Situated in the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is a spectacular island country known for its marvellous natural landscapes, welcoming and friendly people, beautiful Maori culture, brilliant universities, and rugby team. It is also known for offering outstanding higher education opportunities across different disciplines. As a matter of fact, around 120,000 international students got enrolled across eight universities in the country in 2022.
Most of these universities are popularly known for their modern-study facilities and lower tuition fees in comparison to European and US universities and colleges. Presently, the tuition fees in New Zealand range considerably as higher educations are both run privately and publicly. Like, the cost of certain bachelor’s degrees can be 22,000 NZD while the cost of specialist postgraduate courses can be roughly 80,000 NZD.
Additionally, students aspiring to study abroad in New Zealand must consider additional costs like living expenses, airfares, and visas. In today’s well-detailed post, we will explore the tuition costs and cost of living you will require to cover during your stay. It will also walk you through certain funding options you can opt for if you’re considering pursuing higher studies in the country.
Let’s dive right in!
The Cost of Pursuing Higher Studies In New Zealand: A Brief Overview
- Tuition Fees
An integral part of the final estimation of the cost of study abroad in New Zealand is the tuition fees. Since each university in the country has its fee structure, the total fees may hugely vary from one educational institution to another.
Below we have listed certain general cost estimations for courses both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels-
- Undergraduate Programs-For international students pursuing undergraduate courses in the esteemed universities of New Zealand, the tuition fees generally range between NZ $22,000-32,000 (10 lakhs- 15 lakhs INR). This fee is higher for those who desire to major in fields like Medicine, Veterinary, Engineering, Science, Dentistry, and the like. For these courses, you need to pay NZ$25000 to 75000 roughly (11 lakhs to 35 lakhs INR) per year.
- Postgraduate Programs– The cost of pursuing postgraduate courses is more expensive than undergraduate programs. International students must pay tuition fees between NZ $26,000 and 37,000 (INR 12 lakhs-17 lakhs). But, international students pursuing PhD need to spend the same amount as domestic Ph.D. students, which is NZ$ 6500-9000 (INR 30,000- 40,000).
Additionally, as with most other countries, MBA programs are often the most expensive in the country. The average cost for these programs ranges between NZ $31,000-50,000 (indicative).
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Student Visa Fees
Apart from paying tuition fees, one must also pay for a student visa. International students must first apply for a student visa from their country to be eligible to study and work part-time in New Zealand.
A close look at New Zealand study abroad tutorials will reveal the below-enlisted fees international students must pay to secure a visa in the country-
- Fee-paying student visa- NZD 330 ( 17,168.61 INR)
- Pathway Student Visa- NZD 295 ( 15,350.70 INR)
- Foreign Government-Supported Student Visa- NZD 330 ( 17,160.51 INR)
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Costs of Accommodation
According to the best minds associated with reputed SOP and LOR writing services, most universities in New Zealand offer on-campus residence facilities known as the Hall of Residence to international students. An affordable choice is to live as a resident on-campus. But, one must apply for it separately and ahead of time to secure a slot. It will usually cost you around NZD 215-555 per week. You can also choose from either a fully-catered or self-catered Halls of Residence.
You can choose off-campus accommodation wherein you can share apartments with other students from your country. Or, you can live in a homestay with a local family. Also, living in shared apartments or flats can cost around NZ$120.
Additionally, if you reach before your tenancy date, you can easily book temporary accommodation at youth hostels like the YMCA. These are value-for-money accommodations and an outstanding avenue to meet new people. Furthermore, you can also select to live in student residence halls (roughly $120 per week), private flats (roughly $180 per week), or shared flats (approx. $120 per week) while studying in New Zealand.
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Other Variable Expenditures
Apart from the basic expenditures like costs of accommodation, cost of tuition and student visa, the studying cost of study abroad in New Zealand must also incorporate other crucial living expenses. Have a look at such expenditures listed below in a table-
|
Travel/Transportation Costs |
NZ$4 (INR 180) |
|
Books and Other Supplies |
NZ$500 (INR 24,000) |
|
Gas/Electricity/ Water |
NZ $100 (INR 4,600) |
|
Food and Entertainment |
NZ$170 (INR 7,000) |
|
Mobile Plan |
NZ$170 (INR 7000) |
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Health Support and Insurance
Even before commencing their courses, all students leaving their country for New Zealand must get medical insurance. Countless universities and colleges in New Zealand have started providing remarkable health insurance policies for international students. However, they only apply while the program is still in effect and end when it does.
One requires making arrangements for private health insurance since certain universities may not offer coverage. The average annual cost of medical insurance in New Zealand is between $200 and $700 (roughly).
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Funding Opportunities to Study In New Zealand
You can always hunt for a part-time job to support yourself while studying financially, but it’s recommended not to depend solely on this to pay for living expenses. You may work part-time for up to 20 hours a week for at least two years.
Other than that, the government offers countless scholarship opportunities, which can be found via a search engine on the website of Education New Zealand. You could also take a look at the official websites of the universities of New Zealand you’re interested in.
It is also worth exploring the benefits of student discounts on everything, ranging from skydiving to food and beverages. This is because the StudentCard is just about NZ$25 and will start paying for itself after a couple of uses.
New Zealand has always been one of the top study-abroad destinations for international students. Now that you’ve become well-versed with total estimated costs, it will become incredibly easier to plan your study-abroad journey on a budget. Hence, start applying to the best universities in the country and get geared to fuel your academic endeavours in the best ways possible. Good luck!