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New Zealand is an internationally recognised provider of tertiary education. You can be confident that any courses you study here will be well accepted by employers and institutions both offshore and in New Zealand.
International students also choose New Zealand to experience Kiwi lifestyle, as a safe place to extend personal boundaries, and in some cases to explore opportunities to stay long-term or permanently.
To study at a New Zealand university, international students pay between 4,000 and 10,500 EUR per academic year. While this isn’t exactly cheap, it’s much more affordable than studying at universities in other countries like the US, Canada, the UK, or Australia.
To study at a New Zealand university, international students pay between 4,000 and 10,500 EUR per academic year. While this isn’t exactly cheap, it’s much more affordable than studying at universities in other countries like the US, Canada, the UK, or Australia.
The education system in New Zealand is based on the successful UK model.
In 2020, New Zealand was listed as the second most peaceful nation on the Global Peace Index
The education system in New Zealand is very application-based. Memorising course material is not the standard way of learning at New Zealand universities.

What to study in New Zealand?

New Zealand offers some of the most diverse degrees in the world. Still, if the market is too vast, you should know that some of the most popular study options in New Zealand are:
New Zealand universities are home to around 16,000 – nearly 60% – of the country’s researchers.
Computer Science degrees in New Zealand
Educational Research degrees in New Zealand
Psychology degrees in New Zealand
Commerce degrees in New Zealand
Agriculture degrees in New Zealand
Biomedical Engineering degrees in New Zealand

Overview of New Zealand

CAPITAL

Wellington

REGION

Oceania

GDP PER CAPITA, PPP

$51,967

GDP

$247 billion

POPULATION

5,124,100

AREA

268,838 SQ.KM

Tertiary qualification levels in New Zealand range from Level 1 certificates to Level 10 Doctorates:

Level 1 certificates
Level 2 certificates
Level 3 certificates
Level 4 certificates
Level 5 certificates and diplomas
Level 6 certificates and diplomas
Level 7 graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and Bachelor’s degrees
Level 8 postgraduate certificates, postgraduate diplomas and Bachelor’s Honours degrees
Level 9 Master’s degrees
Level 10 Doctoral degrees.
In New Zealand, there are primarily two intakes for courses (February and July), and the universities provide rolling intakes (Winter and Spring).
Semesters   Intakes Application    Deadline
Semester 1   February to June     January/February
Semester 2   July to November    June/July
Rolling Intakes Any time of the year N/A
The intakes provide various educational opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate programs, allowing students to pursue their studies in a supportive and innovative environment.

Tuition fees in New Zealand

In New Zealand, the government allows universities to set their own tuition fees. For international students, these fees range between:
16,100–26,100 AUD/year for Bachelor’s degrees
18,300–30,500 AUD/year for Master’s degrees
For some disciplines, like Medicine, tuition can be even higher. Of course, you can always search for a scholarship in New Zealand to fund your studies.
Accommodation, food, and other expenses
In New Zealand, living costs for international students range from 800 to 1,300 EUR/month. Here’s a breakdown of the average expenses:
Rent: 700-1000 AUD/month (depending on the type of accommodation)
Utilities: 230–280 AUD/month
A restaurant meal: 22 AUD
A cup of coffee: 5 AUD
A loaf of bread: 2.50 AUD
Monthly transport pass: 150 AUD

Working on a Student Visa

You may be allowed to work part-time for up to 20 hours a week, and full-time during all scheduled holidays and the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

What is the maximum number of courses I can take?

During the summer term you can take 1-2 courses. During the actual semesters you are allowed to take a maximum of 4 courses except in Postgraduate Programme the maximum number of courses is 2.
The weekly hours for your Course
In general, you will have 4 hours of contact lectures per week per course

Plan your study time

An average student is expected to spend 150 hours per course each semester and about 40 hours per week, which is like having a full-time job. This could mean:
Per course: 30-50 hours of class time (lectures, tutorials, workshops and labs) & 100-120 hours for you to study and do assignments
For four courses: 120-200 hours of class time & 400-480 hours for studying and assignments
Per week: 8-13 hours of class time & 27-32 hours for studying and assignments
Each semester is about 15 weeks long.

Staying to work after study

Applying for a visa to work in New Zealand after you finish your study.

How long you can stay on a Post Study Work Visa?

The length of your Post Study Work Visa will depend on the qualification you completed in New Zealand. If you completed a master’s or doctoral level qualification in New Zealand, and studied here for at least 30 weeks you can work in New Zealand for 3 years.
If you completed a qualification at level 8 or below your work visa will be for the same length of time as your study. We will use your offer of place to work this out. For example if your offer of place says that your study will take 32 weeks, your visa will be for 32 weeks.
If you fail a course or otherwise take longer to complete your study than what is stated on your offer of place this will not extend the length of your visa. If the actual length of your study is different from the offer of place, we may request further information from your education provider.
You cannot get a second Post Study Work Visa if you have already had one.
Check the Post Study Work Visa link for more information on meeting the criteria.

Applying for a Permanent Resident Visa

If you were the principal applicant
If you were the principal applicant of the original residence application, you can get a Permanent Resident Visa if you:
have held your resident visa for at least 2 years
have met any conditions of your Resident Visa, and
have shown a commitment to New Zealand in one of the 5 ways that meet our requirements.
Check the criteria to be granted a Permanent Resident Visa.

Permanent Resident Visa details

Your commitment to New Zealand — permanent residence
If you were not the principal applicant for a Residence Visa
You usually cannot apply for a Permanent Resident Visa unless you apply at the same time as or later than the principal applicant.
If you were included in your parent or partner’s residence application, you can sometimes be granted a permanent resident visa without that other person becoming a permanent resident first.

Permanent residence for non-principal applicants

If you are not eligible for a Permanent Resident Visa
If you are not eligible for a Permanent Resident Visa, you may still be eligible to have the travel conditions on your Resident Visa extended. This will allow you a longer time to return to New Zealand as a resident.
Variations of travel conditions can be granted for 24 months, 12 months or 14 days depending on your circumstances.
Extending the travel conditions of a resident visa