Study in New Zealand

New Zealand is a unique country with beautiful landscapes, world-renowned universities and a friendly and progressive society. It has a secure and friendly environment with a world-class reputation for cutting-edge innovation and creative energy. There are various other reasons that make New Zealand  a desirable destination for international students. Flick through the article to know more about education in New Zealand.

Why Study in New Zealand? 

New Zealand has a number of higher educational institutions including colleges, universities, polytechnics and private institutions. There are primarily 8 universities in New Zealand that provide  quality education. University of Auckland is one of the highest ranked universities of New Zealand followed by University of Otago. 

Study in New Zealand can be done at various traditional levels such as undergraduate, post-graduate and doctoral level. Various certificate programs such as Honours and Graduate Diplomas are also available. These courses usually last one year.

Cost of Studying & Living in New Zealand:

In New Zealand, educational institutions are allowed to set their own tuition fees which means  institutions can charge fees according to their own choice. For a Bachelor’s degree, international students are expected to pay between $22,000 to $32,000 NZD (New Zealand Dollar). Whereas for Post-graduate, institutions can charge between $26,000 to $37,000 NZD. PhD students pay a hefty price of $6,500 to $9,000 NZD per year. 

The living cost in New Zealand varies upon cities. Nevertheless, students can find a decent accommodation with a budget between $15,000 – $27,000 NZD per year. 

There are few rules related to health insurance in New Zealand that the students need to keep in mind. Students are not eligible to avail public health services and  are supposed to purchase health insurance. An exception to this rule is for students from Australia and the United Kingdom or PhD students.

Students can work up to 20 hours per week during term period and full time during holidays. If a student completes his masters by research or PhD then they are eligible to work full time in any part of the country. 

Visa:

Students may need to apply for a student visa if they are going to stay in New Zealand for more than 3 months. Students from Australia and other countries have a privilege here as they have an agreement with New Zealand and do not need to apply for a visa. 

Students can apply for their visa at the New Zealand embassy or consulate in their home country, but the online application fee is 10 percent cheaper and is recommended. 

Please visit the New Zealand Immigration website for more information about visas. 

https://www.govt.nz/browse/immigration-and-visas/

Language:

New Zealand has three official languages- English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language  (NZSL). In 1987, Te Reo Maori and NZSL became their official language and the main language for deaf community respectively. 

The language, Te Reo Maori is in danger of extinction as only 3.7% of the population can speak the language. Authorities of New Zealand are executing Maori classes in schools, broadcasting some exclusive channels in Maori to save the language. 

If English is not your native language, you may need to improve your English skills in order to match their teaching skills as a majority of courses are offered in English. 

The world class universities in the lap of nature definitely make New Zealand one of the best study abroad destinations.