As a student, one would often wonder how your life will be when you move abroad to study. How will you adjust to the changing climate and people? Will the people accept you as one among them? How will you cope up with the living expenses? Should one work part-time as well? Well, well, this article is going to clear all your doubts especially if you are looking to study in New Zealand. Trust me, you have made the right choice.

New Zealand, or popularly referred to as the “Down under Country” is the closest you could get to Antarctica. Strange isn’t it? This country has 2 main islands- the North and the South island, and the country has a population of close to 40 Lakh people, and the North Island being more human habited than the South. Endowed with countless natural resources from snow-clad mountains to lush green fields, from fresh farm produce to hilly terrain and gusting waters, it’s got all. The people here are extremely friendly and willing to help at all times. If you’re looking for a place to study with renowned institutes and tranquillity-something that we have often not experienced while staying in India, New Zealand is definitely your option.

One thing that you must know is that since New Zealand is in the Southern hemisphere, they have a reversal of seasons that we experience in the North. So the summer in NZ is from December to February and the winter is from June to August. Depending on whether you’re in the North Island or the South, the winter temperatures would differ for you. However, on an average, winter temperatures are between the freezing 0 to about 5 degrees and summers are in the mid-20’s. The major student-friendly cities of New Zealand are Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin and Christchurch. The major NZ universities to boast of are:

University of Auckland– Situated in the largest city and the former capital of New Zealand. Auckland has the largest Indian population in New Zealand which is about 1.5lakh Indians.

University of Otago– One of the oldest and most popular universities in New Zealand, the University of Otago is located in Dunedin, the second largest city on the South Island.

University of Canterbury– This world-famous university is located in the largest city of South island- Christchurch.

Victoria University of Wellington– The capital on New Zealand is the home to this world-ranked university.

Massey University– One of the younger universities in New Zealand, students studying on campus are spread across the North Island at the university’s three main campuses, in Albany (just outside Auckland), Wellington and Palmerston North.

Auckland University of Technology– Also, one of the better known universities in New Zealand, is famous for it’s engineering and computer science courses.

University of Waikato– Located in the North Island in the city of Hamilton, the University of Waikato, is known for it’s social sciences and mathematics courses.

Some of the above mentioned universities, also allow students to pursue a wide variety of outdoor activities as a part of their curriculum. Students can also work part-time with universities offering jobs to student’s on-campus. During the term, students can work for up to 20 hours per week, only if their programme is for at least 2 years. However, in special cases, some students may be allowed to work for more than 20 hours a week. Work may be part of your qualification. For example, if your programme includes a set number of hours of required work experience, this can be additional to the 20 hours per week. Students of a masters by research or doctoral degree at a New Zealand institution may work full-time while they are studying. During their scheduled breaks eligible students may work full-time. One may be eligible to work full-time during all scheduled breaks if your programme is for one academic year, AND is worth 120 credits or more. If the programme is full-time for one academic year but worth less than 120 credits, you may be able to work full-time during the Christmas and New Year holiday break.

Once you have successfully complete your studies in New Zealand, you become eligible for a guaranteed 12 months job search visa. This visa allows you to stay in New Zealand and work full time in any job. But the important thing is that in these 12 months you have to find a job relevant to the course you just completed. After 2 years, you can also apply for a Permanent Residency in New Zealand. This however, may depend on the credits you have earned during the preceding years.