Why Study in New Zealand

About New Zealand:

New Zealand is one of the safest and friendliest countries in the world. It has beautiful landscapes and is blessed with natural beauty.  New Zealand is known for its picturesque locations with gorgeous landscapes ranging from snowy mountains and glaciers to magnificent green hills to hot volcanoes. It offers you a great work life balance with ease of travel as most cities are small and less crowded making the daily commute easy and fast. Most student can either walk to cycle to their university. New Zealand has beautiful beaches and offers a plethora of choices with regards to restaurants, night clubs and places for recreational activities. All these factors make New Zealand a great country to study and settle in. New Zealand’s excellent climate encourages all sorts of outdoor sports and activities ranging from football to cricket to rafting or Bungee jumping. It enjoys the 4 distinct seasons such as Summer (Nov. to March), Autumn (March to June), Winter (June to Sept.) & Spring (Sept. to Nov.). Most of the cities and towns have small populations and have wide open spaces enabling people here to enjoy a high standard of living.

Every year, New Zealand witnesses a huge inflow of students coming from all over the world and an increasing number of Indian students.

Why Study in New Zealand:

• Safe Place: New Zealand has been ranked the 3rd Most Peaceful Country, according to the Global Peace Index. New Zealanders are approachable and super friendly. New Zealand is clean, green and safe with some of the most picturesque places to live in.
• The cost of studying in New Zealand is considerably lesser than the US, UK or Australia
• As an Indian student having 15 years of education, you can apply for a Masters or an MBA program in New Zealand directly post completing your bachelors’ degree.
• New Zealand allows you to work part time for 20 hours a week during your term and full time for 40 hours a week during vacations. This way you can take care of your food and accommodation expenses. The minimum adult wage in New Zealand is 16.5 NZD an hour.
• Post Study Work Visa in New Zealand: After successful course completion, a post study work permit of 3 years is available for all international students pursuing undergraduate degrees, master’s degrees or their PhD. You can work full-time in any job of your choice.
• Immigration New Zealand: Once you have finished your study in New Zealand, you may be able to work in New Zealand for up to four years, and after that, apply to work or live in NZ longer term. New Zealand institutions place a lot of importance on skill based education as employers are on a constant lookout for unique skillsets. Hence if you complete your education in such a field, you will be able to apply for a skilled based migrant visa.

• Quality Assurance: New Zealand government has appointed the NEW ZEALAND QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY (NZQA), a quality assurance body that requires the courses offered by educational institutions such as secondary schools and non-university tertiary institutions for enrolling international students to be in strict compliance with its qualification standards. It is responsible for approving and registering all courses and national qualifications offered at Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics and private training establishments. This ensures that the qualifications granted and the knowledge imparted by the educational institutions in New Zealand is of great quality and value.

Education System in New Zealand

Types of Educational Institutions: New Zealand has 8 state-funded universities, 18 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITP’s) and close to 700 Private Training Establishments (PTE’s). Universities offer higher degree-level education. Programs are research based and are mostly academic in nature.  In the 2015/16 QS World University Rankings, all 8 of New Zealand’s universities were in the top 100 in at least one subject. The Private Training Establishments tend to offer vocational programs mainly at the certificate and diploma level.

1. Universities in New Zealand: There are 8 state-funded universities in New Zealand which are excellent in research and have world class facilities for students. Each University has developed its own specialist subjects such as Medicine, Engineering, Veterinary Science, Computer Studies, Agriculture and Environmental Studies, Sports-Science, Biotechnology, Architecture etc. Universities offer courses for undergraduate, graduate as well as PhD level.

2. Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITP’s) in New Zealand: There are 16 ITP’s in New Zealand. They provide hands on experience and focus on developing practical skills by teaching in facilities that provide real-world situations and workplaces. ITP qualifications from certificate to post-graduate level are focused on specific job outcomes thereby helping you further your career, and be more employable. These programs can include internships or work placements enabling you to gain experience and become job ready. New Zealand has a lot of industries that really need skilled people and through an ITP qualification, you can get these skills. By doing so, you can get a skill based migrant visa and settle down in New Zealand.

3. Private Training Establishments (PTEs): Private training establishments are registered and their courses approved by NZQA. New Zealand has over 700 private training establishments that provide job pathways into specialist industries such as: Business and Technology, Food and Hospitality, Tourism, Commercial Aviation, Animation and Game Design. These are specialized institutions with the highest standards to give you excellent training and a great student experience. Student can choose from a wide range of qualifications and get the skills needed to work in the industry of their choice. All qualifications are focused on real job outcomes by providing practical workplace training and work on real time company projects. New Zealand’s ITPs and universities are public institutions. To get funding and support they have to meet standards of excellence from the government.

4. PhD: International students can do a PhD in New Zealand by paying the same fees as a domestic student. The students can work full time while pursuing their PhD. The partner or spouse of the PhD student can apply for an open work visa and work during the length of the program.

Types of Degrees in New Zealand

Students who wish to study in New Zealand can study any of the following degrees:

• Bachelors
• Masters
• MBA
• Post Graduate Diploma
• Post Graduate Certificate
• Graduate Diploma
• Graduate Certificate

Application Procedure for New Zealand

Step 1 – Research: The students should do their research on the universities or their colleges that they wish to apply to along with the programs that they are interested in applying for.

We at AM Consulting counsel you to understand your careers goals and aspirations and accordingly design a custom road-map for you. We will then help you in shortlisting of the courses and the universities that you should apply to, based on a number of factors such as academics, test scores, budget and other factors.

Step 2 – Taking the Required Tests: In order to study in New Zealand, students will only need to give the IELTS test and score well there. Bachelors and masters’ program only require the IELTS test to be given.

Step 3 – Preparing the Documents: Next the students need to put together the following documents for the application process:

Transcripts: Transcripts are mark sheets presented in a certain format. A student will need to apply at their respective schools or colleges for getting their transcripts issued. Each transcript will be stamped & signed, and then sealed in an envelope which also needs to be stamped and signed. A student will need to make sure that the transcript states the medium of instruction as English as this may sometimes waive off the IELTS or TOEFL requirement.

Statement of Purpose/Essays: Each university will need the student to submit a Statement of Purpose (SOP) as part of the application packet. The SOP is a life story of a student in around 800 words which allows the admission committee to separate the best applications from the average ones. An SOP will contain answers to questions such as what have you studied till now and why? Why are you interested in the particular course that you are applying for? What have you chosen that university? What are you short and long term goals? And so on. All the students applying for a Bachelor’s degree as well as a Master’s degree will need to submit their Statement of Purpose specific to each university. MBA applicants will have to answer 3-4 university specific essay questions. An SOP can make or break a student’s application and is one of the most important parts of the application process. A crisp and well-crafted SOP can make up for a low GRE or GMAT score or even low academics.

AM Consulting specializes in drafting solid SOP’s which have helped our students secure admits into some of the top universities in New Zealand. You can contact us here to know about our SOP packages.

Letters of Recommendation: Universities require you to submit a minimum of two letters of recommendation (LOR) as a part of your application. One is a professional one and the other is an academic one. You need to nominate your manager at your workplace and a professor at your college for writing these letters for you. These LORs are also one of the most important parts of your application wherein your referees make a case for your selection to that particular university. You need to nominate referees who know your well and under whom you have grown professionally or academically.

We at AM Consulting provide assistance in writing LOR’s for our students. You can contact us here to know more about our LOR packages.

Resume: The students need to prepare a professional looking resume which is no more than 2 pages, as part of their application. The resume should contain the student’s academic as well as professional information.

Proof of Work Experience/Internships/Social Work: In order to strengthen the application, a student can submit additional documents such as an offer letter, internship experience letter or a certificate for completion of social work done at a local non-governmental organization (NGO).

Other Documents: A student will also need to submit their passport copies, 2-3 photos and the university application form.

Step 4 – Application to the Universities: Application for a Bachelor’s degree is normally done through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC), whereas the application for a Master’s degree is done through the university website. Each application contains the above mentioned documents. Most of the universities will ask for an application fee to be paid while submitting the application. The students will need a credit card for paying it.

Step 5 – Test Score Reporting: After applying to the universities, the students should also submit the IELTS scores to the various universities that they have applied to. The universities ask for the scores to be directly sent to them via the testing authorities. Reporting to each university will require a certain fee to be paid to the testing authorities.

Step 6 – Visa Guidance: We will also help you in your student visa application for study in New Zealand.

Step 7 – Loan: We also help our students in getting loans for studying abroad. Through our tie ups with various education loan providers, we make sure our students get loans to realize their dream of studying abroad

Step 8 – Help in finding accommodation and part time work: We also help you in looking for accommodation as well as help in finding part time work.

Admission Documents Checklist to STUDY IN NEW ZEALAND

• Resume
• Passport Copies (The first and last pages)
• Degree Mark sheets & Transcripts
• Degree certificate or provisional degree certificate (if you are currently studying in your final year, then you can submit this later)
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
• Portfolio, if design related course
• IELTS Test Report Form (TRF) – you can submit this at a later date. We can try for a waiver for you for admissions but it is mandatory for the Australian visa application.
• Extra-curricular activity certificates

Tests Required

You will need to take the IELTS exam to study in New Zealand. No GRE test is required for studying Masters in New Zealand. GMAT may be required by only some Universities in order to apply to their MBA program.

IELTS: (International English Language Testing System): The IELTS is an international standardized test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers. It is jointly managed by the British Council and IDP in India. There are two types of IELTS exams.

IELTS Academic: This is taken by students who wish to apply for higher education in countries all around the world. IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian and New Zealand academic institutions, by over 3,000 academic institutions in the United States, and by various professional organizations across the world. No minimum score is required to pass the test. The IELTS Test Report Form is issued to all test takers with a score from “band 1” (“non-user”) to “band 9” (“expert user”) and each institution sets a different threshold. The test is administered by the British Council and IDP in India. The cost of taking the exam is Rs 12,650. It can be taken in either the computer delivered or the paper delivered format depending on your city.

The IELTS is available in two formats:

1) Paper Based – The results for this test arrive 13 days after the exam.
2) Computer Based – The results for this test arrive within 5 to 7 days after the exam.

The recommended IELTS scores to study in New Zealand:

Undergraduate: A score of 6.0 with no band less than 5.5. However you can apply with an overall score of 5.5 as well.
Graduate: A score of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0. However you can apply with an overall score of 6.0 as well.
You can register for the exam either through the British council website (https://www.britishcouncil.in/exam/ielts) or the IDP website. (https://www.ieltsidpindia.com/)

Costs

Tuition Fees: ( All figures in New Zealand Dollars)
New Zealand is quite affordable when compared to USA or Canada.
The tuition fees vary depending on the type and the duration of the course.

• Fees for an Undergraduate Degree can be anything from $10,000 to $20,000 per year.
• Fees for a Postgraduate Degree can be anything from $15,000 to $30,000 per year.

Living costs:
Living costs will depend on the lifestyle of the student. Students should have a budget of anything from $15,000 to $25,000 per year.

Scholarships in New Zealand

New Zealand Excellence Awards: The NZEA are special scholarships awarded only to Indian students. They are jointly funded by New Zealand universities and Education New Zealand (ENZ). NZEA features scholarships across all eight universities, offering an opportunity for Indian students to experience New Zealand excellence in various programs.
The Value of the Scholarship: $5000 (undergraduate), $10,000 (graduate)

Apart from this, each university has their own scholarships that they offer to International students.

Post Study Work Visa for New Zealand.

After successful course completion, you will get a 12 months ‘Work Permit’, This is your job search visa in New Zealand that allows you to find opportunities to work in NZ. You can work full-time in any job of your choice. But remember, if you are aiming a NZ Permanent Residency, then you have to find a job relevant to your course (that you have finished studying in New Zealand). Once you have finished your study in New Zealand, you may be able to work in New Zealand for up to four years, and after that, apply to work or live in NZ longer term. Your chances of getting further work are higher if you have the skills that New Zealand urgently needs.

Job Opportunities in New Zealand

• New Zealand offers vacancies in professions like Agriculture and Forestry, Engineering, Business Management, Hospitality, Health and Social Services and Science which international students can take advantage of.
• International students can apply for jobs under the Skilled Migrant Category. This literally means that if you have the skills that are in short supply, you will be in great demand and can expect handsome salary.

The occupations which have skill shortage have been grouped under the following headings:

1. The Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL);
2. the Immediate Skill Shortage List (ISSL); and
3. the Canterbury Skill Shortage List (CSSL)

If your course is one of the programs covered in the lists, it will be easier for you to find a job. Also, it is a good idea to make lists of which are the most important industries and sectors, and where there are shortages. By doing so, you can prepare better for these jobs and increase your chances. It actually boils down to how well you do your homework: the more researched and fine-tuned your approach, the better chances you have of getting a job.

List of Educational Institutions in New Zealand

1. University of Canterbury, Christchurch
2. Lincoln University, Christchurch
3. Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Auckland
4. Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland
5. Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin & Auckland
6. Ara Institute of Canterbury, Christchurch
7. Manukau Institute of Technology, Auckland
8. Whitireia New Zealand, Porirua & Auckland
9. Nelson & Marlborough Institute of Technology, Nelson & Blenheim
10. Southern Institute of Technology, Invercargill
11. Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec), Wellington
12. Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Tauranga & Rotorua
13. North Tec, Whangarei
14. Auckland Institute of Studies, Auckland
15. Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT), New Plymouth
16. Aspire2International Group, Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga & Christchurch
17. EDENZ Colleges, Auckland
18. UUNZ Institute of Business, Auckland
19. New Zealand School of Education (NZSE), Auckland
20. Auckland Wise Institute. AWI International Education Group, Auckland
21. Pacific International Hotel Management School, New Plymouth
22. Le Cordon Bleu, Wellington
23. Computer Power Plus, Auckland
24. Cornell Institute of Business & Technology, Auckland
25. Taylors College, Auckland
26. Avonmore Tertiary Institute, Christchurch, Auckland
27. Media Design School, Auckland
28. Christchurch Institute of Business and Technology ( UCIC ) – Associated with University of Canterbury
29. Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT)
30. International College of Auckland
31. New Zealand Management Academies Limited (NZMA)
32. New Zealand National College
33. New Zealand Tertiary College Ltd (NZTC)
34. Royal Business College
35. University of Auckland
36. University of Waikato
37. Waikato Institute of Technology (WinTec), Hamilton
38. University of Otago
39. Victoria University of Wellington
40. Massey University