Studying in New Zealand
You can’t go much further away from home than New Zealand, but it has many attractions as a destination for your degree studies. The university system there is based on the British set-up, which means that you won’t feel as far from home as you will actually be, and the degree you come out with will be recognised as valuable throughout the world. There are eight universities in New Zealand, all of very high quality, and every effort is made to make foreign students feel welcome. Around 90,000 international students each year opt to study in New Zealand, so you will find that the system is well prepared to offer you what you want. There is also a comprehensive pastoral care system to help those who are very far from their place of origin.
The great appeal of the country is its culture, lifestyle and landscape. New Zealand is roughly the same size as the UK, but has a population of only 4 million, so it is going to be a very different experience living there for several years. Cities are smaller, and so are classes, and the attitude to life is more relaxed than it is back home in crowded Britain. Many are surprised at how much personal attention they can receive from their tutors and teachers because the pressure of numbers is not there. And for anyone who loves the outdoors, New Zealand is a paradise, with mountains offering climbing and skiing, landscape spectacle and good beaches in a climate a little warmer than back home.
Costs are quite high. The NZ dollar is worth about 54p at present, and a degree course in science costs 28,000 dollars – about £14,000. And then you have got to get there. There are scholarships available from several sources, such as the New Zealand Aid Programme, the Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowship Plan, and Education in New Zealand.
Key Point
You will need a student visa, meet medical requirements, and if you stay for more than two years you must produce a police certificate!
See the website www.immigration.govt.nz
For information on studying in other foreign countries, return to the study abroad – which country main page.
