The New Zealand Qualification System

The National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the main secondary school qualification. It is an assessment-based qualification and each subject is divided into standards against which students are assessed either by internal assessment as part of the school year or end-of-year national examination. The standards are graded either “achieved”, “merit” or “excellence”. There are 3 levels of NCEA. Students begin studying for level 1 in their third year at secondary school (when aged 15-16 years) and the final level 3 is recognised by tertiary institutions, for example universities, and is accepted internationally. The level 3 NCEA qualification is comparable to the United Kingdom GCE Advanced, the United States of America High School Diploma and the Australian Higher School Certificate.

In addition, there are education institutions and private language schools, registered as private training establishments by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, which offer a variety of short term English language courses including English for academic purposes and the Cambridge English examinations.

Secondary schools generally require international students to have reached an intermediate level of English before they enrol in mainstream subject classes. Some schools provide ESOL, TOEFL and IELTS support for international students.

How much does it cost to study in New Zealand?

Tuition fees at secondary schools generally range from between NZ$10,000.00 to NZ$15,000.00 for a 4 term school year plus expenses for additional items such as uniforms, stationary and field trips. Fees vary according to each school and whether the school is state-owned or privately owned.

English language schools have set fees for each course offered which will vary according to whether the course is part-time or full-time and the duration of the course. For example, a full-time course in General English up to 12 weeks in duration may cost from NZ$350.00 per week and a full-time 4 week course in English for Academic Purposes may cost from NZ$1,400.00.

Medical and Travel insurance should be obtained, and is a requirement of many schools, as most international students are not entitled to publicly funded health services while living in New Zealand. Some medical costs may be covered by accident insurance provided by the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation where there has been a personal injury by accident. Medical insurance may cost approximately NZ$500.00 for 1 year.

Accommodation in home-stays may cost between NZ$180.00 to $250.00 per week. There may be an initial placement fee payable to the person arranging the home-stay accommodation. Some schools have boarding hostels or boarding houses. The cost of this accommodation will vary from school to school.

Guardianship – most schools require international students under the age of 18 years to have a guardian approved by both the school and the student’s parents. The cost for these services is usually from NZ$3,000.00 per year but will increase if optional services are required.

Telephone, Internet, Transport and Pocket Money - students are usually required to pay for their own toll calls and internet use, the cost of bus tickets, and sufficient pocket money for their personal spending.

All costs referred to above are a guide only and given for general information purposes. Exact costs will depend on the fees charged by the education provider, the type of accommodation, the guardian, and insurance company selected by the student.

Do I need a visa to study in New Zealand?

International students who wish to study a single short course of less than 3 months duration and which is approved or exempted by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority do not need a student visa and can apply for a visitor’s visa.

Otherwise, most international students who wish to study in New Zealand for more than 3 months require a student visa or permit. To get a visa or permit a student must have an offer of a place from a New Zealand education provider, meet certain health and character requirements, provide evidence of sufficient funds to support the student during his/her stay in New Zealand, provide evidence that the student will leave New Zealand at the end of the period of study, have a valid passport, and pay the required visa or permit fee.

What accommodation is available in New Zealand?

International students studying at secondary schools are required to live with a parent, or a school-approved home-stay, guardian or designated care-giver (if parents independently arrange their accommodation).

A home-stay is where a student lives with a New Zealand family and will be provided with his or her own warm and comfortably furnished bedroom and study facilities. Meals, linen, access to telephone and internet, and personal laundry services are also provided. Home-stay families are carefully selected and monitored to ensure that students are well looked after and their needs are met.

Some schools have boarding hostels or boarding houses for their international and New Zealand students. Rooms may be dormitory style or smaller with 1, 2 or 4 beds. Students at boarding hostels may stay with home-stay families during the holidays when their hostel is closed.

Accommodation available for non-secondary school students also includes halls of residence associated with tertiary institutions (e.g. universities), flats for 1 or more students, home-stays, and motel and hotel accommodation.