New Zealand

Why Study in New Zealand

New Zealand, famous for its amazing scenery, is a great country - a fun place to visit and a superb study destination. These features are now enjoyed by more than 60,000 international students studying in New Zealand at all levels of the education system. They enrol on short term courses such as English language programs, secondary schools courses in preparation for enrolment into tertiary institutions, or vocational courses and degree programs.

New Zealanders are well traveled and have a great interest in people from other cultures, so visitors and international students soon feel more than welcome. Ask any student who has studied in New Zealand. Campuses are very international with students from all corners of the globe studying and socializing together.

Choosing the right combination of course, college and country is probably one of the most important decisions any student who wants to study abroad will ever have to face. But Hope makes your job easy.

Key terms
There are a few key differences in terminology between the US and New Zealand when discussing university study:

The word "college" refers to high school and not university
A course is called a "paper" in New Zealand
Graduate study is called "postgraduate" study in New Zealand
A university catalogue is called a "calendar" in New Zealand

Universities in New Zealand
University education in New Zealand was established in 1870 and has a similar tradition to the British university system.
There are eight government-funded universities in New Zealand offering a broad range of subjects in the arts, business and science. A number of universities have become well-known in specialist subject areas such as Medicine, Engineering, Law, Veterinary Science and Agriculture and Environmental Studies.

The academic year
The academic year in New Zealand begins in late February or early March (end of summer) and finishes in November (spring). Most of the universities in New Zealand operate on a semester system, although a few operate on a trimester or quarter system.