Studying in New Zealand

Students aspiring to study abroad often find it hard to select the country and the university matching their interests and budget. However, if a student is willing to experience quality education with affordable tuition fees, then New Zealand is a fast emerging and ideal study destination for them. Also, New Zealand is growing enormously in terms of research and development

As a country, New Zealand is known for its scenic beauty and adventure sports. The country majorly includes two main islands—the North and South Islands, and a number of tiny islands, some of which are hundreds of miles away from the main group. The capital of New Zealand is Wellington and the largest urban area is Auckland, both located on the North Island. Auckland is considered one of the most habitable cities globally, ranking third in the Quality of Living survey conducted annually by the global HR consultants Mercer in the year 2022. It’s held that slot since 2012. English, Māori, and New Zealand Sign Language are the official languages, with English being predominant. New Zealand is listed amongst one of the safest, easy-going, and welcoming countries in the world with diverse cultures. The friendly and open culture of New Zealand is one of the major reasons for international students to choose New Zealand in terms of ease in adaptation/ change of lifestyle. New Zealand is one of the safest countries in the world – ranked second in the Global Peace Index for 2022.

The New Zealand Education system is progressive as well as much cheaper with many state-of-the-art facilities. New Zealand universities and their qualifications are recognized and highly regarded by employers across the globe. Also, some of the famous discoveries of New Zealand are Bungy Daredevil, Aquada Speedster, Atomic Whizz, The Jetboat, Jogging Maestro, Zorbing, Hobbiton to name a few. Due to its low cost of living and exclusive facilities, a large number of international students choose to study in New Zealand every year.

Hospitality & Tourism are an essential part of the GDP and amongst freshers, the employment level has been stable at around 90%. Also, an international student can enjoy the post-study work permit for up to 3 years depending on their level of qualification in New Zealand.

Major Cities in New Zealand:

Some of the major cities in New Zealand are:

  • Wellington
  • Auckland
  • Christchurch
  • Hamilton

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand and wedged between steep hills and the sea. Some of the great places to visit in Wellington are its museums, galleries, heritage buildings.

Auckland is the largest city of New Zealand situated between two harbors and dotted with extinct volcanoes.

Christchurch is located in New Zealand’s Canterbury region on its South Island and is known as the Garden City because of its parks and gardens. 

Hamilton is situated on the banks of the mighty Waikato River and is famous for its walks, gardens, cafes, and nightlife.

Demographic Profile of New Zealand

New Zealand is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia. The current population has been estimated at just over 5.1 million (as per 2022). The birth rate and death rate of New Zealand are estimated at 12.291 births per 1000 population and 7.6 deaths per 1000 population respectively. Moreover, 20% of the population is in the age group of 0 to 14, 13% of the population is in the age group of 15 to 24, and the majority of the population approx. 40% is in the age group of 25 to 54. The remaining 12 % population falls in the age group of 55 to 64 and 15% forms the elderly group aged 66 and above. The average life expectancy calculated for New Zealand is 82.65 years of age. In terms of ethnicity, a notable number of New Zealand’s population is of European descent (70 percent), with the indigenous Māori being the predominant minority, followed by Asians, and non-Māori Pacific Islanders.

In terms of GDP, the economy of New Zealand is the 50th strongest in the world, much of which is dependent upon their foreign trade with Australia, all of the European Union, the United States, China, South Korea, Canada, and Japan. 

The religions among the residents of New Zealand come in at Christian 44.3% (including Catholic 11.6%, Anglican 10.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 7.8%, Methodist, 2.4%, Pentecostal 1.8%, other 9.9%), Hindu 2.1%, Buddhist 1.4%, Maori Christian 1.3%, Islam 1.1%, other religion 1.4% (includes Judaism, Spiritualism, and New Age religions, Baha’i, Asian religions other than Buddhism), no religion 38.5%, not stated or unidentified 8.2%. Those who objected to answering in the last census came in at 4.1%.

Culture in New Zealand

The culture of New Zealand is basically a Western culture influenced by the unique environment and geographic isolation of the islands. One can also find cultural input from the indigenous Maori community and the various multi-ethnic migration which followed the British colonization of New Zealand. English is the predominant language readily spoken in New Zealand. Apart from English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language is also having official status.

Cost of Living in New Zealand

If the student is studying for more than one year in New Zealand, the student should have at least $16,000 to support them for the first year. If the student is studying for less than a year, then the student must have at least $1300 for each month of study to contribute to his/her living expenses. In general, living costs vary depending on the lifestyle and which part of the country the student lives in. For example, if a student is traveling frequently, then the cost of living tends to rise. Some costs vary by region as well. Accommodation costs vary widely by region: 

Waikato – $230 per week for a room or $650 per week for a furnished 3-bed house

Dunedin – from $230 – $490 weekly, furnished

Christchurch – more expensive. Can be up to $900 for a 4-bed house, furnished

Auckland – a huge range. Weekly from $350 for a room to $700 for a 2-bed house.

Employment opportunities in New Zealand

Part-time Job opportunities: New Zealand student visas usually allow full-time students to work up to 20 hours a week during the academic year and up to 40 hours a week during the summer break. This is applicable to both secondary school and tertiary students. Research master’s and Ph.D. students can work 40 hours a week all year round. 

Post-study employment opportunities: Each course has a level assigned to it by the New Zealand Government which helps to define the application criteria for post-study work visas. The NZQF is split into ten levels and encompasses a range of qualifications from certificates to doctoral degrees. Overall, in New Zealand, the Post-study work visa lasts for 1, 2, or 3 years depending on the level of your qualification and where you studied. For example, if a student has completed a Level 7 Bachelor’s degree in Auckland, then the student can apply for a post-study work visa for 3 years. However, if a student has completed a graduate diploma or another Level 7 qualification outside Auckland,

  • on or before 31 December 2021, then the student can apply for a Post-study work visa for 2 years
  • after 31 December 2021, then the student can apply for a Post-study work visa for 1 year. 

Occupational Registration in New Zealand

  • Some of the professions in New Zealand along with their registration authority is mentioned below:

Occupation

Registration Authority

Clinical Psychologists

NZ Psychologists Board

Dentist

Dental Council of New Zealand

Physiotherapist

The Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand

Teacher

Education Council New Zealand

Medical Practitioner 

Medical Council of New Zealand

 

Total International Student Population in New Zealand

The top destinations for international students are Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin, Christchurch, and New Plymouth. The international student numbers at universities in New Zealand is steadily increasing from year to year. The number of international students currently studying in New Zealand is over 100,000 amongst which around 20,000 students are Indian (2022 est.)

 

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