As the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) studies consistently show, New Zealand students perform well above the international mean. New Zealand’s achievements in education are renowned internationally, particularly its focus on research-evidenced best practice. These achievements have resulted in the expertise and experience of New Zealand educators being sought after around the world.

There are amazing opportunities available to international students in New Zealand, including quality secondary school education, a well-established network of English language schools, and internationally-respected and recognised tertiary and university-level education providers. New Zealand offers a range of education opportunities, from certificates to doctoral degrees. It also provides a safe, secure and dynamic environment for your study, with the New Zealand Ministry of Education operating a Code of Practice that looks after international students and covers pastoral care, accommodation and provision of information. All institutions that host international students have staff dedicated to ensuring their time in New Zealand is happy and successful.

Getting a Student Visa to New Zealand

You’ll need to get a student visa if you’re planning on studying in New Zealand for longer than three months. To secure a student visa you will need to satisfy a variety of Immigration New Zealand criteria – including having an offer of place in a course at an educational institution that is registered and approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, a national quality assurance system designed to help New Zealand institutions maintain the quality and consistency of their educational programmes.

You may be permitted to work part-time during your semester and full time during Christmas and New Year breaks, depending on the type of course you’re studying.

If you’re an international student in New Zealand and have completed your studies, immigration criteria allows you to enter the New Zealand work-force through –

• A 12 month, open Open Post Study Work Visa upon completion of your course of study, or

• A further 24 month Post Study (Employer Assisted) Work Visa with an offer of employment relevant to your qualification.

These special work categories are designed to enable international students to find skilled employment in New Zealand that is related to their completed course, and thereby increase their chances of securing permanent residence through the Skilled Migrant Category

At McLeod & Associates we’ve assisted numerous international students in getting visas to New Zealand, as well as in gaining permanent residence following their completion of their studies. Contact us to learn how we can bring you to New Zealand to study, and how to strategise your studies in order to gain permanent residence.

Click here for more information on studying in New Zealand.

TERTiARY PROVIDERS:

New Zealand Universities:

University of Auckland
Auckland University of Technology
Waikato University
Massey University
Victoria University
Canterbury University
Lincoln University
University of Otago

Leading New Zealand Polytechnics

Manukau Institute of Technology
The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand
Wellington Institute of Technology
UNITEC
Universal College of Learning
Northland Polytechnic
Waikato Institute of Technology
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology
Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
Otago Polytechnic