Top 7 Reasons to Study in New Zealand

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With the plethora of options and information available online, students aspiring to study overseas find it quite difficult to select the country with university matching their interests and budget.

As per government records, it is estimated that about 5.53 lakh Indian students currently are studying in 86 different countries and more than 50% of which study in North America alone. The popular study abroad destination among the Indian students includes the USA, Canada and UK.

However, in recent times New Zealand has become one of the most sought after study destination of students from India as well as students from all across the globe.

Here are the top 7 reasons why you should study in New Zealand:

1. Easy Visa Application Process

New Zealand, unlike many other countries, has liberal immigration laws, which makes it relatively easy to obtain a student visa.

Student visa requirements include:

an offer from an educational institution approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

a written guarantee from an institution or person that suitable accommodation is available to you in New Zealand (for under 18 years).

evidence of sufficient funds to live on while you are studying and a return air ticket to your home country or evidence of sufficient funds to buy one.

Students can also apply for Post-study work visa once they have completed their qualification at bachelor’s degree level or higher. Students can get a post-study work visa for 1, 2 or 3 years depending on their qualifications, where they studied and if they are working towards occupational registration. Generally, Level 7 courses are the popular courses that allow students to get a post-study work permit. These are highly skilled and specialized courses in Business, Information Technology, Computing, Hospitality, Media-communication etc. and offered by both Universities and Colleges.

With a Level 7 Bachelor’s degree or higher, one can apply for a Post-study work visa for 3 years.

With a Level 7 Graduate Diploma, one can apply for a Post-study work visa for 1 year.

With a Level 7 Graduate Diploma, one can apply for a Post-study work visa for 1 year.

Students can apply to work for 1 more year if they are working towards occupational registration with a registration body included in a list of acceptable registration authorities. Some professions need 2 years of work experience before they can get a full practising certificate.

2. Internationally Recognized Universities

All the universities in New Zealand offer a wide range of subjects for undergraduate, masters and Doctoral (PhD) degrees in commerce, science and the humanities. New Zealand provides quality education and consist of several institutes of technology as well as polytechnics that focus primarily on providing hands-on experience and practical skills to the students.

8 New Zealand Universities placed in QS World Rankings 2019 that are internationally recognized:

University Rank University of Auckland 85 University of Otago 175 Victoria University of Wellington 221 University of Canterbury 231 University of Waikato 274 Lincoln University 317 Massey University 332 Auckland University of Technology 464

3.Lower Tuition fees and Cost of Living

New Zealand as a study destination has options to suit every budget. It has lower tuition fees for many courses and also less expensive compared to other study-abroad destination like Canada, U.K, U.S and Australia.

There are scholarships and financial assistance available for meritorious international students. Students can work while studying to meet their living expenses and gain experience at the same time. Most student visas allow students to work up to 20 hours a week in term time and full-time during the holidays.

Approximate Cost of the Course at Universities:

Undergraduate – $18000 – $25000

Post Graduate – $25,000 – $40000

Approximate Cost of Living: NZ $ 15,000 per annum

Although costs can vary depending on lifestyle, accommodation, hobbies and interests, for a reasonable standard of living, $15,000- $25,000 a year can easily suffice.

4. Flexible Eligibility Criteria

With limited college seats and an extremely high number of students applying to get into the top universities and colleges in India, the possibilities to study abroad should not be overlooked. Countries like New Zealand are more than ready to welcome bright promising students.

Universities in New Zealand have minimal entry requirements for many programs. Due to less competition, it is much easier to get into a university whether it is for a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or postgraduate diploma courses in New Zealand.

Although the requirement to get enrolled varies depending on the programs of study, a minimum academic record of 65% and above for 12 standards is considered acceptable. There are many foundations and diploma programmes which are available for students who have secured below 60%. There is no age bar to study in New Zealand. Students must also have an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) certificate score of 6.5 or Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) score of 58 or more.

5. Excellent Quality of Education

New Zealand has eight state-funded universities, 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) and about 550 Private Training Establishments (PTEs). The country’s education system is based on the British education model.

Universities offer higher degree-level education. Their programmes are research-led and generally academic.

ITPs and some PTEs offer vocational degree-level education.

PTEs offer specific vocational programmes, mostly at certificate and diploma level.

The programs are structured to help students process information and encourage them to create, innovate and work in a team to solve problems as well as learn efficiently.

Study programs in New Zealand are well known for their quality of teaching and advanced facilities. Students can immensely benefit with their excellent teaching standards that are practical in nature.

6. Hospitable Community

There is always some risk involved while planning to study abroad in a foreign land but rest assured, New Zealand is a safe country with very low crime rates. According to the Global Peace Index 2017, it has been declared as the second safest peaceful and safe country out of 163 countries in the world. New Zealand has one of the world’s most stable economy and democracy. The people are very welcoming to outsiders and the cross-cultural experience received is highly rewarding. Students get to experience a diverse blend of European and Māori traditions.

New Zealand has a very laid back and easy-going culture and international students are warmly welcomed in the country irrespective of religion, caste and gender. The majority of New Zealand’s population is of European descent (74 per cent), with the indigenous Māori being the largest minority (14.9 per cent), followed by Asians (11.8 per cent) and non-Māori Pacific Islanders (7.4 per cent)

Apart from being able to choose from a range of lifestyles and study in well-equipped convenient campuses, there is also homestay placement services that allow the students to stay with a local family. Thus students can experience life being part of a local family, learn the native language in a caring environment, and have a home away from home while in New Zealand.

7. Beautiful Topography and Agreeable Climate

According to Air Quality Index (AQI) which is an index for reporting air quality, Auckland, the largest urban area in New Zealand was found to have an AQI of 10.5 on an average while a city like Bengaluru, which is considered relatively less polluted in India had an AQI of over 100 at several locations.

Along with a clean environment, New Zealand also boasts beautiful topography and climate.

Another good reason to study in New Zealand is the opportunity to see and experience its beautiful and geographically diverse landscape. It has been ranked as the 3rd most beautiful country on earth by Rough Guides and has a pleasant climate. The winters are mild, with temperatures around 10ºC. Snowfall is frequent in higher altitudes but it’s not common in lower altitudes. In the summers, the climate is warm and dry with temperatures around 25ºC.

For those with an adventurous streak, New Zealand offers great indoor and outdoor activities including white water rafting, skiing, mountain biking etc. There are always new and interesting things to do while staying in New Zealand.

The U.K and U.S have long been the popular choice of study destination for Indian students. However, with the political developments in the U.S. (Trump presidency and related anti-immigration policies) and the U.K. (Brexit), this trend is fast being reshaped and so are choices of the students. With New Zealand providing excellent high-grade education along with balanced academic life, it seems to be a perfect study destination imparting all sorts of opportunities including to make special social and business connections that one can treasure forever.