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Accomodation

New Zealand's high quality living conditions are well known universally, and accommodation is one aspect of this. In many cases, accommodation will be only minutes away from your place of study. Most educational institutions will assist you to find accommodation.
* Halls of Residence/Student Hostels
These are usually located on the campus or nearby, with single or twin rooms. Bed linen and cleaning facilities are provided. Meals are eaten in a communal dining hall, with special dietary needs catered to. A warden lives on site, and social and cultural activities are organised for residents. Hostels usually have computer laboratories and recreation rooms. Some institutions provide "self-catering" hostels where 6-8 students have their own bedrooms and share a kitchen and living room.
Cost: approximately $200 per week.
* Home stay/Private Board
This is a room of your own in a suburban house, usually with a garden and lawns. Your host family provides meals. Interacting with your host family and meeting their neighbours and friends is an excellent way to improve your English. The host family helps you make phone calls, read bus timetables, find a doctor and so on. But homestay is not like living in a hotel. Some "give and take" is expected, as youbecome part of the family.
* Going "flatting"
This term means renting a house or flat (apartment) singly or with other people. Choose your own flatmates of the same or opposite sex with mixed accommodation, ranging from a two-bedroom apartment to a large house on its own land. Most rental properties are unfurnished, other than an oven, a laundry facility, curtains and carpet. The landlord does not have to provide heating. You pay for electricity, gas,telephone and water, including connection charges. A "bond" of up to four weeks' rent is held by Tenancy Services and refunded when you move out, if the flat is still in good condition. Tenancy Services, a division of the Ministry of Housing has information about dispute resolution procedures and your rights and obligations.
The accommodation office at your tertiary institution will probably have a noticeboard with advertisements for flats. The newspaper classified advertisements list rental properties available, mostly on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Rental agents charge you for services provided.
Flatting gives you more freedom, but requires a lot of maturity. You'll have to co-operate with flatmates to organise cooking and cleaning and paying the bills. For a good overview of the issues involved.
Cost: bond, plus about $120 per bedroom per week (cheaper in smaller cities) plus food, power, telephone, etc.

Fees - What they cover, Payment Methods

Not only world-class in quality, the cost of education in New Zealand is very competitive compared to other countries.

You will need to pay in advance, because proof of payment is needed to get a student visa or permit. There is usually an application or processing fee that is not refundable, even if your application is not successful.

Cancellation and Refunds

The Education Amendment Act 1991 protects tuition fees.

If you cancel before the course starts, for instance because your visa or visa extension is not granted, or you are transferring to another institution, most or all of your tuition fee will be refunded, except for the registration and processing fees.

If you cancel in the first week or so of the course, only part of your fee will be refunded. After that, you probably will not get any refund at all.

What the Fees cover:

Tertiary study - (NZ$18,000-$25,000 per annum, contingent on your course. Up to $40,000 for postgraduate courses.)

GST (tax)
Registration and enrolment
Student health and counselling
Language support
Use of most campus facilities

Monetary & Banking System.

New Zealand has dollars and cents. The denominations are $100, $50, $20, $10 and $5 notes, $2 and $1 gold-coloured coins, and 50, 20, 10 and 5-cent silver-coloured coins.

All cities and towns have banks. There is a bank branch, or at least an ATM, on nearly every tertiary institution campus. Trading banks are open 9.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Banking is very advanced in New Zealand, with a huge network of ATMs, and EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer at point of sale) in most shops. Telephone and Internet banking are available. For currency exchange rate visit:www.xe.com/ucc

ATM's, Travelers' Cheques
If you are planning to be in New Zealand for only a few months, it is simple to use your credit card to get New Zealand dollars at automatic teller machines (ATMs). Credit accounts usually do not levy a charge for cash withdrawals. If your bank has international links, you can use your EFTPOS card from your home country at ATM's. All major credit cards are accepted in shops and at ATM's. Traveler's cheques are a good option, too.

Daily Limits
There is a limit to the amount of cash you can take out of an account using an automatic teller machine. The limit is usually $500 per day, so if you want to pay a big bill by cash, you have to go to the branch, or start withdrawing money piece meal, day by day.

Opening a Bank Account
If you're staying more than a few months, it is worth opening your own bank account. Some banks, including the ASB, let you open an account in New Zealand before you arrive. Banks don not usually have international students' loans. See Tax System.

Bank Fees
A fee is charged for every transaction, including EFTPOS. Fees can be very high, so make sure you get advice from the bank's staff about which account and fee structure will suit your needs .Most banks offer special packages for full-time students taking a full-year course.

Foreign Currency
You can bring as much foreign currency as you like into New Zealand, but if it is beyond NZ$10,000 you have to inform a customs officer so that you can sign the relevant form. Most overseas currencies are easily exchanged at

New Zealand Banks.
See Tax System regarding interest earned on money in your bank account.

Wallet Loss
Make sure you contact the bank immediately and cancel credit and EFTPOS cards. Also let the police know - sometimes lost property is handed in to them. It is a good idea to keep a separate list of the contents of your wallet, with the numbers of all the cards.

Transport & Travel within New Zealand

Distances between regions in New Zealand are short and there is good transport facility. In addition to domestic airlines, just about every town and city in New Zealand is linked to a network of coach and rail services (operated by InterCity, Mount Cook, Newmans and TranzRail), making it easy for students to access every part of the country.

Air Travel
See Air travel within New Zealand

Public Transport
Because New Zealand has low population density, its public transport is not as frequent as in some other countries, however in most cities, buses run at least every 30 minutes. Auckland and Wellington also have commuter rail services. Ten-trip and monthly passes or electronic stored value fare cards provide the cheapest fares.

Secondary school students are eligible for a discount on travel to and from school by bus. Some cities offer tertiary students discounts on public transport. Large institutions operate shuttle buses between different campuses within the same city.

Cycling
As a cyclist, you must be aware of and obey the rules in the Road Code, including the need to use lights and reflectors and always wear a helmet. Ride near the left side of the road, not on the footpath. You will need a good quality lock for your bike.

Motorcycles
To ride a motorcycle, you must be at least 15 years old and have a motorcycle licence. Both the driver and the pillion passenger must wear helmets.

Driving a Car
If you possess a valid overseas driver's licence or an international driving permit, you are permitted to drive in New Zealand for up to a year after you first arrive. After that, you will have to pass a theory test and probably a practical driving test to get a New Zealand driver licence.

Vehicles in New Zealand drive on the left side of the road. Make sure you learn the New Zealand rules for "give way" and "stop" and what to do at traffic lights. Different speed limits are applicable in different parts of the city and countryside and you can be fined for speeding. Any vehicle you drive must be registered and have an up to date vehicle inspection certificate ("Warrant of Fitness"). The Automobile Association and State Insurance both offer a roadside breakdown service.

Most cars run on petrol but some use CNG (compressed natural gas), LPG (liquid petroleum gas), or diesel. A second-hand car costs a few thousand dollars. Insurance and vehicle registration cost several hundred dollars. Remember to insure your vehicle.

Road Safety
Traffic in New Zealand drives on the left side of the road. When driving a car, you can be fined if you or your passengers are not wearing a seatbelt. Cycle helmets are compulsory for people riding bicycles and motorcycles. There are serious penalties for drunken driving.

Rental Cars
These are available to licensed drivers, but be prepared to pay a large bond if you do not possess a credit card.

The Land Transport Safety Authority has useful information about driver licensing and vehicle ownership.

Working in New Zealand

Undergraduate Students:

Students who have completed their undergraduate degree and who receive an employment offer relevant to their degree can be entitled to a Work Permit of up to 2 years to work in the position offered.
Students undertaking long term tertiary studies in programmes of at least 2 years will have their student visas endorsed with a condition that they can work for up to 15 hours each week. However if these students wish to work full-time in the long summer holiday they must apply to the New Zealand Immigration Service for a Variation of Terms to allow them to work. You do not need a job offer to obtain the Variation and can work in any job. Student normally earn NZ$8-NZ$10 per hour during part time work.

Postgraduate Students:

Students who have completed their postgraduate degree and who receive an employment offer relevant to their degree can be entitled to a Work Permit of up to 2 years to work in the position offered.
Students undertaking postgraduate programmes will have their student visas endorsed with a condition that they can work for up to 15 hours each week. However if these students wish to work full-time in the summer holiday they must apply to the New Zealand Immigration Service for a Variation of Terms the Variation and can work in any job. Student normally earn NZ$8-NZ$10 per hour during part time work

Career & Employment Opportunities

Following their New Zealand studies, students of "The New World Class" are paving successful career paths around the world. Their New Zealand qualifications are providing the skill-sets requirer for career development- a foundation created by the "perfect growing conditions" provided in a New Zealand education.

International Success
From undergraduate students looking for world quality programmes that will give them the "edge" in the world job market, to post-graduate students choosing a New Zealand English-speaking education to progress in their chosen field, our international students are building a global reputation.

Career Opportunities within New Zealand
Some of our international students, upon completion of their New Zealand qualification, have built great careers within New Zealand itself.

You can view "The New World Class" section of mynzed.com for international alumni's stories.

Qualifications to Ensure Students are "Work-Ready"
New Zealand qualifications are world-class. They are modern, desirable and practical - particularly in terms of the modern work place. Many of our international students have this in mind when they begin their New Zealand education.

Working in New Zealand after Graduation
For students and graduates interested in the career opportunities New Zealand offers, you can refer to www.immigration.govt.nz for information on work permits, New Zealand residency, etc.

Employment Options

If you are studying a three-year course, you are allowed to work during the summer holidays and up to 15 hours per week during the academic year. You will need a ''variation of conditions'' to your student permit. This is issued by the New Zealand Immigration Service. A fee may be charged.

These rules do not apply if you are a postgraduate student or need to get work experience in order to fulfil course requirements.

Taxes
Everybody who works in New Zealand must pay tax on what they earn. See

Labour Legislation
Strict legislation spells out your responsibilities and those of your employer. Employers must not take advantage of or mistreat employees. There is a minimum adult wage, and regulations for holiday pay and health and safety in for doing the same job.

Job Hunting
Student Job Search is a national organisation that helps students find work. It has offices on tertiary institution campuses. For student jobs, such as working in a restaurant or bar, or doing manual labour, you could expect to earn about NZ$9 - $15 per hour before tax.