New Zealand

New Zealand – top choice for study, work and immigration.

• New Zealand has nature’s blessings in abundance- golden beaches, glaciers, luscious rainforests and snow-capped mountains- the country is full of stunning landscapes. A foreign student can look forward to an exciting outdoor life. It is also the youngest country in the world, the last to be discovered by man!
• It has been ranked third in Global Peace Index of 162 countries and has low crime rates.
• The Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International students ensures you are well looked after and safe in New Zealand. It is a government initiative and is a formal guideline for education providers along with proper grievance redressal system for students.
• New Zealand has 8 universities in all, with 7 featuring in the QS World Top 500 University Rankings. This is a great achievement for a nation with a population of only 4 million.
• New Zealand attracts around 90,000 international students every year.
• Students can take up part-time jobs, as per their visa provisions.
• It is easy to get a work permit in New Zealand after your studies and later on you may even apply for permanent residency.
• There are plenty of opportunities for skilled labour in New Zealand, with proper guidelines and support from the government.
• Forbes rated New Zealand first in their 2012 Best Countries for Business list.
• The Kiwi dollar was among the top 25 rated sovereign currencies in the world (Standard and Poor’s).

Some more facts about New Zealand

Capital: Wellington

Official languages: English and Maori

Currency: New Zealand Dollars ($) (NZD)

Climate: An average temperature of 20-30 degrees Celsius in summers, and that of 10-15 degrees Celsius in winters.

Why Study in New Zealand

The education system in New Zealand is highly rated across the world. It is quality driven, innovative, timely and student-centric. Schools and universities in New Zealand offer word-class facilities, resources, and teaching staff. The degrees awarded are internationally recognised and valued, as a result of which thousands of students have chosen New Zealand as their study destination over the years.

There are several government checks and controls on the education system and institutions in New Zealand. Government bodies like NZQA and NZVCC regularly audit and approve all the qualifications being conferred as well as the quality of their delivery to students.

Safe and secure environment: Since 2002, the government of New Zealand has enforced a Code of Conduct for the Pastoral Care of International students, which lays down guidelines for the education providers and other stakeholders to follow, thereby ensuring the well-being of these students. New Zealand has a warm, multi-cultural and tolerant society which makes it easier for foreign students to live and study here. The crime rates are amongst the lowest in the world.

Exceptional living standards: The cost of living is lower than in other similar developed countries like the US, Canada, the UK, and even the neighbouring Australia. A student pursuing a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in New Zealand will only incur half the expenses of what he would in the US or the UK. The quality of living is also very high with good healthcare, transport and recreational facilities. English is spoken by about 98% of the population and the accent is also easy to grasp.

Fee Structure

For each 1 year period:

Living costs

• Primary Applicant – NZ$ 15,000

• Spouse – NZ$ 4,200
• Children – NZ$ 4,2000

There are not many scholarships for INTERNATIONAL students and there is stiff competition for the few that are available. Most of the scholarships for international students predominantly target Ph.D. and doctoral courses. A few of the available scholarships are given below. You can try for a suitable one.

Commonwealth Scholarship BayerBoost Environmental Scholarship NZ International Doctoral Research Scholarships R.H.T. Bates Postgraduate Scholarship Reserve Bank of NZ University Scholarship NZ International Undergraduate Fees Scholarship Bickerton-Widdowson Trust Memorial Scholarship ZESPRI Horticultural International Scholarship LEARN Scholarships

Part-time work during studies

Full-time international students can work part-time up to 20 hours per week while studying. During vacations you can work up to 40 hours, provided the course you have enrolled for is of a minimum duration of 12 months. It is possible to earn up to NZ$12 per hour in wages.

Work opportunities after studies

If you have completed a course that gives you points under the Skilled Migrant Category of New Zealand, it’s possible to get an open work visa of 12 months for job search, and if you get a job offer during that period, you can very well apply for a work visa (2-3 years) and gain permanent residency.