Study In New Zealand | Best Overseas Education consultants in India

Why studying in the New Zealand is the best destination for an international student

The land of the long white cloud, Aurora australis and breath-taking landscapes, New Zealand is not only famous for its mesmerizing nature’s beauty or its connection with the Land of the Rings (LOTR) but also for its world-renowned academic excellence.

New Zealand’s all eight universities are ranked among the Top 3% in the world. The stringent regulations to maintain the elite educational standards governed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) also ensure institutions are registered to enrol international students and comply with qualifications standards. The quality of education translates into research & innovation making it a most sought destination to pursue STEM fields.

New Zealand ranks 2nd in the world’s most peaceful countries on the Global Peace Index, which elucidates the social acceptance and political stability of the Kiwi democracy. The international students will be entitled to the same rights as their Kiwi counterparts. With uniform rules and facilities among all, an immigrant student will “feel a home”. This is also garnered by the fact that Kiwi people are the friendliest and most hospitable, welcoming all as one in their homeland.

The standard of living here is measured on the happiness parameter valuing the quality of life, which ranked New Zealand among the Top 10 happiest countries in the world. It is certain to experience the good vibes & laughter of friendliness in a country that houses millions of immigrants globally.

The prospect of work while studying is not only lucrative but also liberating, allowing students to explore employment opportunities in any field of their interests, unlike other study-abroad destinations. The students are allowed to work for up to 20 hours every week during semesters and full-time during breaks and those pursuing a master's or a doctoral degree will be allowed to work full-time, gaining exposure & experiences while studying.

With their Universal motto Kaitiakitanga, Inclusiveness and Progressiveness encapsulate the best cross-cultural competencies. As the sun rises first in New Zealand, so as your career will soar high. Study Overseas New Zealand will be a turning point for those who wish to gain the best experience.

Visa Rules And Obligations

The New Zealand Government welcomes the Indian diaspora wholeheartedly with a myriad of educational avenues to employment opportunities to explore. As a prerequisite, the student has to obtain a new Zealand student visa first. To determine the type of student visa, the candidate must evaluate the criteria such as the type of study they wish to pursue and duration of stay in New Zealand.

If the international student intends to pursue a full-time course for a duration of more than 3 months then, the fee-paying student visa will be the right choice for you.

An international student can apply for an NZ student visa (INZ 1012) only after getting an offer from Kiwi Universities. The candidate must apply for a student visa at least 3 months prior to the commencement of the course. The major intake of overseas applications will be in the month of February and July

The New Zealand visa application fee for online submission will be $230 + $24 (Receiving centre fee) and for offline application the visa application fees will be $ 330 + $ 17 (Receiving centre fee) generally decision on the visa will be notified within 3 weeks.

The immigrant student also has to show evidence of sufficient funds to cover the living expenses throughout the stay in NZ. This may include any scholarship program undertaken, Bank statements or financial undertaking by a sponsor the student can choose any of these as proof. The amount of living cost must be maintained at NZ$ 20,000 for a full year of study or NZ$ 1,250 per month.

The student can also show proof of sufficient funds through the Funds Transfer Scheme (FTS), the student can open a bank account with ANZ (New Zealand Bank) and transfer approximately $17,000 to $20,000 in their pre-opened bank account. After arriving in NZ, the student can withdraw this money as a fixed deposit on a monthly basis, however, this is entirely optional.

According to the application procedure of Kiwi universities, a student must have all the below-mentioned fundamental documents to obtain an NZ student visa. An immigrant student must have a valid passport, Provisional certificates or original marks sheets, and Score sheets for standardised tests such as IELTS (6.5 or equivalent), TOEFL, PTE, GMAT (if applicable), Evidence of adequate cash in your bank account, Evidence indicating the candidate intends to depart the country after the programme is completed. This can be in the form of a return flight ticket however this is optional Students can fill the declaration form also instead.

The immigrant student has to provide a medical certificate governing the health requirements before entering the New Zealand territory along with a Police Clearance Certificate instating confirmation of no criminal background history. Indian students also have to furnish mandated X-ray reports to rule out the incidence of Tuberculosis.

The student has to prove the English language proficiency for that IELTS scores are generally preferred. The criteria for UG Courses are to have a minimum 5.5-6.0 IELTS band and for PG Courses 6.0-6.5 IELTS band scores are accepted. The minimum IELTS score required for the New Zealand student visa is 5.5 band in each module.

The immigrant student also needs to abide by the general laid-ground rules by New Zealand Immigration, which are to maintain satisfactory academic progress and attendance criteria throughout the duration of the study and should pay tuition fees by the census date of each term. The students are allowed to work part-time for up to 20 hours a week.

The declaration by a student that they have arranged the travel and medical insurance valid from the day they arrive in NZ until they depart after successful completion of the course, hence they are expected to maintain their Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) throughout the duration of the student visa.

Post-study Work Visa

The New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF) is the heart of the NZ education system and was one of the first qualification frameworks established. The NZQF is divided into 10 levels, ranging from level 1 to level 10, that cover qualifications from certificates to doctoral degrees.

The international student may be eligible for a Post Study Work Visa for up to 3 years. A Post Study Work Visa allows you to work for any employer if you studied a degree level 7 qualification or above. If the student has studied a non-degree level 7 or below qualification, they still can get a New Zealand Post Study Work Visa. On a condition that you must have studied a qualification that is on the Qualifications Eligible for Post Study Work Visa list.

Route To Permanent Residency

A non-EU citizen is eligible to apply for permanent residency in New Zealand only if you had a residence visa for more than 2 years.

The international student must meet the following criteria to be eligible for a PR, this includes having an approved qualification, the student must hold a valid student visa, the candidate must meet the minimum English language and health requirements, must possess sufficient funds to support yourself while in New Zealand this includes pay slip as a shred of evidence, the minimum age criteria is 18 years and above, the candidate should furnish the character certificate from the University/college they have studied in and most importantly evidence of being an ideal Kiwi citizen by obeying New Zealand’s law & regulations.

Another pivotal criterion you must fulfil before applying for a PR in New Zealand is proof of your commitment to living in New Zealand. For this, you must meet the time commitment in New Zealand for at least 184 days in each of the last 2 years.

The candidate after fulfilling the minimum criteria can start applying for the PR application process from the New Zealand Immigration Service. The prerequisite documents to be submitted as PR filing are a Birth certificate, Passport, Educational certificate and English language test scores. After submitting the documents, the candidate must pay the application fee of NZ$620. The verdict on Permanent residence will be notified in the form of a confirmation note, the processing time for a PR visa is generally 24 days.

After getting the Permanent Residency Visa you are allowed to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely, the successful applicant can travel to and from New Zealand any time they like. Family unification including spouses and children under age 24 is allowed in your visa application.

Once granted PR, the applicant has to adhere to the following rules to maintain the status of their Permanent Resident Visa which are as the candidate must remain in the country for minimum 2 years, must maintain a standard of living, should maintain no criminal history, abide by the NZ Laws and must not be absent from the NZ for a period 600 days in any 10-year period otherwise, your permanent residency may cancel.

New Zealand Scholarships For International Students

The NZ Government offers indispensable support through various scholarship programmes to New Zealand overseas students. These scholarship programmes are available for every level of study with a plethora of options to choose from. The scholarships in NZ start from $3,000 to fully-funded scholarships, hence a student can extract the maximal benefit through such programmes.

The most popular scholarship options available for Indian students are as:

New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarships for Indian students who apply for a master’s degree or PhD, with strong academic background can try for a Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP). This plan will cover tuition fees, living, travel and health insurance, and establishment allowance. This scholarship offers a wide range of benefits including full tuition fees, a weekly allowance of NZ$ 491 for living expenses and medical and travel insurance also included in the coverage of the CSFP Programme.

Another highly lucrative scholarship is New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA) for Indian students. NZEA offers unique opportunities for Indian students to experience New Zealand academic excellence in various domains. This scholarship features across all eight universities and is funded by Education New Zealand (ENZ) and Kiwi universities. The total number of scholarships in PG programs is 28 and in UG is 3. The value of this scholarship is NZ 5,000 each for the PG course and NZ 10,000 each for the UG course.

The country known for its cleaner & greener environment has always encouraged young minds to pursue fields in Geosciences and environmental sciences and to boost the research in the same. Soshi Educational Group (SEG) offers a scholarship program to encourage advanced research in geophysics and geosciences for undergraduate (A and B scholarships) and other programs (C scholarships). The amount of scholarship for A is NZD 7,000 for B 5,000 and for scholarship C 3,000 respectively. The duration of the award will be one year.

To attract a large number of foreign students City Council of Palmerston North launched a scholarship programme known as Palmerston North City Mayor's Goodwill Ambassador Scholarship. The scholarship programme aims for career-based/vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The scholarship amount will be NZD 1,000 towards the first year's tuition. The options for Indian students are limitless and worthy to explore.

The New Zealand Universities Academic Audit Unit supports this quality assurance method. These systems certify that university education in New Zealand is of a consistently excellent standard.

Quick Guide

Country Introduction Education System List of Top Universities Student Visa Process