International Students take note

While New Zealand is a great place to study as an international student, it does have tuition costs involved.

• Fees for arts, Business or social sciences range from NZ$16,000 a year.

• Courses in science and engineering can cost from NZ$20,000 per year.

• Dentistry and medicine tend to be the most expensive degrees – NZ$25,000 per year.

• Also, there are few scholarships available for international students studying in New Zealand, and those that are on offer are for PhD students.

What about part-time work?

• A student visa is condition on sufficient funds to pay for living and accommodation costs.

• Being able to work while studying can certainly help finances to stretch a little further.

• Full-time student are permitted to work up to 20 hours a week but must seek a variation in the conditions of their visa.

• New Zealand's adult minimum wage is NZ$15.75 per hour starting 1st April 2017.

Here are some approximate costs of those all important student services in New Zealand :

• Apartment rent, 1 bedroom: NZD120.00 to 240.00 per week on a sharing basis

• Meal, inexpensive restaurant: NZD 8.00

• Meal at McDonalds: NZD 8.00

• Cappuccino: NZD 4.50

• Coke/Pepsi (0.33 litre bottle): NZD 3.00

• Water : NZD 2.00

• Loaf of bread: NZD 2.00

• Cigarettes: NZD 20.00 a packet

• One-way ticket local transport: NZD 3.00 one stage for HOP card users

• Cinema ticket: NZD 11.00 for students

Health and safety

Current medical and travel insurance is a requirement of the Ministry of Education's Code of Practice.

• Student visa holders are generally not eligible for publicly funded health and disability services. Hence, it is advisable to get an insurance prior to travel.

• People covered by New Zealand’s reciprocal health agreements with Australia and United Kingdom are entitled to publicly funded health care for immediately necessary medical treatment only.

Helpful links

• All of the requirements for obtaining a student visa to study in New Zealand, and a checklist of the application process, can be found at Immigration New Zealand.

• More information can be found in this guide to education in New Zealand.