Study in New Zealand

Globally Recognized Qualifications:

The education system in New Zealand is highly rated across the world. It is quality driven, innovative, timely and student-centric. Schools and universities in New Zealand offer word-class facilities, resources, and teaching staff. The degrees awarded are internationally recognized and valued, as a result of which thousands of students have chosen New Zealand as their study destination over the years.. All the universities are ranked in top 3% in the world.

Strict quality checks and government accreditation:

There are several government checks and controls on the education system and institutions in New Zealand. Government bodies like NZQA and NZVCC regularly audit and approve all the qualifications being conferred as well as the quality of their delivery to students.

Safe and secure environment:

Since 2002, the government of New Zealand has enforced a Code of Conduct for the Pastoral Care of International Students, which lays down guidelines for the education providers and other stakeholders to follow, thereby ensuring the well-being of these students.

New Zealand has a warm, multi-cultural and tolerant society which makes it easier for foreign students to live and study here. The crime rates are among the lowest in the world.

Levels Qualification type

1. Certificates and NCEA level 1
2. Certificates and NCEA level 2
3. Certificates and NCEA level 3
4. Certificates and Scholarships
5. Certificates and Diplomas
6. Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Certificates, Diplomas
7. Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Certificates, Bachelors Degree, Diplomas
8. Post Graduate Certificates, Post Graduate Diplomas, Bachelor’s Degree with Honors
9. Masters Degrees
10. Doctorates

STUDY AND WORK IN NEW ZEALAND WITH LEVEL 7 COURSES:

LEVEL 7 COURSES are very popular in New Zealand as they allow students to get post study work permit after studying one year. Level 7 courses are highly skilled and specialized. Level 7 courses could variety of courses and are offered by both universities and colleges.

Popular subjects for Level 7 Courses:

• Computing
• Business
• Hospitality
• Media- communication
• Information Technology

Institutions offering Level 7 Courses:

• Unitec New Zealand, Auckland
• Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton
• Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, Christchurch
• Manukau Institute of Technology, Auckland
• New Zealand School of Education, Auckland
• Whitireia College Auckland campus and more
• Pacific International Hotel Management School, New Plymouth
• Queenstown Resort College, Queenstown

All courses offered by institutions are NZQA approved.

Universities offering Level 7 courses:

All 8 universities in New Zealand offer Level 7 courses.

• University of Auckland, Auckland
• Auckland University of Technology, Auckland
• Massey University at all three campuses Portsmouth, Wellington and Auckland
• Waikato University, Hamilton
• Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington
• Lincoln University, Christchurch
• Canterbury Christchurch University, Christchurch
• Otago University, Dunedin

Level 7 courses are offered by universities as first year of the Masters degree. You can opt for the same by dividing your Masters degree in level 7 and 8 which is Masters Degree first year and second year respectively.

Advantages of dividing Master’s degree for Level 7:

• In New Zealand, with the current visa rules you are allowed to take up the job search visa twice.
• Post Graduate Diploma – Level 7 studies – first year of Masters degree, One year job search Visa.
• Masters Degree – Level 8 studies – 2 ndyear of Masters degree, One year job search Visa.

Benefits for Married students:

• If you are studying a Postgraduate course or a Level 7 course listed on long-term skill shortage list, your spouse will be eligible to accompany you to New Zealand.
• Spouse can work full time.

Who can study Level 7 courses?:

All students who wish to study courses at level 7 and above need to a graduate degree from India. All students applying for Bachelors, Graduate Diploma or Diploma need to check level of the course at the time of making application in New Zealand universities or Colleges. Irrespective of name of the course, level 7 courses require Bachelor degree level background from India for admission. Some technical courses like Networking, SAS, JAVA, Animation & Graphics, their requirement may differ.

Exceptional living standards:

The cost of living is lower than in other similar developed countries like the US, Canada, the UK, and even the neighboring Australia. A student pursuing a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in New Zealand will only incur half the expenses of what he would in the US or the UK. The quality of living is also very high with good healthcare, transport and recreational facilities.

English is spoken by about 98% of the population and the accent is also easy to grasp.

Good climatic conditions:

New Zealand enjoys a benevolent, temperate climate. The summers are mild and the winters are cool. Kiwis are known for their love of adventure and outdoor life. You can also be a part of the healthy living that this country offers to its people.

Changes in Fund Transfer Scheme (FTS) account opening process for New Zealand  Student Visa:

When you receive Approval in Principal (AIP), open an FTS account; you need to submit a copy of AIP along with the reference number.

Your account will be opened and details will be sent to you only after a copy of your AIP is received by the bank.

Once you receive the account details, you can ask for fund transfer from India to your new account.

The bank will issue proof of funds letter to you once funds are received into the account.

English Requirement:

A good command over spoken and written English is essential if you want to perform well in the universities here. Though IELTS/TOEFL scores are not mandatory for admission, a band of 6.0/6.5 for undergraduate and that of 6.5/7.5 for post-graduate courses is desirable.

HOW CAN I APPLY WITHOUT IELTS TO NEW ZEALAND:

The Documents needed to gain exemption from IELTS/PTE:

Your mark sheets from your entire schooling years, clearly stating your medium of instruction to be English, if you have stated in your application that all your schooling was done in English.

Your mark sheets for five years, from class VIII to class XII, stating your medium of instruction to be English, if you have stated in your application that you studied in an English medium school at the time.(Note: Only submitting mark sheets for classes VIII and XII will not do; you will need to submit mark sheets for all the five years in question.)

A certificate from your school(s) confirming you studied with them for the duration stated and attended exams at the time mentioned in the mark sheets.

Living costs:

Mercer’s 2012 Cost of Living Survey ranks cities worldwide-1st place being the most expensive to live in. The Survey lists Auckland (56) and Wellington (74) as far better than other major global cities like Sydney (11), London (25) and New York (33). This shows New Zealand is affordable despite its high living standards and civic amenities.

Fee Structure for each 1 year period:

• Primary Applicant – NZ$ 15,000
• Spouse – NZ$ 4,200
• Children – NZ$ 4,2000

Scholarship / Bursaries:

There are not many scholarships for Indian students and there is stiff competition for the few that are available. Most of the scholarships for international students predominantly target Ph.D. and doctoral courses. A few of the available scholarships are given below. You can try for a suitable one.

• Commonwealth Scholarship.
• Bayer Boost Environmental Scholarship.
• NZ International Doctoral Research Scholarships.
• H.T. Bates Postgraduate Scholarship.
• Reserve Bank of NZ University Scholarship.
• NZ International Undergraduate Fees Scholarship.
• Bickerton-Widdowson Trust Memorial Scholarship.
• ZESPRI Horticultural International Scholarship.
• LEARN Scholarships.

Universities and courses:

Qualifications earned in New Zealand are highly regarded internationally and the courses are designed with this in mind. Global Best Practice is the minimum standard.

New Zealand has 8 Universities in all, located in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. They are all public institutions and are part-funded by the government. They offer a broad range of subjects for Undergraduate, Masters and Doctoral courses in Science, Commerce, and the Humanities. The QS rankings place New Zealand universities among the World’s Top 50 for Accounting and Finance, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, Economics, Medicine, Agriculture and Forestry, and 13 other important disciplines.

In addition to this, there are 18 institutes of technology and polytechnics in all the main centers and leading provincial cities as well. There are also 600 private training establishments, including English language schools, located across the country.

Academic Requirement – Percentage Entry Requirement:

• Certificate – 50 – 60% in class XII
• Diploma – 60 – 75% in class XII
• Bachelors – 70 – 75% and above in class XII
• Graduate Diploma – 50 – 55% in Bachelors Degree
• Post Graduate – 55 – 60% in Bachelors Degree + a PG Diploma / Masters from a Recognized University or relevant work experience.
• Masters Degree – 60% in Bachelors Degree + a PG Diploma / Masters from a Recognized University or relevant work experience.

INTAKE:

The major intake is in February and July, with minor intake in November, for Diploma courses throught out the year.

If you need to stay in New Zealand for more than 3 months for your education then you require a student visa. International students looking to study full time (more than 20 hours of classes per week) should apply to Immigration New Zealand (INZ) for student visa.

If the course duration is more than one year the visa would be issued for only the first year or for the duration for which the tuition fee has been paid.

You need to have the following documents while applying for student visa:

• Notification of acceptance into a full-time course at a government-registered NZ educational institute. You need to pay your annual or term course fee in advance and present the receipt.
• Evidence of funds to show that you can financially support yourself, i.e., pay for your study-related expenses or air tickets and meet your day-to-day needs. This works out to be NZ$10,000 yearly.
• Meet the health and character requirements of New Zealand Immigration.
• Hold a passport valid for at least 3 months past the end of your intended stay.
• Proof that you intend to leave New Zealand after completion of your course.
• Present medical reports and PCC (Police Clearance Certificate).

Visa processing time: 2-4 weeks approximately

Total Visa Fees: Rs. 11,000/-

PROCESSING OF NEW ZEALAND STUDENT VISA:

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has started an initiative with selected education providers that will help in getting fast processing of student visa. Now AIP (Approval in Principle) can be received within a week. This initiative is known as Industry Partnership with Education Providers.

To be eligible, Student must

• Have sufficient maintenance funds
• Have genuine intentions to study
• Be choosy an appropriate course
• Meet all course entry requirements and
• Adhere to the conditions of their visa and leave the country when required to do so

If a provider chooses to support an individual for streamlined processing it will provide that individual with a letter of nomination. This letter of nomination must be submitted to the relevant INZ Visa Application Centre along with a completed application form; all other required documentation; and the relevant fee.

On December 2013 many education providers are authorized to support streamlined processing and provide nomination letters to offshore student visa applicants.

SPOUSE VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS IN NEW ZEALAND:

The full time international students in New Zealand are also allowed to bring their spouse or partners in New Zealand. Spouse visa is also called as partner or partnership visa in New Zealand. There are a few criteria to be met in order to acquire the spouse/partner visa .

• Auckland: One year open post study work visa + another year if you are working towards registration with a professional or trade body. Total 2 years.
• NZ excluding Auckland: Two year open Post Study Work Visa + another year if you are working towards registration with a professional or trade body. Total 3 years.

• Auckland: One year open Post Study Work Visa
• NZ excluding Auckland: Two year Post Study Work Visa.

• Three year Post Study Work Visa

• Auckland: One year open Post Study Work Visa
• NZ excluding Auckland: Two year open Post Study Work Visa.

• Auckland: One year open Post Study Work Visa.
• NZ excluding Auckland: Two year Post Study Work Visa.

Statement Of Purpose (SOP):

SOP is the heart of the application and it should demonstrate the intentions of the student and it should cover all the points mentioned below.

• It should express the reasons for undertaking the particular course?
• Why you have chosen Australia over other countries?
• Why you have chosen that particular university?
• Why you have chosen that particular course?
• What are your future career plans?
• How this course will be useful for your future career plans?
• What is your complete educational background?
• What is your family background? How many are in your family, what they do?
• Your sponsor financial capacity?
• How your sponsor is related to you and why he/she is sponsoring your education?

Who can be the Sponsor?

• A close Relative (may  provide 60-70% of the required funds)
• 3rd party sponsor (only 30% of the required funds)

The sources of funds (annual income) can be in the form of:

• Salaried Income
• Business Income
• Agriculture Income
• Rental Income
• Pension Income

Others:

• The liquid funds (1 year expenses) to be shown for the visa purpose should be from some of the following sources:
• Fixed Deposits (more than 3 months old)
• Savings (more than 3 months old)
• Educational Loan
• Insurance Policies (surrender value)

Under Student visa subclass 500 the student must follow below mentioned rules:

• The Student needs to maintain 80% of attendance.
• The Student needs to maintain 50% of marks in all subjects.
• The Student is allowed to work 40 hours per fortnight basis.
• The Student cannot change the University for 6 months upon enrollment.
• The Student must have a valid health insurance for the entire duration of stay in Australia.
• The Student must have to notify to university/DHA if he/her change the address/Contact details within 7 working days.
• From 1 July 2016, family members of Student visa holders (subclasses 570,576) will need to apply for a subclass 500 visa if they want to join a family member in Australia.

Problems or Mistakes in writing SOP:

1. High Professionals Help: Students take high professionals help in writing their SOP. We should have a good command over English but not very high-end or over-board English & do not need great writing skills to write SOP. University admissions team gauge the student’s level of English with their IELTS/TOEFL/PTE exam and will clearly know if the students have taken the professionals help in writing the SOP. Good simple English with clear & concise meaning is required to write SOP.
2. Copy SOP: Most students copy the contents of other student’s SOPs or copy from the internet. This should never be done because SOP should be extremely personalized & unique.
3. Grammatical mistakes: Students tend to make lot of grammar & spelling mistakes in their SOP, because of their bad English which results in Admissions Team declining the application. So they should be extra careful with the grammar & spellings.
4. Too Lengthy: Students think that the SOP is lengthy, they have more chances of getting an Admission. This is not correct. They should always keep in mind that SOP is not an essay or an exam to write very lengthy. SOP should be simple, clean, straight forward & honest.
5. Unnecessary Issues: Students write all unnecessary things in the SOP which puts off the Admission Team. They should mention only important & relevant issues of their life which impresses the Admissions Team. They should clearly elaborate the main purpose to study in that country & in particular that university & course. They must give proper & correct reasons for choosing that university & course and also emphasize academic & future career goals after completion of the course. They should prove to them that they are good and fit for their university & will be an asset to the university.
6. Random Events: In the SOP, the students mention the events in their life in random order. This is totally wrong. The events mentioned must always be in order like building blocks in their own life’s journey from schooling through till the present part of life.
7. Flattery: The students in the SOP always flatter the university & program with the words like your university is the top/best/wonderful/fabulous/fantastic etc., etc., This unnecessary flattery will do more harm than good to their chances of approving their application because the university clearly knows its own status very well so it prefers honest & straight forward reviews of it.
8. Only Positives: The students always mention only the positive issues about them & highs in their life in the SOP, which is not right. They should always mention their failures, negatives, weaknesses & lows in their life’s journey & how they overcame all those with their inner strengths, abilities & knowledge.
9. Only Academics: The students boast about their academics & achievements in the SOP. This should not be done. They should not boast about anything in the SOP but only mention it. Not only academics, they should also give details about the extracurricular activities they have participated and mention about their talents & traits they have.
10. Perfect SOP: Students try to write perfect SOP thinking that a top-level SOP will guarantee an admission into the university which is totally a wrong notion. A good simple, clean, specific, truthful, straight forward & honest SOP will impress the Admissions Team.
    

What visa will I need to study?

If the course you want to study is not more than three months period, and you hold an NZ visitor’s visa, then you do not need a student visa. If your course will take three months or longer to complete, you will need to apply for a student visa.

Is there an age limit for student visa?

There is no age limit to get a student visa in New Zealand.

How long does it take to get student visa?

Immigration New Zealand advises you to wait up to a maximum of seven weeks (35 working days) for processing of student visa applications. Processing is, however, often quicker if your application is straightforward.

How soon can I travel to New Zealand once I get my visa?

The visa is valid immediately upon issuing, once you have your visa you can use it to enter New Zealand. 

What is the validity of New Zealand Student Visa?

The validity of a New Zealand Student Visa is up to four years.

Can I study in any institute in New Zealand?

Yes, you can study in any institute which is fully registered with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

Can a student work on a student visa?

Yes, A student can work up to 20 hrs. a week when school is in session, however during officially declared vacation, student can work full time. Please note that Students pursuing Masters by Research and PhD enjoy full time work rights.

What other information can you give me about NZ student visa?

Medical & Travel insurance is mandatory for the entire duration of your study in New Zealand.

What is the first step if I want to study in New Zealand?

We recommend that you should get in touch with a fully licensed immigration agency like us. We would be able to guide you in professional way on and on an individual basis.

What is admission Procedure?

After we help you in identifying the appropriate course and university, we will help you in completing the relevant application forms. Documents will include educational documents, SOP etc.

We will then apply on your behalf and obtain an ‘Offer of Place’ detailing information about commencement dates, course details and details about the tuition fee.