Meet Fahira, an international student from Indonesia who has just finished her University Pathway Course at UP Education and is about to start her Bachelor of Architectural Studies at Victoria University of Wellington. In this video, Fahira shares her thoughts and experiences on studying abroad in New Zealand.
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Here are our top reasons why you should study in New Zealand! It’s definitely an amazing place to study and live in - more than 100,000 international students per year think so too…
New Zealand may be a little nation in the corner of the world, but there are so many amazing things about this country! Check out these interesting facts about New Zealand…
Blue Lake in Nelson has the clearest water in the world. Its Maori name ‘Rotomairewhenua’ means ‘Lake of Peaceful Lands’.
Gisborne is the first city in the world to see the sunrise because it is 496.3 kilometres away from the International Date Line.
The steepest street in the world is in New Zealand’s South Island - Baldwin Street at about 350 meters in length with a 35 percent gradient. Every year, a crowd of about 15,000 people watch and take part in the annual Jaffa Race where Jaffas (red-shelled chocolate candies popular in Australia and New Zealand) are released at the top of the street and barrel down the street, reaching speeds of up to 100km/hour.
A 305 metre tall hill in Hawke’s Bay has the longest place name in the world.
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu - shortened to Taumata for brevity, translates roughly as "The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the slider, climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his kōauau (flute) to his loved one".
The southernmost capital in the world is Wellington, at the bottom of New Zealand’s North Island.
New Zealand is one of the world’s least populated countries with only 4.75 million people (2018).
No part of the country is more than 128 kilometres from the sea.
There are no snakes in New Zealand!
New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the right to vote. Kate Sheppard, the leader of the women’s suffrage movement in New Zealand, whose work led to women’s right to vote, is on New Zealand’s $10 note.
New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first people to reach the top of Mt. Everest, the world’s highest summit on 29th May 1953. Sir Edmund Hillary is on New Zealand’s $5 note.
This was the first country to have its three top positions of power held simultaneously by women; Prime Minister Helen Clark, Governor General Dame Silvia Cartwright and the Chief Justice Sian Elias.
It is one of only two countries in the world to have two national anthems of equal standing. The first is God Save the Queen and the other is God Defend New Zealand which is usually sung in both English and Te Reo Maori. Although between the two official anthems, God Defend New Zealand is more commonly used.
Our biggest city, Auckland, sits on a large volcanic field of approximately 53 volcanoes. You don’t need to worry though as the last eruption was about 500 years ago and is most probably unlikely to erupt again.
Yes it’s true, there are a lot of sheep. There are roughly 9 sheep to 1 person living in New Zealand. That means there are a total number of around 40 million sheep. You might think you’ll see sheep walking the streets and relaxing at beaches, but you’re actually more likely to see them in the countryside during road trips.
And of course…
All of New Zealand’s universities are ranked in the top 500 universities in the world.
Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city, is home to lots of theatres, art galleries, amazing food, festivals, nightlife and so much more. Wellington has been named “The Coolest Little Capital in the World” by Lonely Planet. The city also has many other accolades such as the best city in the world for quality of living, highest quality of life in New Zealand, among the top six food cities in the world, and lots more!
When you come to study in New Zealand, make sure you head along to Wellington for these top things to do! Better yet, if you’re studying at Victoria University of Wellington, you can do these things all the time!
The beautiful Wellington waterfront
Walk along the waterfront
Wandering along the waterfront in Wellington is a must-do in the city. It’s a great place for a relaxing walk with beautiful views of the harbour during both the daytime and the nighttime. As well as a leisurely stroll, there are also two parks and lots of eateries to enjoy along the waterfront with its many cafés, restaurants and bars. During summer, the waterfront plays host to events such as night markets and festivals. You can also hire a bike, kayak or paddleboat to enjoy the wonderful ambiance of the waterfront.
Vintage thrifting
Wellington is known for its amazing vintage clothing stores, so go wild shopping! There are lots of shops in the city to hunt for awesome vintage clothes - from denim jackets and overalls to bright sweaters and retro polo shirts to print tees. Thrifting is a great way to spend the day with friends - who knows what you’ll come across!
Cuba Street
Cuba Street, Wellington CBD’s main street is full of shops, restaurants, cafés, bars and art galleries. With its bohemian feel, this street is always full of energy. Take a walk along Cuba Street to find something to buy and something to eat, or to simply soak up the city’s funky vibe.
Te Papa
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, commonly known as Te Papa, is New Zealand’s national museum. It features the country’s art, culture and sciences. Experience the permanent exhibitions - New Zealand's geology and natural environment, and the stories of New Zealand's indigenous people, the Maori. Te Papa also regularly hosts exciting special exhibitions and international exhibitions. You can pay for a tour of the museum, but admission is free!
Auckland is a great place to live and study. In fact, Auckland has been officially ranked as one of the top cities in the world for quality of life. As the biggest city in New Zealand, there are a lot of things to do. So in your downtime from studying, be sure to check out these top top things to do in Auckland…
(Oh yeah, all of these below are free!)
The stunning black sand Bethells Beach
Bethells Beach
Even though Auckland is the business hub of New Zealand, there are so many beaches to explore! When you have time, definitely go to Bethells Beach in West Auckland. Otherwise known as Te Henga in Māori, Bethells Beach is a gorgeous black sand beach with dunes, cliffs and expansive terrain. It’s a popular beach for surfing, swimming, parasailing and sunbathing. It’s also been used as a filming location for several international productions such as Taeyeon’s “I'“ music video and Taylor Swift’s “Out of the Woods”. Although it’s a favourite for many Aucklanders (and international pop stars), Bethells doesn’t get as crowded as neighbouring Piha Beach, where an abundance of New Zealanders and tourists alike flock to. It’s also not as crowded as Mission Bay in the CBD - where it can get almost as crowded in summer as Ancol in Jakarta! Looking out over Bethells Beach, the amazing views are unparalleled. Insider’s tip: during low tide, be sure to check out the caves at the far end of the beach.
Beautiful night views from Mt. Victoria
Mt. Victoria or North Head
For stunning all-encompassing views of Auckland, go up Mt. Victoria or North Head in the suburb of Devonport on the North Shore. At both, you’ll get beautiful 360 degree views of Auckland - including the Sky Tower and Mt. Rangitoto (Auckland’s largest volcano). Both are easily accessible. If you’re travelling by car, you can take the short drive up and walk the rest of the way (a very short walk). Or simply walk up from the base. Both are also usually way less crowded than the popular viewpoint Mt. Eden in Central Auckland. Also, Mt. Victoria and North Head are only a two minute drive away from each other so why not go up both?
Wintergardens
The Wintergardens is a complex of amazing gardens within Auckland Domain, the city’s oldest park. There are two Victorian-style glass houses with a constantly-changing array of exotic flowers and plants, as well as an exterior courtyard with Victorian statues and a fernery housing luscious ferns. This is a beautiful oasis with incredible gardens to soak up and it’s a great place to walk around and take photos. If you have the time, also walk around the rest of Auckland Domain - 75 hectares large.
A summer evening of Silo Cinema in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter
Wynyard Quarter
Located in Downtown Auckland, Wynyard Quarter is a cool space to hang out at or have lunch or dinner at. During summer, Wynyard Quarter plays host to markets, food trucks, art exhibitions and Silo Cinema (recent films or old classics are screened on the side of a silo and people are welcome to watch for free while chilling with bean bags or rugs). At Wynyard Quarter, there are also high-end restaurants, a fish market, basketball court, playground, event space and a lot of places to just sit and relax.
Auckland Art Gallery
Located in the heart of Auckland’s CBD, Auckland Art Gallery has the most extensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand at over 15,000 artworks. It’s filled with galleries of talented local and overseas artists. The art gallery frequently hosts travelling international exhibitions and sometimes hosts workshops, talks and various film festivals.
*Admission into the general art gallery is free, while some exclusive visiting exhibitions may charge entry.
Is it actually expensive?…
As expensive as people think?
Word on the street is that New Zealand is an expensive country to live in. Is that true? Let’s break it down.
It’s not as expensive to live in New Zealand as other countries such as the UK or Australia.
Living costs in New Zealand will slightly vary depending on which city you’re living in. In general, Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown are a little more expensive to live in than the rest of the country. This is especially true when it comes to accommodation where prices in Auckland can be much higher than anywhere else in New Zealand. But considering Auckland is the biggest city in New Zealand, the country’s business and entertainment hub, and home to two of New Zealand’s eight universities, it’s understandable. That being said, Auckland is certainly less expensive to live in than other cities around the world like Sydney or London.
There are certain places such as cafés and cinemas that offer discounts for students.
The costs below mainly refer to Auckland. Costs in other cities around New Zealand will be similar, if not slightly cheaper.
Accommodation
Depending on what kind of accommodation you choose to live in and in where exactly you choose to live, prices can range from $150/week to $400/week. Location is truly the biggest factor in determining the price of accommodation. Certain suburbs will be more expensive than others (for example in Auckland: Northcote will be more expensive than Pakuranga, while Mt. Albert will be more expensive than Te Atatu).
There are three types of accommodation you can choose to live in.
University halls are where you can live while you study at that particular university. This accommodation is usually in the form of apartment buildings very close to the university, or in some cases on the university campus grounds itself. You can choose between fully-catered apartments (all meals are provided) or self-catered (no meals are provided).
Fully catered rooms from around $310/week. On average around $380/week.
Self-catered rooms from around $260/week. On average around $300/week.
Pros of university halls:
close to or inside university grounds = close to classes = can wake up just before class and still be on time
more opportunities to make new friends (especially with fellow classmates and other students)
Cons of university halls:
usually small living spaces
can be noisy most of the time = no quiet time
Being a homestay means that you live with a homestay family. These homestay families host you - providing you with accommodation and sometimes other extras such as breakfast every morning or a home-cooked meal every night.
From $200/week depending on location and extra amenities. On average around $250/week.
Pros of a homestay family:
opportunity to greatly improve your English
can become really close with the family = keep in touch for years later = a possible place to stay when visiting NZ again in the future
can have food and other amenities (power, water, wifi, etc.) taken care of for you
Cons of a homestay family:
can be far from university depending on where the homestay family lives
Flatting is where you live with a few other people (“flatmates”) in the same apartment or house. In this situation, you would rent the apartment/house and divide the cost of everything (rent. groceries, bills, etc.) between however many people there are. You could potentially rent a big house with a lot of bedrooms and live with a lot of people to divide the rent into as little as possible.
From $150/week depending on location and type of house/apartment. On average around $250/week.
Pros of flatting:
have fun living with your friends/make new flatmate friends
more independence
Cons of flatting:
can have issues living with friends/flatmates who each have different personalities/wants/needs
have to take care of all bills etc. yourself
Travel/Transport
As an international student, you’ll most likely use public transport to get around. In Auckland, it’s much more cost effective and convenient to use the AT HOP card. It’s cheaper and quicker to use this card to tag on and tag off the bus/train/ferry than it is to use cash. Also as a student, you’ll get further discounts tagging on and off. If you happen to live in the CBD, you can walk to university.
In Wellington you can use the Snapper card.
In Hamilton you can use the BUSIT card.
In Christchurch you can use the Metro card.
In Dunedin you can use the GoCard.
Bus fares in Auckland for instance, work by zones (different areas of Auckland are split into different zones).
Student fares:
1 zone = $1.40
2 zones = $2.45
3 zones = $3.75
4 zones = $4.70
So let’s say you take the bus to university in the CBD from where you live on the North Shore, you will travel across two zones which means it will cost $2.45
And $2.45 there and back every weekday = $24.50/week for the bus to university
Uber is available for a reasonable price in main cities around New Zealand: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Tauranga.
Food/Groceries
Eating in New Zealand can be expensive. The most cost effective way is to buy groceries at the supermarket and cook your own food. You can save money by buying groceries in bulk, either weekly or fortnightly. There are some Asian supermarkets where fruit and vegetables are usually cheaper than in main supermarkets. There are also weekly markets where fresh fruit and vegetables can be cheaper, but there aren’t many of these markets around.
Main supermarkets in New Zealand: Countdown, Pak’nSave, New World.
Pak’nSave is generally cheaper than the other supermarkets, while New World is generally more expensive than the others.
Grocery prices for a few basics:
1 kg rice = $1.80
1 litre milk = $2.30
1 kg cheese = $9.00
1 kg potatoes = $3.49
1 kg apples = $4.99
Loaf of bread = $1.00
Dozen free range eggs = $8.50
(prices correct as of January 2019)
There are a lot of options when it comes to eating out in New Zealand - ranging from cheaper food at Asian foodcourts, to mid-priced food at malls and various restaurants, to expensive food at high-end restaurants.
Cheaper food is usually around $11 - $15 per dish.
Mid-priced food is usually around $14 - $18 per dish.
More expensive food costs upwards of $22 per dish.
Other expenses
Movie ticket (student price) = $16.50
Mobile phone plan = around $19/month (depending on which plan you choose from which provider).
Check out GrabOne and GroupOn for deals and discounts on restaurants, events and activities.
Gateway to your future
with endless possibilites
The International English Language Testing System (or IELTS for short) is the most popular English language proficiency test in the world for higher education and migration. It determines the language competency of people who wish to study or work where English is the main language used to communicate. IELTS uses a nine-band scale to measure levels of aptitude, from non-user (band score 1) to expert (band score 9). It provides a valid assessment of the four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.
In most countries where English is mainly used, proof of adequate English language skills is a prerequisite if you’re applying for higher education or professional registration. The level of English language proficiency required by academic institutes and organisations vary. It’s up to the individual institute or organisation to set their own requirements. The IELTS band scores needed vary even within universities themselves and depends on the specific degree you’re applying for.
IELTS is recognised by over 10,000 organisations worldwide. You can check here to see who uses IELTS requirements.
IELTS comes in two versions: IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training.
People taking both versions of IETLS take the same Listening and Speaking tests. However the Reading and Writing tests differ depending on whether you’re taking IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training.
IELTS Academic is for people applying for higher education (diplomas, degrees, etc.) or people joining a professional organisation. IELTS General Training is for people who want to migrate to an English-speaking country (such as New Zealand or the UK), or who want to study or train below degree level.
There are more than 1,100 test locations worldwide. Check here to see where you can book a test.
If your English isn't up to scratch yet, get in touch with us and we can help you! We’ll help find the right English course for you that’s not only high quality, but also matches your personality and learning style. From there, your future is wide open!
