have to find a job that is relevant to the course that you have completed. Eg: If you have completed a course in IT, then you have to find a job as a programmer, analyst, etc. This will immediately give you a 2 years work permit with all rights like free medical, etc. Upon receiving this 2 years work permit then you can apply for PR and normally will get it within 5-6 months. If you do not find a job that is relevant to your course, you can continue to work in any job for 12 months and try and recover some of the investment you have made towards your study in NZ. You will that way end up by recovering a bulk of the fees you have paid and also end up with an international experience which will come in handy if you have to return to India. There are plenty of jobs in NZ, and while it may not be easy to get one, if you are good enough, you will easily get one. For more information please visit www.immigration.govt.nz.
10) No personal visa interview and NO outright visa rejection: – The Immigration Department of New Zealand NEVER rejects a visa application outright without giving you a chance to explain. Compare this with other countries who do not give you an opportunity to mention your side of the story. As long as you are able to explain clearly why you have chosen a particular course, there is no danger of not getting the visa. We will help you with the course selection that will enable you to create a good ‘Statement of Purpose’ (SOP) that will help the visa officer understand clearly and give a favorable decision.
11) Further education after acquiring Permanent Residency: -Once you acquire your Permanent Residency and if you want to study further, then you become eligible for study loans from the Government of New Zealand. You can avail of these loans and pay after you complete the course. Your dependence o your parents can stop after you get your PR. You can also continue to work as much as you like while pursuing your further studies after PR. The 20 hours per week restriction goes away.
WITH THIS UNIQUE COMBINATION OF TOP QUALITY EDUCATION AND TOP CLASS SERVICES, WHY NOT BECOME A TOP CLASS STUDENT OF NEW ZEALAND.
Top University & Colleges
Auckland University of Technology
Victoria University of Wellington
Manukau Institute of Technology
Whitireia Community Polytechnic
Christchurch
Dunedin
Hamilton
Waikato Institute of Technology
Napier
Eastern Institute of Technology
Nelson
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology
New Plymouth
Western Institute of Technology
Palmestorn North
Rotorua
Waiariki Institute of Technology
Tauranga
Wellington
Whitireia Community Polytechnic
Wellington Institute of Technology
Whangarei
Starting School
Children most commonly start school when they turn five even though schooling is compulsory from age six. Where children start school for the first time after the age of six, they are placed in the same year as other children of the same age.A child starting primary school for the first time between July (when the school roll is counted) and 31 December of a school year, and aged between five and six, will be classed as Year 0.
Children who begin school for the first time between 1 January and before the July roll count will be classed as being in Year One. The school year runs from the end of January to the middle of December, broken into four terms. Classes typically have between 19 and 24 children to every teacher.
NCEA
New Zealand children generally attend primary school until they are 12 and then move on to their secondary institute, known as secondary schools, high schools, colleges or area schools. It is here that they are encouraged to partake in the National Certificate of Educational Achievement programme (NCEA), which is undertaken in three levels over the last three years of schooling (Years 11-13). NCEA qualifications are available in a myriad of subjects including academic, artistic and trade.
The NCEA qualifications equate internationally as follows:
Level One NCEA equates to:
- The British General Certificate of Secondary Education
- Canadian or US Grade 10
- Year 10 awards in most Australian states – School Certificate, Junior Certificate and Achievement Certificate
Level Three NCEA equates to:
- The British A level
- Year 12 awards in most Australian states
Higher education
A high level of tertiary education is available within New Zealand including universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, all of which are public institutions. There is also a huge variety of private training facilities and organisations, which include many language schools catering to international students.
A Bachelor’s degree from a New Zealand university is equivalent of both the British Bachelor’s (Ordinary) degree and the Australian Bachelor’ degree award.
New Zealand welcomes international students at all its education institutions, which include schools, universities, institutes of technology, polytechnics and private training establishments.
Starting School
Children most commonly start school when they turn five even though schooling is compulsory from age six. Where children start school for the first time after the age of six, they are placed in the same year as other children of the same age.A child starting primary school for the first time between July (when the school roll is counted) and 31 December of a school year, and aged between five and six, will be classed as Year 0.
Children who begin school for the first time between 1 January and before the July roll count will be classed as being in Year One. The school year runs from the end of January to the middle of December, broken into four terms. Classes typically have between 19 and 24 children to every teacher.
NCEA
New Zealand children generally attend primary school until they are 12 and then move on to their secondary institute, known as secondary schools, high schools, colleges or area schools. It is here that they are encouraged to partake in the National Certificate of Educational Achievement programme (NCEA), which is undertaken in three levels over the last three years of schooling (Years 11-13). NCEA qualifications are available in a myriad of subjects including academic, artistic and trade.
The NCEA qualifications equate internationally as follows:
Level One NCEA equates to:
- The British General Certificate of Secondary Education
- Canadian or US Grade 10
- Year 10 awards in most Australian states – School Certificate, Junior Certificate and Achievement Certificate
Level Three NCEA equates to:
- The British A level
- Year 12 awards in most Australian states
Higher education
A high level of tertiary education is available within New Zealand including universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, all of which are public institutions. There is also a huge variety of private training facilities and organisations, which include many language schools catering to international students.
A Bachelor’s degree from a New Zealand university is equivalent of both the British Bachelor’s (Ordinary) degree and the Australian Bachelor’ degree award.
New Zealand welcomes international students at all its education institutions, which include schools, universities, institutes of technology, polytechnics and private training establishments.
Cost of Studying & Living in New Zealand
In order to study in New Zealand you will have to pay tuition fees. The cost of education can be expensive, so it’s worthwhile looking into the various scholarship options available. Each university in New Zealand sets its own tuition fees, therefore the fees you will need to pay will depend on your chosen institution, subject and your level of study.
Most international students must pay foreign student fees at New Zealand universities. Under certain conditions however, international students can be exempt from paying foreign student fees because they are classed as domestic students (one example of such a category of students are international students enrolled in PhD programmes).
An undergraduate degree generally costs between NZ$ 18,000 and NZ$ 25,000 per year. Postgraduate studies can cost between NZ$ 10,000 and NZ$ 30,000. Costs largely depend on your chosen subject. For example, most undergraduate studies, such as arts, humanities, social sciences, management or engineering cost between NZ$ 10, 000 and NZ$ 12, 000 per year whilst science and technology studies generally cost between NZ$ 14,000 and NZ$ 18,000 per year.
You will also encounter some additional costs when studying in New Zealand, such as Overseas Student Health Cover charges and various fees, however these costs shouldn’t take much of your overall budget.
The cost of living in New Zealand will mostly depend on your location and can vary between NZ$ 7,000 and NZ$ 12,000 per year. A lot will depend on a student’s lifestyle and chosen accommodation options. You can choose between various housing/accommodation options while studying in New Zealand. There are private accommodations (approximately NZ$ 180 per week), flat accommodation (approximately NZ$ 120 per week along with a bond) or student hostels and halls of residence (approximately NZ$ 200 per week).
It’s important to note that tuition fees and living expenses vary greatly between different universities and locations. Therefore, it’s important to do your research and inform yourself about fees and costs in your chosen location. This may be a deciding factor so it’s important to get all the relevant info as soon as possible. It’s also good to have at least two options open so you can choose the one that is best for you.
To help your financial situation while studying in New Zealand you may apply to various scholarships. There are a wide variety of scholarships available to international students in New Zealand. These scholarships are provided by New Zealand government, educational institutions, private sources and foreign governments.
Another financial option is to work while you study in New Zealand. Please note that full-time international students are allowed to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week during studies and full time during holidays. If you wish to work while studying in New Zealand it’s important to check the exact conditions of your student visa. Some visas don’t allow you to work. If this is the case you must apply for a variation of the conditions of your visa. You can do this either at your initial visa application or later.
Do you want to study in the New Zealand for free? The New Zealand Government and some New Zealand Universities provide a number of scholarships for international students who wants to study in New Zealand.
New Zealand Government Scholarships »
New Zealand Development Scholarships
The New Zealand Development Scholarships (NZDS) offers the opportunity for international students from selected developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Carribbean to study in New Zealand to gain knowledge and skills through post-graduate study in specific subject areas that will assist in the development of their home country. The scholarships include tuition fees, travel costs, living allowance, and insurance.
New Zealand ASEAN Scholar Awards
The New Zealand-ASEAN Scholar Awards are scholarships for international students from Southeast Asian countries who wants to pursue postgraduate studies in New Zealand with the intention to help in the development of their home countries. The scholarships include tuition fees, travel costs, living allowance, and insurance.
New Zealand Pacific Scholarships
New Zealand Pacific Scholarships (NZPS) are available for candidates from selected countries in the Pacific Region and supports both undergraduate and postgraduate study in New Zealand. The scholarships include tuition fees, travel costs, living allowance, and insurance.
New Zealand International Doctoral Sscholarships
The NZIDRS provides full tuition fees plus a living stipend for up to 36 months for international students to undertake PhD study at a New Zealand university. The NZIDRS covers University tuition fees and associated student levies for 3 years, an annual living stipend of NZ$25,000 or NZ$2083.33 per month for 36 months, and medical insurance coverage up to NZ$600 annually for 3 years.
New Zealand University Scholarships »
UC International First Year Scholarships
The University of Canterbury offers the UC International First Year Scholarship to top-achieving international students commencing an undergraduate degree programme at the University. The scholarship is currently awarded with values of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000.
ADB Scholarships at University of Auckland
The Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship Program (ADB-JSP) aims to provide an opportunity for well-qualified citizens of ADB’s developing member countries to undertake postgraduate studies at participating academic institutions in the Asian and Pacific Region. The University of Auckland is a participating institution of the program. The scholarship provides tuition fees, airfare to and from Auckland, basic cost of living in Auckland, health and medical insurance in New Zealand, etc.
University of Otago International Research Masters Scholarships
The University of Otago International Master’s Award provides funding to support international students who are undertaking a thesis-based Masters Degree at the University of Otago. The scholarship includes NZ$13,000 stipend per annum and international tuition fees waiver (excludes student services fee and insurance).
Victoria Masters Scholarships
To encourage postgraduate research at Victoria, the University offers scholarships to students about to begin a full-time, research-focused Master’s degree. The scholarship pays $15,000.00 stipend plus NZ domestic fees (internationals students have to pay the difference between the full international student fee and the domestic fee).
University of Waikato Excellence Scholarships for Asia Programme
The University of Waikato is launching a new international scholarship program specifically aimed at high achieving International Students from selected Asian countries (China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Republic of South Korea and the Philippines). The University of Waikato Excellence Scholarships for Asia Programme will provide financial aid for Pre-degree (foundation), Undergraduate or Postgraduate taught programmes. The scholarship is worth up to NZ$10,000.
Visas
All people who wish to study abroad in New Zealand for more than 3 months will need a student visa. The only exception applies to Australian citizens. They can study in New Zealand without a visa. All other international students will have to acquire a student visa in order to be able to study in New Zealand.
Those who wish to study courses that last for 3 months or less won’t need to acquire student visa.
Your student visa will state how long you can stay in the country, whether you can work while studying, who counts as your dependent, and more. In order to get your student visa, you need to officially apply for it and pay a student visa application fee.
If you are already in New Zealand when applying for your student visa, you will need to go through the regular application process. In some cases you might be able to process your student visa directly on campus.
In special circumstances, you will be able to change the conditions of your visa. For example, if you are on another visa type and you want to study part time or if you are on a student visa but you want to change courses or course providers. You might need to change conditions of your visa if you wish to work while studying.
What do I need to apply?
The full requirements are listed at the front of the Application To Study In New Zealand form but an outline list of documents is as follows:
- A valid passport
- A completed application form
- The application fee
- Two recent passport-sized photos
- An unconditional offer of place to study at a university in New Zealand
- Receipt showing payment of one year’s tuition fees (provided that your visa application has been approved in principle)
- Guarantee of accommodation
- Evidence of sufficient funds for maintenance, via a letter or bank statement, or completed Financial Undertaking form (INZ 1014)
- Evidence of sufficient funds to purchase an outward ticket.
Will I need to provide any character documents?
All applicants for New Zealand visas need to be of good character. This generally means you have no criminal convictions. If you have convictions or if you intend on remaining in New Zealand for more than 24 months you will need to provide police clearances from each country for which you have citizenship. You will also need to provide police clearances for every country you have lived in for five years or more since you turned 17.
Will I need to provide any health documents?
In order to be eligible for a visa for New Zealand you must have an ‘acceptable standard of health’. In order for INZ to check this you may be asked to provide a medical and/or x-ray certificate. As an international fee-paying student, however, you do not need to provide any medical documents at the point of application unless the student visa application form (INZ 1012) or the student visa guide (INZ 1013) specifically indicates that you should. If INZ requires a medical or chest x-ray during assessment, a visa officer will be in touch to request this from you directly.
Can I take my partner with me?
It is not possible to add your partner to your student visa as a dependant. Your partner will need to apply for their own visa to be in New Zealand if he or she wishes to work or study. They have the option of applying for a work visa as the partner of a student who is either:
i) Studying for a qualification in an area of absolute skill shortage, as specified in the Long Term Skill Shortage List, or
ii) Studying for a postgraduate qualification.
If your course of study does not fall into either of these categories, your partner will need to apply to be in New Zealand of their own accord, for example under the Working Holiday Scheme, the Essential Skills Visa or the Skilled Migrant Category. Please see the New Zealand Visas for Partners and Families page for more information.
How long does a visa take to get?
Immigration New Zealand recommends you allow between four and six weeks for student visa processing.
How soon can I travel to New Zealand once I get my visa?
The visa is valid immediately upon issuing, so once you have your visa you can use it to enter New Zealand.
How long will my visa last?
The visa is valid for the duration of your course if it is up to 12 months long, or for the academic year for courses that are longer than a year.
Can I apply for another visa when my course finishes?
Yes. If you meet policy, you may apply for residence or for another temporary visa. For information about other visa options, please visit www.immigration.govt.nz.
What are my obligations?
You must hold comprehensive health insurance for the duration of your stay, as only residents and holders of two year or longer work permits are eligible for publicly funded health and disability services. You also have a legal obligation to be in New Zealand on a valid permit at all times. If you fail to remain in New Zealand lawfully you may be declined a visa to travel to the country in the future.
All information is correct at the time of going to press but is subject to change. Please check INZ’s website for the most up-to-date information, at www.immigration.govt.nz.