New Zealand

Find Your Degree in New Zealand

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8 Ranked Universities

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Study

Study in New Zealand

Why study in New Zealand?

Who wouldn’t wish to study in New Zealand - the origin place of elves, dwarves, and hobbits?

Besides this awesome location, you can always count on their educational system: despite having only 8 universities, one of them is ranked in top 100 by QS World University Rankings.

Also, being the less-deadly version of Australia, New Zealand offers students a great nightlife, combined with great landscapes and polite people - all without the danger of being bitten by spiders bigger than your fist.

New Zealand has eight state-funded universities, 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) and about 550 Private Training Establishments (PTEs), which include English language schools.

Choose the type of institution that’s best for your career path:

Universities offer higher degree-level education. Programmes are research-led and generally academic rather than vocational. In the 2020 QS World University Rankings, seven of New Zealand’s universities were in the top 100 in at least one subject.
ITPs and a few larger PTEs offer vocational degree-level education.
PTEs tend to offer specific vocational programmes, mainly at certificate and diploma level.

Vocational Training Institution

Universities

Institutes of Technology

Study English

Practical Information

How to apply to universities in New Zealand

You should know that a New Zealand school year starts in February and ends in November, with a month-long break in June / July.

When you apply online (or on paper, if you hate trees), you should know that the documents you will need to provide are:

A personal statement of intent;
Your transcripts from secondary school, including any university courses that you may have taken;
Any relevant test scores (ACT or SAT);
Proof of funding, or intent to apply for funding for your tuition;
Proof of paying the application fee;
Your financial aid applications.

You can always have your questions answered at the admission office at the university, so write down your questions and go wild with their e-mail address.

Helpful ways to make sure you qualify for a New Zealand university

Take Preparation Courses: These kinds of courses enable degree-seeking students to get an extra educational boost just before they start their Master’s degree or other post-graduate degree programmes. Try a pre-M.B.A., pre-Law, or pre-Medicine programme, as well as any other foundation or preparation courses that will allow you to study in the degree programme of your choice;

Improve your English through an English-language prep course: If you’re attending a degree programme in New Zealand, you will need to prove that your language skills are good enough to participate in the classes and understand the lectures, seeing how some schools will require strong English skills. These courses will also prepare you for any of the English-language tests that universities require.

English-language tests

The minimum grades and scores international students are required to have vary wildly from university to university, and sometimes from programme to programme.

Still, the English proficiency tests usually accepted are:

Internet-based TOEFL (iBT);
Paper-based TOEFL;
Cambridge English: C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency;
Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic;
Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB).

Living

Living in New Zealand

New Zealand’s relaxed pace of life gives you the time to enjoy everything our vibrant modern cities have to offer. Enjoy live music, theatre, film, dance, free festivals or international sports fixtures, or hang out with your new friends at a cafe, restaurant or bar.

Most of cities and towns are relatively small and uncrowded, making your daily commute easier and faster than back home. Wherever you live, you won’t be far from beaches, parks, walking trails and cycle tracks.

What would daily life be like?

The size of the UK or Japan but with a population of only 4.6 million people, New Zealand gives you room to breathe and the space to be be yourself.

New Zealand consistently leads world quality of life studies, and we have a great work-life balance. Kiwis believe in balancing a good day’s work or study with time after work and on the weekends to catch up with family and friends, enjoy hobbies and explore nature.

Choose your adventure!

Each day is a new adventure in New Zealand. Explore native forests, snow-capped mountains, white sandy beaches, picture-perfect lakes and stunning fjords - all without the crowds and queues you’ll find in most parts of the world.There’s something for everyone in New Zealand, whether you enjoy high-adrenalin sports like bungy jumping, skydiving or jet boating, or prefer to get closer to nature by hiking or cycling. You’ll be able to experience our unique Māori culture and see the landscapes made famous by the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies.

Friendship Kiwi-style

New Zealand is one of the safest and friendliest places you can choose for your studies. In 2018, we were named the world’s second most peaceful country by the Global Peace Index, and the world’s second least corrupt country by Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.Your education provider will have signed a code of pastoral care aimed at ensuring you have the care and support you need to have a successful study experience in New Zealand.

Tuition fees in New Zealand

New Zealand has some of the highest tuition fees, but the trade is fair, seeing how good the universities are and how nice the country is.But, in the spirit of fair play, tuition fees can range:

For Arts and Social Sciences, around 10.600 EUR / year;
Engineering and Technology can be around 13.000 EUR / year;
Medicine and Health is around 39.800 EUR / year.

Accommodation, housing, food and other expenses

I think we already established that New Zealand can be on the expensive side of the world, with living costs ranging from 800 to 1,300 EUR/month. But it’s still good to prepare you emotionally for the prices you’ll find in the markets and in restaurants. For instance:

Rent for a one-bedroom apartment can be between 640 and 850 EUR / month;
A restaurant meal can be around 11 EUR;
A cup of coffee can go up to 3 EUR;
A loaf of bread can cost 1.5 EUR;
A one-way ticket for the local transportation is 2 EUR.

About

About New Zealand

With almost no regard for rules and traditions, New Zealand seems like the country where the phrase “There are no bad ideas” was taken to heart, and where they started doing things just because they can. For instance:

New Zealand broadcasted the first weather report in Elvish language in 2012. You can probably assume that nobody was there to tell them not to do it.
The logo of the Royal New Zealand Air Force is the Kiwi, a flightless bird;
There is a law that states every high school in New Zealand may hold one pound of uranium and one pound of thorium, for conducting nuclear experiments. Still, they will be fined 850.000 EUR if they cause a nuclear explosion.

Now, looking on the other side of the argument “we can create our own laws and do whatever we want in New Zealand”, we can find some of the best and most progressive things to ever happen in the world right in here. That’s why:

One of the three official languages of New Zealand is Sign Language (awesome!);
In 1893, New Zealand became the first country to give women the right to vote (awesomer!);
In 1990, New Zealand became the first country in the modern world to appoint an Official National Wizard (awesomest!).

Institutes

Student VISA

Student visa for New Zealand

Visa to study

You'll need a student visa if you’re planning to study here full time and the course is for longer than three months.

Student visa requirements include:

an offer of place from an educational institution approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority
a written guarantee from an institution or person that suitable accommodation is available to you in New Zealand (if you're under 18 years)
evidence of sufficient funds to live on while you are studying
a return air ticket to your country, or evidence of sufficient funds to buy one.

If you’re spending six months or more here in New Zealand you may need to be screened for tuberculosis.

If you’re over 17 and intending to be in New Zealand for over two years, you'll need to provide a police certificate to show that you are of good character.

If you're studying a short course that's less than three months, you don’t need a student visa: just a visitor visa.

If you have been offered a place in an approved exchange scheme you can apply for a student visa for the duration of your exchange, provided you meet our health and character requirements and are a genuine exchange participant. If you’re coming on a working holiday scheme you can do one or more courses of study, as long as their total duration is no more than six months.

This is just a summary. You should make sure you get the full details at Immigration New Zealand. You'll also be able to apply for your student visa online.

Work permit

Working in New Zealand

Working while studying can be a good way to gain New Zealand work experience and help support you while you’re studying abroad.

Gaining experience of a New Zealand workplace also helps you develop skills such as communication, teamwork, timekeeping, interpersonal skills and workplace-relevant English language skills.

Balance your work hours with your study obligations, so your academic performance isn’t compromised, and remember that some scholarships set limits on the number of hours you  can work.

New Zealand has a wide range of industries that offer part-time and casual work.

Some educational institutions also offer students part-time work teaching, tutoring or carrying out administration duties.

Paid internships are a way of gaining industry experience and networking with people in your field of study. Carrying out voluntary work in New Zealand can also be a great addition to your CV, giving you useful experience of the New Zealand workplace.

Student Job Search is an organisation set up to help students find work and gain job experience.

Your educational institution may also offer students assistance to learn job-related skills such as writing CVs and preparing for an interview. Seasonal work can be a good way to earn extra money over the holidays and gain new skills.

If you have worked in your home country, it may be helpful to ask your employer for a written reference that you could show to a potential New Zealand employer.