Study In New Zealand

Educational Programs for International Professionals
UPDATED:  MAR 2022
OVERVIEW:  

COST OF STUDYING

Diplomas/Certificates
Choose a course to suit your budget. For example, study for a two-year New Zealand Diploma in Engineering for $18,500 or a one-term Certificate in Computing for $12,425.

Postgraduate degree
Fees range from about $26,000 to $37,000, with higher fees for subjects such as medicine and veterinary science.

COST OF LIVING ​

As part of your student visa application, you must provide evidence that you can cover your living expenses while studying in New Zealand. If you’re studying in New Zealand on a scholarship or a sponsor/family member has agreed to accept financial responsibility for you while you’re here, you may not be required to show proof of funds.

If you will be studying in New Zealand for more than one year, you’ll need to prove that you have at least $15,000 to support yourself for the first year. If you’re studying for less than a year, you must have at least $1250 for each month of study to contribute to your living expenses.

Living costs will depend on your lifestyle and which part of the country you live in. Some costs vary by region. For example, you may need to travel more to the main centres, and transport costs may be more expensive than in your home country.

As an example of how much to budget for, Victoria University recommends that students allow between $18,000-$27,000 each year, the University of Auckland recommends $20,000-$25,000, the University of Otago recommends $15,000-$17,000 and Massey University recommends $15,000-$18,000.
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You may be able to offset some of your costs by working. Most student visas enable you to work up to 20 hours per week, or full-time in the holidays. 

Visit the Work Section of Thinking New 

Check out our the Think New blog for more ideas on saving costs while you study in New Zealand.

STUDYING AND WORKING

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  • ​New Zealand student visas usually allow full-time students to work up to 20 hours a week during the academic year and up to 40 hours a week during the summer break. This applies to both secondary school and tertiary students. Research master's and PhD students can work 40 hours a week all year round. 

  • Check your student visa – it will show if (and when) you are allowed to work. You can find out more about working on a student visa on Immigration New Zealand's website.

  • How much will I be paid? 
    You will be paid at least the minimum wage of NZ$16.50 an hour, though you may earn more than this. You will also be paid for annual and public holidays, and for rest breaks.

  • Will I pay tax? 
    You will pay tax on what you earn. The current tax rate is 10.5% if you earn less than NZ$14,000 a year. Before you start working you need to get an IRD number from New Zealand’s tax department, Inland Revenue. You can apply for a number online. 

WORKING AFTER STUDYING

​You can apply for a visa to work in New Zealand for up to 3 years after you finish your study if you have an acceptable qualification.
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A Post-study work visa lasts for 1, 2 or 3 years depending on the level of your qualification and where you studied. From the end of November 2018, it replaces 2 previous visas:

  • Post Study Work Visa (open)
  • Post Study Work Visa (employer-assisted).

What you can do on a Post-study work visaA Post-study work visa lets you work for any employer and in almost any job.

Your partner can apply for a work visa and your dependent children can study fee-free as domestic students.

Check all the criteria and work out how long you can work for.

Post-study work visa

If you plan to live in New Zealand permanently getting a skilled job in an occupation where there’s a shortage could improve your chances of getting a residence visa.

Skill Shortage List Checker
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The button below takes you to the New Zealand Government site where you can search to learn if your skills are needed in New Zealand. There are 5 skill levels; 1 being highly skilled. 

  • Managerial and professional roles mainly in these industries: education and training (teachers); professional and technical services; health and social assistance; and agriculture (farmers and farm managers).  ​

On the site you can learn the ranking of your skill and if there is a shortage and how urgent the shortage is. The more urgent the shortage; the easier to get the visa.  Remember:  A skill that is in demand today may not be a year or two from now.

VISAS

The link below takes you to the New Zealand Government site which explains what visas are available and authorization to work as a student and after completing your educational program.