Studying in New Zealand is a great opportunity to pursue a world-class higher education at a reasonable cost.
Studying and living in New Zealand
Thousands of international students choose New Zealand universities every year for the following reasons:
- Anglo-Saxon model of education (the principle of "bachelor's-master's degree");
- Internationally recognized diploma and the possibility of official employment around the world;
- Affordable tuition and day-to-day costs (compared to US, UK and Australia);
- A wide range of scholarships and grants;
- Education in English;
- The possibility of formal employment while studying;
- Strict control over the education system by the government;
- Favorable climate and excellent ecological situation;
- The possibility of legal work in the country for 2 years after graduation with the subsequent acquisition of citizenship.
New Zealand has a steadily growing GDP. According to the human development index, it is included in the top 15 countries of the world. High quality of life makes New Zealanders the 8th most happy.
Education costs are up to 15% budget. The authoritative academic rankings QS and THE annually include the country's universities in their lists. The universities of Auckland and Otago are among the top 200 universities in the world.
Features of higher education in New Zealand
Higher education is the final link in the education system, which includes preschool and school stages. The duration of schooling is 12-13 years, therefore, an applicant from the post-Soviet space must complete 1-2 courses of the university in his country. There is no upper age limit for applicants.
There are 10 diploma degrees in New Zealand. Higher education starts from the 7th degree, the 10th corresponds to the doctor of sciences.
The duration of the training is standard. Students receive a bachelor's diploma in 3 years, a master's degree in another 2. Some specialties (medical, engineering) require longer training. Honors Bachelor Degree diplomas are issued after 4 years.
The academic year is divided into 2 (less often - 3) semesters:
- 1st starts in January-February;
- 2nd - in the middle of July.
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Several days a week are devoted to self-study and work in the library. Summer holidays (due to the fact that the country is located in the Southern Hemisphere) fall in December-January.
Exams must be taken 2 times a year (in November and June) or at the end of each subject. They usually take place in writing or in the form of a project presentation. The rating system is a point-rating system. It takes into account not only the exam grade, but also the grades in the semester, as well as class attendance. The highest score is A +, the lowest is E.
Attention! Attendance is monitored by the university in conjunction with the immigration service. With a large number of passes, the student may be deprived of a study visa.
Types of universities and educational programs
According to the form of ownership, universities in New Zealand are divided into private and public. There are several types of government agencies that are entitled to issue a higher education diploma:
- 8 universities;
- 40 industrial educational organizations;
- 20 technological and polytechnic institutes;
- 3 wänanga.
Universities are classical institutions with traditional academic programs at the highest prices. In polytechnics, the emphasis is on the applied aspect of the profession. Here you can get both specialized secondary education and a bachelor's degree. Wänanga - special universities for the indigenous population of New Zealand - the Maori.
Most universities offer the following forms of study:
- Daytime;
- Extramural;
- Remote.
The full cycle of the educational system consists of:
- Bachelor's degree;
- Master's programs;
- Doctorate.
At the end of the 1st stage of education, the student is awarded a bachelor's degree. To do this, he needs to score at least 360 credit points (120 points for each academic year).
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A diploma is a confirmation of a certain specialty, in which the graduate received a list of theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for independent work.
It is advisable to enter the magistracy for students who wish to continue research work or master narrowly focused professional skills. To complete it, you will need 1-2 years of study, 120-240 credit points and a graduate scientific work.
Conditions for admission
An applicant from a CIS country does not have enough school certificate when entering a university. There are several ways to get the education you need:
- Finish 1-2 courses of the university in your country;
- Complete training at the preparatory department for 1 year;
- Finish high school in New Zealand;
- Enter the Polytechnic Institute: at the end of the full cycle of study, the student is awarded a bachelor's degree, which allows him to apply for the 2nd year of the partner university.
Most New Zealand universities do not have centralized entrance examinations for local students. Enrollment is carried out on the basis of a competition of submitted documents and an NCEA certificate (analogue of the Unified State Exam). Foreigners must pass the NCEA exams at any specialized training center in the country. Some universities run their own tests. They also need to be taken after the preparatory department.
A prerequisite for admission to any university is a certificate of proficiency in English. IELTS is preferred, with a minimum score of 6-6.5. Some educational institutions accept the TOEFL certificate.
Enrollment in the magistracy is carried out on the basis of a bachelor's degree in the chosen specialty.
List of required documents
Attention! The list of documents and deadlines for their submission may differ depending on the university. As a rule, they are taken 2 times a year before the start of each semester: until November and until May.
List of documents that must be provided by the applicant:
- Secondary education certificate and annex to it with apostille;
- Certificate of completion of 1 or 2 courses of the university with an apostille;
- Certificate of proficiency in English;
- Foundation certificate for preparatory studies;
- NCEA certificate if required;
- Motivation letter;
- Recommendations;
- Copy of the passport;
- Photos.
Upon admission to the magistracy, you will also need:
- Diploma of higher education in the chosen specialty;
- Academic resume.
All documents must be translated from Russian into English.
After receiving Letter of acceptance (confirmation of admission) you must apply for a student visa at the embassy. This will also require providing financial guarantees - at least 10 thousand New Zealand dollars for 1 year of study. The term for consideration of documents is up to 3 months.
Cost of education
Education in classical New Zealand universities is the most expensive. Depending on the specialty, its cost fluctuates from 15 to 25 thousand $ per year... In polytechnics, it is somewhat less - 10-15 thousand... The most affordable diploma from private institutions - 5-10 thousand $.
The average cost of studying for a master's degree is approaching to $ 15,000.
Possibility of free education. Scholarships, grants
The availability of a variety of scholarship programs and grants allows students to reduce the cost of education. Their source is the government or the universities themselves.However, the requirements are quite strict: only every 40th applicant receives a scholarship. In most cases, it covers up to half of the cost of education, very rarely allows you to get education for free.
The distribution of grants is carried out on the basis of:
- Average mark of the certificate;
- IELTS score;
- Research indicators.
Major Scholarships Available in New Zealand:
- Alan Musgrave Philosophy Fellowship: Philosophy Students (up to $ 10,000 per year);
- Reiner Memorial Scholarship: Designed for Economics Master students (1200 $);
- University of Canterbury Scholarship: awarded annually to 25 students of this university (up to 11 thousand $).
Internship and exchange studies
Many universities in New Zealand offer international students exchange programs of varying duration, from a few weeks to 1 year. Their goal is to strengthen international academic cooperation.
Accommodation and meals for students
Almost all New Zealand universities own hostels. However, due to the great need, first-year students and excellent students are provided with them first. Monthly seat rent kicks off from $ 80.
Most students prefer to live with families, rent rooms or apartments. Monthly rent of 1-room apartment will cost at $ 400.
Food costs are from $ 300 per month.
Top universities in the country
The top three universities in New Zealand include:
- Auckland University (University of Auckland)... The largest university, consisting of 8 faculties, which are based on 6 campuses. 40 thousand students study in 86 areas (10% of them are foreigners). Included in the top 100 universities in the world;
- University of Otago (University of Otago). The oldest university in the country. The number of students is more than 20 thousand. Training is conducted in 100 specialties of 4 departments: humanitarian, scientific, medical, commercial;
- University of Canterbury (University of Canterbury)... Consists of 7 faculties (law, trade, visual and performing arts, etc.). Many of them have their own field laboratories for research work. The number of students is approaching 20 thousand.
Reviews
Tatyana: After the 11th grade at school in Russia, I entered the Foundation, passed the exams. Now I am a 4th year undergraduate student, after which I will receive a diploma in two specialties. In my free time I work part-time: in New Zealand, employment of foreign students is allowed up to 20 hours a week.
Dmitriy:After completing 3 courses at the University of Auckland, I was given a Post Study Work Visa, which allows me to legally work in the country for 2 years after completing my studies at the university.
Education in New Zealand is an opportunity to obtain an international higher education diploma and job prospects in most countries of the world.
