Study in New Zealand: Selecting a College
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The process of college or university selection in any country is quite an intimidating task. You need to research, make a plan and make a careful choice. Many times students discover at a very later stage that they are not eligible for a particular college in New Zealand. You shouldn't just go after the name of the college, as there are many that may be less known but are worth your attention.
For that reason, listed here are some tips that you need to consider while choosing a college in New Zealand.
Academics: You should always consider how good the school is. The more rigorous and challenging classes it provides, the more you can rely on it for the best academic education. Also the extensiveness of the degree matters while taking into account the academics of a college. In New Zealand, there are various colleges and universities that specialize in different subjects and courses. So, before choosing a college you should consider if the chosen college is best for your course.
Type of College: Besides the public and private types of institutes, in which the public colleges are funded by the government and private colleges by individuals and organizations, colleges can also be grouped into research and teaching colleges. Research-oriented colleges lay more emphasis on imparting research education. Whereas, teaching institutes focus on the theoretical side of education.
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It solely depends on the candidate to choose any one of the two. Apart from this, another point that needs to be considered and depends on the student's preference is whether he wants to have a two-year degree course by joining a community college or a full four-year bachelor's degree by joining a university.
Academic ambience and infrastructure: This is one of the most important factors that need to be considered while choosing a college. The college should feature a healthy and genial learning atmosphere. Too much competition can lead to sabotage, misinformation, and malice. On the other hand, if the students have too little concern for studies they may be distracted.
College infrastructure does not mean how good the college looks. It means whether it is well equipped with proper classrooms, administrative buildings, workshops, computer labs, laboratories, seminar halls, student clubs, gym, etc.
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Faculty: Before getting enrolled in any of the colleges in New Zealand, students must acquire a full idea of the college faculty and their teaching styles from the students already studying in that college. Teachers play an important role in educating students. If the faculty fails at imparting up-to-the-mark education to the students, there is no point in studying at the institute.
Size of the college and student body: Size of the school has various implications. On big campuses, there are so many students and the classes are so huge that you may get very little interaction with professors. You can seek it out, but it won't be as easy as at a small school. On large campuses, students rarely get individual attention.
But, large campuses have more money. They feature better equipment and facilities. Huge libraries, brand new undergraduate labs, rare book collections, and all are more likely to be found at a large university.
Size of Student Body: Colleges may range in size from small (less than 2,500 students) to very large (more than 12,000 students). You should be very careful as a number of undergraduates may not exhibit the class size or the number of departments or faculties in the college. Due to this you may either feel overwhelmed by the number of students or more challenged to excel in such an environment.
College Fee: Another important point to be considered before applying for a college in New Zealand is its fees. It is certain that pursuing studies in New Zealand is cheaper than in any other country abroad. However, you should never rule out colleges just because of their cost, as there are many colleges that offer scholarships, financial aid, and tuition instalment plans or grants for college students.
Choosing a college just because your friends are going there or it ranks on a list should not be the criteria for selection. You should evaluate each and every point on the basis of your personal preferences like whether you will be able to adjust to the college's social and academic environment. College life is a big turning point in every student's life and so lots of patience and thoughtfulness is required while choosing a college.
Cost of living/financial standing: How much can you afford to spend on college? What does the financial aid package look like? If you are going to live off campus, what does the housing market look like? This is an extremely important and practical matter of concern. What you can afford to pay may be a decisive factor in deciding which school to attend.
Location: The location of a college is also one of the essential factors in selecting a college in New Zealand. As an international student, if the selected college does not feature hostel facilities, then you have to arrange for other living accommodations around the college. Also if the campus is situated in a beautiful area, it adds up to the school's environment.
Networking opportunities: The network of contacts and associations that a school possesses clearly reflects the advantages of studying there. In layman's words, only a right person can boost your career. They can help you get a job, get good letters of recommendation, and open doors all through your life.
To find out your institute's standing in the area, you need to look at the track record of current graduates. Many individuals believe that this track record is an indicator of what you can personally achieve. It is, but more importantly, a picture of the network you can join.
Reputation: Reputation is interrelated to the above factor. The reputation of a school matters a lot in a student's whole academic career as the name of the school stays on your resume life-long. It is obvious, that everyone wants to get admitted to a college with a good reputation. Attending a good school will undoubtedly give you a boost. Not only, the name will stay on your resume all your life but will also bring you plenty of placement opportunities after you complete your studies.
Read also:
Q: Is New Zealand good for Indian students?
Q: What is the acceptance rate for Lincoln University New Zealand?
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?
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?
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:
| Program | First Year Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
| Master in Project Management | INR 25.11 L |
| Master in Management | INR 26.11 L |
Q: What is the cost of studying in New Zealand?
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?
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?
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?
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.
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
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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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.