New Zealand provides an excellent study opportunities and support services for international students.

Courses are available in academic, professional and vocational studies at Universities, polytechnics and institutes of technology, colleges of education (teacher training), wananga, private education providers and secondary schools.

New Zealand secondary schools provide a broad education for students, generally aged from 13 to 18 years. Most schools are established and funded by the New Zealand Government. During their final year of study (usually at age 17 or 18), students may sit for a university entrance examination.

Twenty-one tertiary education institutions, which are known as polytechnics or institutes of technology, form the New Zealand polytechnic system. These institutions are state-funded and provide education and training at many levels, from introductory studies to full degree programs. Most universities have agreements which recognize the successful completion of a course of study at a New Zealand polytechnic or institute of technology as an entrance qualification. Some students are able to enter a university program with credit towards their chosen degree program.

There is an increasing number of private tertiary education providers in New Zealand. These offer a wide range of programs including English language study options. International students often enroll into these programs either to improve their English language prior to commencing to university study or to pass examinations required for university entrance.

Universities in New Zealand

There are eight state-funded universities in New Zealand, all of them internationally respected for their academic and research performance. In addition to a centrally coordinated system of quality assurance, audits at both institution and program level, each university undertakes internal quality checks .

All New Zealand universities offer a broad range of subject in arts, commerce and science. Each has developed its own specialized subjects such as medicine, engineering, veterinary science, computer studies, agriculture or environmental studies.

• University of Auckland
• Auckland University of Technology
• University of Waikato
• Massey University
• Victoria University of Wellington
• University of Canterbury
• Lincoln University
• University of Otago

Composition of University Degrees

Bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees are offered by all New Zealand universities. A range of undergraduate and postgraduate diplomas is also available, along with honors programs (usually requiring an additional year of study).

Undergraduate Study in New Zealand

At most New Zealand universities, the course of study for a bachelor's degree consists of a prescribed number of papers (also known as courses or units). In each subject there are usually first-year (100-level or Stage 1), second-year (200-level or Stage 2) and third-year (300-level or stage 3) papers. A 200-level paper may be studied only after prescribed passes in the subject at the 100 level and a 300-level paper only after required passes in the subject at the 200 level.

In each subject the student is required to attend a given number of lectures, tutorials and/or laboratory periods per week. In some courses, field trips provide opportunities for on-site study of natural phenomena or social processes. These learning contacts are supplemented by personal reading and research. Students are expected to develop independent study skills with a minimum of professional supervision.

Grades given in tests, assignments and practical work count towards the final grade for a paper. Most papers have a final written examination held either at mid-year (June) or at the end of the academic year (October/November).


Graduate Study in New Zealand

The first degree a student would be able to gain in New Zealand is as elsewhere, a bachelor's degree. With a completed bachelor's degree, a graduate may be able to go on to a master's degree. Bachelor's degrees may be awarded with honors, an indication both of the challenge the course presents and of the student's achievements in it.


Graduate Diploma

A one-year, full-time program for graduates. It does not always require its students to have prior learning or experience in the subject matter of the diploma.

Postgraduate Diploma

A one-year, full-time program designed for graduates, which builds on the subject matter in the academic field of the previous degree.


Master's Degree

The master's degree is open to those who have completed a bachelor's degree. The program is usually of one or two years' full-time study or its equivalent in part-time study. The work required normally builds upon the prior knowledge gained in the major part of the bachelor's degree, and most of all it is in that discipline. It is at a more advanced level, which is normally reflected in the content of the work; in the mode of teaching, which is likely to emphasize seminar presentation; and in provision of research experience for the candidate. A thesis is an account of a substantial piece of research. Many master's degrees include a thesis component, and in some cases, particularly those which are taken after a four-year bachelor's with honors degree, the degree may be thesis only. However, increasingly master's degrees done by papers, or papers plus research, are becoming available. The successful student is expected to show, as the title implies, a real grasp of the subject, demonstrated by an understanding of the discipline, a capacity to reflect upon it, and an ability to undertake research into it.


Doctorate

The main doctorate offered by New Zealand universities is the PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy. Almost invariably, a student is required to prepare under supervision, a substantial thesis that represents original research into an approved topic, normally carried out over a minimum of two full-time years. Candidates prepare a thesis on the conduct and results of their research. This is marked by a panel of examiners including at least two external to the university. In most cases this is followed by an oral examination of the thesis and the candidate's knowledge in the area before the degree is awarded. Admission to PhD study requires a first or good second class honors bachelor's degree, or a master's degree at first or good second class honors standard, or comparable qualifications. Acceptance is also subject to the availability of staff for supervision, and appropriate facilities.

Research in New Zealand Universities

Research by New Zealand university staff covers a wide spectrum and forms a vital aspect of university teaching. Research is the principal characteristic, which distinguishes universities from other tertiary education institutions.