New Zealand: Know Before You Go

Whether you’re still deciding on courses or packing your bags, you can always contact our staff to help you along. After applying to Arcadia, program advisors send out detailed information on your application, courses, housing, culture, politics, history and the local higher education system.

Once you arrive in New Zealand, our staff will meet you and your orientation program will begin. The orientation will help you settle in academically, practically, culturally and socially.

After you are accepted and confirm your place on the program…

Arcadia believes it is critical to be prepared for immersion in the New Zealand educational system by understanding some of its important characteristics. There are five types of tertiary institutions in New Zealand: universities, polytechnics or institutes of technology, colleges of education, wananga and private tertiary providers. The differences are described below:

University education in New Zealand has historical and cultural links to Great Britain and therefore more closely resembles the British rather than American system. Students are expected to be self-directed, most courses are taught via lectures, labs and tutorials, and there is limited continuous assessment. U.S. students are often surprised to find that final exams count for as much as 70% of the final grade and are held over three weeks at the end of the semester.

There are eight universities in New Zealand and they are all state-funded: the University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Otago, University of Canterbury, the University of Waikato, Massey University, Lincoln University, and Auckland University of Technology.

Application to university in New Zealand is considered on the basis of the number of credits gained by students in the National Certificate of Educational Achievement over their last three years of high school.  Most students are about 18 years old in their first year of study. Any student over 20 years old can apply for any course without any university entrance qualification. This does not mean automatic entry but if the course has open entry the individual will be accepted.

There are no formal rankings of universities, but informally the four earliest established universities (Auckland, Otago, Victoria and Canterbury) probably enjoy slightly higher status. In essence, the status reflects the public’s partiality toward various specialist areas offered by the university, rather than of the university itself (for example: medicine, law and engineering vs. agriculture and horticulture).

All eight universities offer a wide range of courses in science, arts and commerce.

There are 24 polytechnics or institutes of technology ranging from small rural institutions to major urban ones. Polytechnics provide a wide range of academic, vocational and professional courses.

The historical emphasis on the practical rather than theoretical means that many courses receive significant input from industry and research is often is usually applied/technical and focused on aiding development. Tutors and lecturers are often from relevant industries and work experience is often part of the course.

The polytechnics traditional emphasis on community education has led these institutions to adopt a more flexible and open admission process, where students can enter at a lower academic level and complete foundation courses and pre-certificates that allow them to continue their education toward further certificate, diploma and degree programs.

The academic year is longer at polytechnics and the hours are far less flexible than at universities. There are smaller class sizes, greater class contact time, and more teaching rather than lecturing.

Colleges of Education were set up primarily to train teachers. They offer early childhood, primary and secondary education as well as a range of specialist post-graduate study. Teaching practice is an integral part of New Zealand teacher education, thus trainees spend much time teaching in schools.

There are two Colleges of Education in New Zealand: Christchurch and Dunedin. Auckland College of Education merged with University of Auckland in September 2004 and Wellington College of Education merged with Victoria University in January 2005. Other universities and some polytechnics also offer teacher training, but courses running outside of Colleges of Education are usually for people already involved in teaching or for people who already hold a degree.

There are three Wananga in New Zealand. Wananga are state-funded Māori teaching and research institutions that are modeled on an ancient Māori institution of higher learning ‘the whare wananga’.

Wananga provide tertiary education to all iwi (tribes) and people wishing to study in a uniquely Māori environment that is administered according to tikanga Māori (Māori customs). There is a strong emphasis on use of Māori language and protocol in all areas of study. To make courses as accessible as possible, study can be undertaken on a full- or part-time basis, as well as in the evenings and on weekends.

There are now nine, private tertiary institutions in New Zealand that offer specialized tertiary study in areas such as bible studies, international studies, English language, tourism, business, and art and design. Typically, these schools offer a very specialized area of study, have small class sizes and often enroll high numbers of overseas students.

The role of Arcadia University The College of Global Studies will be to help and support you throughout the academic process.

Arcadia University and its overseas staff serve as a safety net, a point of contact. We will provide a good deal of advice and guidance. We are there for you to call on when you need us. It is you, however, you who’s undergoing this study abroad experience. We hope it will be all you expect.

It’s important to think about all the expenses you are likely to incur while abroad so you and your family can plan ahead. Your program fees section explains what your program fee does and does not cover, and will provide you with an overall estimate of expected expenses. For example, your airfare to New Zealand is not included in your program fee. It is important to note that the “Estimate of Additional Expenses” information is provided for planning purposes only, and may vary according to your own personal spending habits.

You will soon become an expert at international banking transactions…

Before you leave the US contact your bank and/or credit card company to let them know that you will be studying abroad in New Zealand, for how long, and any other countries you plan to visit.

If your ATM card is linked to the Plus or Cirrus systems, your card will work in thousands of cash machines throughout the country. Cirrus is a more widely accepted ATM card; Plus is only taken at ANZ (Australian New Zealand Bank). The advantage to using your American ATM card is that you will be assessed the wholesale exchange rate that applies to large foreign currency transactions. That said, have other sources of money in case your ATM card does not work.

You can use most credit cards in New Zealand but they must be in your name, as it appears on your passport. Visa and MasterCard are more widely accepted than American Express. Credit card cash advances are considered loans, so interest is charged from the day the advance is made. Before you depart, check with your card company for more information on what services you’ll have where, what fees are involved and what to do if you lose your card.

When the program is in session, our Resident Director in New Zealand can make emergency loans to students. Students must sign a promissory note and repay the loan as soon as they receive money from home. If you find yourself in dire financial straits while traveling, the State Department can help your family transfer money to you (provided you are a U.S. citizen).

We try to make your travel overseas as easy as possible. Arcadia Orientation is mandatory for all students and you should plan to arrive on the arrival date indicated on your Program Calendar. Please keep in mind, traveling overseas is not just about your flight, but any visa requirements you must complete in advance of your time abroad. Please also note important flight booking details below.

Arcadia has organized a Group Flights arranged through Student Universe departing from Los Angeles (LAX). To book your travel visit Student Universe. The Group Flights will include your internal domestic flights, if you are attending Otago or Victoria.

In order to study abroad in New Zealand for one semester or one year, you will need to apply for a Fee Paying Student Visa. This may seem daunting but don’t worry – your program advisor will walk you through every step, and send you an email with full instructions and details of everything you will need. If you are traveling internationally in the months leading up to your program start date, please let your program advisor know.

If you are applying to the Ecology of People, Place, and Adventure program, you will need to apply for the Australian Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), the New Zealand ETA, and the New Zealand International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy.  You can find further information here.

In order to complete your online New Zealand Student Visa application please follow the four steps outlined below:

Be sure you have a valid, signed passport that will be good for at least six months following the completion of the program. If you do not have a passport, please begin the process of securing one immediately.

You will need the following materials to complete your visa application:

The online visa application must be fully completed by you. Refer to the Sample Visa Application as a guide to fill out your application. If you are unsure of an answer, call your program advisor and ask for advice. Do not guess on any question. Here are a few basic steps to begin:

Upload the following items directly to the online application:

Once you’ve submitted your online visa application, it will be reviewed by Immigration New Zealand.

If you have any questions regarding the visa process, email your program advisor or call 1-866-927-2234.