New Zealand, also known as Aotearoa, is renowned for quality education due to its strong quality assurance systems for both public and private providers though their numerous quality assurance agencies for the different education sectors in New Zealand.
New Zealand has internationally recognised qualifications, from its secondary school National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), as well as, Bachelor Degrees which are internationally recognised for admission into post-graduate programs around the world.
New Zealand also has an agreement to recognise some European and Asian-Pacific countries’ qualifications, including being a signatory to the Lisbon Recognition Convention in Europe.
New Zealand is also a great place to live, as it is a very safe country with low crime and scamming rates, as well as, low risk of natural disasters.
New Zealand is also a very beautiful country, with interesting landscapes born out of ancient volcanoes. New Zealand has awesome mountain ranges and coast lines which offer exciting opportunities for adventurous and outdoor people. Some such activities include cycling, hiking, white water rafting, canoeing, ice climbing and bungy jumping.
New Zealand is a multicultural country made up of a rich diversity through its more than 160 ethnic groups, including New Zealand’s own Māori culture. This diversity means that New Zealand a very interesting and culturally diverse place to live.
Life as a student in New Zealand is also very exciting, as students can get involved in social clubs and special interest groups, as well as, athletics, arts and culture activities and more.
New Zealand offers international students the option of a Post-Study Work Visa for up to 3 years, depending on what course you studied and where you studied. Spouses and dependent children can also study fee-free, and New Zealand offers Permanent Residency (PR) status in occupations which are on their Skills Shortage List.
The New Zealand Government also allows you to work while you are studying in New Zealand depending on your Visa conditions. For example, full-time overseas tertiary students can work up to 20 hours a week, and full-time during schedule study breaks. PhD and Masters by Research students do not have any restrictions on the number of hours that you can work.
New Zealand is known by New Zealand’s Māori people as Aotearoa. New Zealand’s Māori people are Polynesian descendants, who first settled in New Zealand around 1250-1300, where they lived in close connection with their surroundings, and adapted to the cooler temperate climate.
New Zealand was first charted by Dutch navigators in 1642, however, they never went ashore, so it was the British explorer, James Cook, who was the first European to set foot on New Zealand land in 1769.
In 1840, a treaty was signed between Māori Chefs and the British Empire, making Māoris British citizens. However, disagreements over the interpretation of this treaty lead to the New Zealand Wars between the New Zealand Colonial government and their Māori allies and Māori and their settler allies from 1843.
European settlement then grew throughout the 19th century, which led to Māori land being passed over to European owners, leaving the Māori people with less power. After which, in the 1850s, the colonists established the New Zealand Parliament.
Nowadays, there are around 5 million people living in New Zealand, with around 75% of people living on the North Island. Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city, and New Zealand cities rank highly among the world’s most liveable cities. New Zealanders live a healthy life, with an average life expectancy of around 80 years old.
While New Zealand is a very multi-cultural country, most New Zealanders or ‘Kiwis’ come from European descent.
New Zealand has a democratic political system based on the British political system. The national government has a Prime Minister who leads a Cabinet of elected Ministers, and is based in the nation’s capital city, Wellington.
New Zealand has a temperate to cool climate, ranging from sub-tropical weather in the far north of the country, to inland alpine areas covered in snow on the South Island. New Zealand can also be windy and rainy in the southern and western regions.
New Zealand is made up of two main islands (the North and South Islands), with many other islands arounds these islands’ coastlines. The North Island has many volcanoes and interesting landscapes, as well as, many bays, lakes and rivers. The South Island’s Southern Alps has many deep fiords with ancient glaciers, and the highest mountainous peak is known as Aoraki (Mount Cook).
New Zealanders lead a balanced lifestyle between work, study and their personal lives, which provides them with plenty of time to enjoy many outdoor activities, including water and snow related activities. New Zealand has a rich arts and cultural community, and they also enjoy some of the world’s best food and wines.
New Zealand has a national three-tiered education system, starting with primary and intermediate schools, and secondary / high schools. New Zealand’s tertiary education system is made up of higher education and vocational education and training. The New Zealand academic year generally runs from January/February to November/December.
New Zealand’s children start school from 5 years old and are required to stay at school until they are 16 years old, though most children start their education via Playcentres, Kindergartens and Early Childhood Centres at a much earlier age.
New Zealand citizens are entitled to a free primary and secondary education via state schools. New Zealand children can also pay to attend faith-based and independent schools. All New Zealand English-speaking schools deliver the national New Zealand Curriculum, while Māori-speaking schools deliver Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. Secondary school students receive a National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) on successful completion of their schooling.
The New Zealand tertiary education system is delivered by universities, institutes of technology, polytechnics and private training organisations. New Zealand tertiary education sector ranges from non-accredited community courses to post-graduate degrees.
Tertiary qualifications are issued in accordance with the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF), ranging from Levels 1-6 Certificates, Levels 5-7 Diplomas, and Bachelor degrees, Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas are Level 7. Post-graduate Certificates/Diplomas and Bachelor Honours Degrees are Level 8, followed by a Master degree at Level 9, and a Doctoral degree at Level 10.
The quality of New Zealand’s tertiary education sector is regulated by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, other than universities, who are regulated by the Committee on University Academic Programmes and the Academic Quality Agency.
New Zealand’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector provides qualifications which have a focus on helping students gain industry-specific skills. VET students can gain these skills through provider-based tertiary qualifications, or through workplace-based training, including traineeships and apprenticeships.
New Zealand has eight universities which are ranked among the world’s top universities. University students obtain professional skills and attributes in a specific discipline or specialist field.
The New Zealand Government and educational institutions offer overseas students scholarship opportunities to help support themselves while studying in New Zealand through a competitive application process.
Undergraduate courses for overseas students in New Zealand range from NZ$22,000-32,000 per year, with some course, such as medicine and veterinary science, having higher fees. Most New Zealand Bachelor degrees are three years long.
Post-graduate degrees for overseas students range from NZ$26,000-37,000 per year, and international PhD student fees are around NZ$6,500-$9,000 per year.
