Interview tips for getting into New Zealand colleges
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Interview tips for getting into New Zealand colleges

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Aishwarya
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert
Updated on Apr 7, 2020 16:19 IST

Cracking a college admission interview is neither rocket science nor a walk in the park. It is an opportunity for students to know the college and for college to know the student better. Individuals applying to graduate schools in New Zealand can expect an interview in certain cases as it is not compulsary.

Here are few handy tips before appearing for an interview.

  • Prepare Yourself: Students should prepare themselves for what to say and how to present themselves. They should gather all the information about the college they are applying to, the course they have applied for and the faculty that would teach them at the institute. Most importantly, students must not fumble during the interview. 
  • Do not panic: Once you have prepared yourself well, you need not worry at all. The admission committee of the college would want to meet the students to know them better, in person. So, if you are getting jitters, calm down.
  • Ask questions: It's good to ask questions to your interviewers. It in fact it shows that you possess a keen interest in the college you are applying for. Many times, the interviewer is an alumni of the college, so you can ask them why they chose the college over other colleges and what factor sets the college apart from other colleges.
  • Dress suitably: If you are appearing for a face-to-face interview, then you should stay away from jeans and t-shirt. You should never dress casually while going for an interview. You should stick to formals as they are the safest bet. Remember that the interview is your only hope to promote yourself as the best prospective student for a particular course. So you need to project yourself as a sincere candidate who is serious about his/her education.

  • Do not give mediocre answers: Students get to choose if the interview is going to be interesting or boring. Make sue yuor answers illicit an interest from the interviewer and you don't give one word answers. 
  • Get in touch with current students: Students are great help as they have already gone through the same procedure in the college. They will be able to give you practical tips to crack interviews. Beside this, they will also be able to give insights about the college activities and culture.
  • Remember to be courteous: Remember to say thank you and sorry. You should switch off your cell phone or put it on silent mode. Do not attend calls during interview. Never lie or make excuses, sound superior or aggressive during the interview. 
  • Active listening: Pay attention to the interviewer before reaching to a conclusion and answering. Sometimes, due to nervousness or stress aspirants start answering the questions even before listening to the complete question. It is extremely important that you maintain a calm tone. So don't sound defensive or raise your tone. 
  • Be simple and stick to the point: You must not beat around the bush and should stick to the point. They should maintain a polite tone while answering the questions and emphasize on fostering a friendly conversation with the interviewer. During the conversation, it is better not to bring up irrelevant topics unless one has thorough knowledge on the subject and can strike a relevant conversation on the same.

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Tell Us About Yourself
When do you plan to start?
Have you given any study abroad exam?

Basic interview questions asked:

  • Why do want to study at this college?
  • Why this particular course?
  • Tell us something about yourself
  • What other colleges have you applied to?
  • How can you add value to this course and class?
  • Your strengths/weaknesses?
  • Where do you see yourself 5/10/15 years from now?
  • Your interests/hobbies/ achievements?
  • Do you have any questions for us?

Also check:

Q:   Is New Zealand good for Indian students?

A:

With a good educational system, excellent quality of life, and a number of research opportunities, New Zealand offers a lot to international students. Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand has a 39 percent population of overseas citizens, making it a culturally diverse city. Moreover, the post-study work visa in New Zealand can offer up to three years of stay back. As per Stats New Zealand, its unemployment rate is 3.4 percent. Students enrolled in a course of 12 months or more can also work part-time in New Zealand for up to 20 hours a week during the semester and holidays.

Q:   What is the acceptance rate for Lincoln University New Zealand?

A:

According to various unofficial sources, Lincoln University New Zealand acceptance rate is around 60%. The acceptance rate indicated that the university is moderately selective at the time of admission. So, to get into the university, make sure to have a good academic record and meet the entry requirements such as having 12 years of schooling and minimum percentage for admission to bachelor’s courses. For admission to postgraduate courses, a relevant degree is required with the minimum grade.

Q:   How much funds are needed for a New Zealand study visa?

A:

 International students need to show sufficient funds for getting a New Zealand student visa. Students need to show NZ$ 20,000 for a full year of study or NZ$ 1,250 per month for getting a New Zealand study visa.

Cost of New Zealand Student Visa Application

  • New Zealand Visa Cost: Students who are submitting their Student Visa Application online are required to pay a base Visa fee of NZD 375 which is INR 19,200 (approximately).
  • Candidates who are applying for their Student Visa online from New Delhi are required to pay NZD 430 which is INR 22,000 (approximately) as the receiving centre fees.
  • Those applying for a student visa in New Zealand on paper (offline mode) should note that the immigration costs would be INR 22,600, in addition to this students are required to pay a receiving Centre fee of INR 1,520.

Q:   Which course is better, Master in Management or Master in Project Management at the University of Auckland, New Zealand?

A:

The University of Auckland offers the best UG and PG programs for international students at an affordable tuition fees. Auckland Unversity Master in Project Management is slightly better than the Master in Management because of its tuition fees for first year. Mentioned below is the tuition fees for first-year for international students:

ProgramFirst Year Tuition Fees
Master in Project ManagementINR 25.11 L
Master in ManagementINR 26.11 L

Q:   What is the cost of studying in New Zealand?

A:

The tuition fees that a student would need to pay will depend on the type of qualification and the university they are looking at to pursue their education. While courses such as humanities, education, and arts are likely to cost less pursuing subjects such as medicine and engineering costs on the higher side.

The below table sheds light on the tuition fee charged level-wise in New Zealand from international students applying to their universities:

Study Program Level

Annual Costs in NZD

Diploma or Certificate courses

NZD 23,000 - NZD 47,000

English Language courses

NZD 350 (per week)

Undergraduate degree

NZD 22,000 - NZD 32,000

Master's degree

NZD 26,000 - NZD 37,000 

Doctoral degree

NZD 6,500 - NZD 9,000  

Q:   Is living in New Zealand expensive?

A:

The cost of living does not includes only the tuition fee but also other expenses like textbooks, NON-tuition fee, accommodation cost and other personal expenses. The moment a student lands in New Zealand, they need to pay $35 international visitor and tourism conservation levy. The living cost can vary as per the accommodation option, location and personal spending habits.

In addition to your tuition and insurance fees, you will need between $20,000 and $25,000 per year ($380–480 per week) for accommodation/rent, food expenses, transportation costs, phone bills, internet usage and entertainment.

Q:   How much will it cost to study in New Zealand?

A:

The cost of study in New Zealand for international students will vary from student to student. The cost of living will depend on many factors such as lifestyle, type of course and accommodation. Here we have given a breakdown of cost of living in New Zealand for international students.

Tuition Fees

Level of Study

Estimated Tuition Fees

Diplomas/Certificates

NZD 23,376 to NZD 46,752

Bachelor’s Degree

NZD 20,000 to NZD 40,000

Postgraduate Degree

 NZD 20,000 to NZD 45,000

PhDs

NZD 6,500 to NZD 7,500

Living Expenses

Type of Expenses

Cost

Accommodation

NZD 140 – NZD 484 (per week)

Entertainment

NZD 55 (per week)

Food

NZD 80 – NZD 120 (per week)

Electricity

NZD 200 – NZD 300 (per month)

Transportation

NZD 37 (per week)

Phone

NZD 19 (per month)

Internet

NZD 90 (per month)

Q:   Is New Zealand good for international students to study?

A:

New Zealand is one of the top destinations for international students going abroad for higher education. All of eight universities in New Zealand are ranked among the top 3% universities in the world. New Zealand education sets up students with a globally recognised qualification and real-world skills. Each year thousands of students from India apply for various universities in the New Zealand. As per Govt. of India, there are more than 2,500 Indian students that went to study in 2022 in various universities in New Zealand.

About the Author
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Written by
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert

Aishwarya is a professional Writer currently working as a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. She has over 5 years of experience and is skilled at creating Online Content with leveraged knowledge i... Read Full Bio

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Reviewed by
Anuradha
All courses in ANZ

Armed with B.Com from Delhi University, Anuradha Sharma has accumulated rich experience as an education counsellor. She is especially adept at handling Australia and NZ admission procedure. Before becoming a GTE Exp... Read Full Bio

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