Offering amazing landscapes, world-renowned universities and a friendly and progressive society, study in New Zealand and you’ll be the envy of all your friends back home. You’ll leave with a great degree and a wealth of memories from your experience, whether its your deeper understanding of Māori culture, photos showcasing the impressive sightseeing spots seen on film in Lord of the Rings, or, if you’re brave enough, your thrill-seeking activities such as skydiving or bungee-jumping. Read on to find out more about what you can expect when you study in New Zealand.

Before you arrive

Of course, the first step is choosing a university and course. As a relatively small country of only 4.7 million, there are only eight universities in New Zealand to choose from – however, impressively, all of these feature in the top 500 of the QS World University Rankings® 2019, with half of these in the global top 250. Of these, the University of Auckland is consistently the country’s highest-ranked university, currently ranked 85^th in the world, followed by the University of Otago (joint 175^th), Victoria University of Wellington (joint 221^st) and the University of Canterbury (joint 231^st). To help you further with choosing a university, it’s worth taking a look at the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019, which lets you see how universities in New Zealand rank for 48 different subjects.

Applying to universities in New Zealand

Once you’ve decided on a university, you’ll need to apply to it directly online, submitting proof of your academic qualifications, your passport, academic transcripts and, if applicable, your IELTS or TOEFL English-language test result.

Once you’ve applied for and received a university place, you’ll need to apply for your student visa online or via a paper application to Immigration New Zealand, submitting the following documents:

• Proof of acceptance to an approved university (an offer letter)
• Valid passport and passport-style photos
• Proof of medical and travel insurance
• Evidence of sufficient funds to cover living costs (at least NZ$15,000 per year of study, which is approximately US$10,000)
• Evidence of sufficient funds to cover tuition fees, or evidence of a scholarship
• A police certificate, to show you’re of good character
• Students from certain countries will need to have an X-ray and/or medical check
• Return flight ticket (or proof of sufficient funds for this)

You’ll also need to state your intention to purchase health insurance – it’s very important to take this out, as you’re not eligible for free healthcare as an international student in New Zealand.

Where to study

New Zealand may have a relatively small population in comparison to its size, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it doesn’t have exciting student cities. As well as choosing a university that meets your requirements, it’s also important to select the right city for you to call home for the next few years.

Two New Zealand cities are currently ranked among the top 100 cities in the world to be a student according to the QS Best Student Cities 2018: Auckland, which is ranked 23^rd, achieving its best score for ‘student mix’ (one of the five categories used to compile the ranking), at joint third, showing that it boasts a large and diverse community of students, as well as a friendly and tolerant outlook. Also featured in the ranking is Christchurch, ranked 69^th, which again earns its best score for student mix.

Capital city Wellington is also well worth considering – nicknamed ‘Wellywood’ thanks to the film tourism brought on by its association with Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, it’s a compact and highly liveable city, with plenty of beautiful open spaces (such as its picturesque harbor), great cuisine from all around the world, and a calendar full of vibrant festivals and other cultural events.

Alternatively, if you’re interested in studying in a city with a huge proportion of students (around 20 percent of the overall population), Dunedin is the place for you. Emulating Scottish capital Edinburgh, Dunedin is an attractive and historic city with a vibrant student life and major sport scene, particularly in terms of rugby.

Costs to consider

Although the student visa requirement is NZ$15,000 for living costs for each year you study in New Zealand, you’ll likely need much more than this, with the University of Auckland recommending that students budget at least NZ$20,000 (~US$13,300) per year.

Tuition fees at universities in New Zealand start at NZ$22,000 (~US$14,600) for international undergraduate students, with higher fees for subjects like medicine or veterinary science.

Read more about how much it costs to study in New Zealand >

Things to do

So, you’ve arrived in New Zealand, sorted everything out with your university and accommodation, and are settling in nicely to your studies – but what about your downtime? Often considered one of the cleanest, healthiest and most beautiful countries in the world, life in New Zealand is generally chilled and laid-back, but that doesn’t mean that New Zealanders, known as Kiwis, don’t know how to have some fun.

Those with a taste for adventure will be particularly at home here – as well as hiking through the country’s breath-taking natural landscapes, you could also try your hand at kayaking, sailing, diving, bungee-jumping, rafting, jet boating, sky diving and zip lining. If you’re more into beaches, the best of these can be found on the South Island, while the North Island is home to the best mountains.

Or, if you prefer to keep your feet firmly on dry land, other things to do in New Zealand include watching a tense game of rugby with your friends, getting involved with clubs and societies at your university, and sampling some of the country’s delicious wine.

If money for these activities becomes a bit tight, never fear – your student visa allows you to work up to 20 hours a week during term time, and full-time during holiday periods, so you could always find a part-time job to help supplement your income.

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Sponsored by IE Business School

If you’ve got a keen interest in the economy and investments, have an inquisitive and analytical mindset, and already have a bachelor’s degree under your belt, you may want to consider pursuing a master’s in finance degree. Doing so will not only give you a greater advantage in the search for a career, it will also better prepare you for working in a field you’ll love.

There’s an affinity of specializations

Finance degrees have a much broader range than you may initially expect. For example, the Master in Finance program at IE Business School offers its students an innovative and professionally planned curriculum with career-driven modules in corporate finance, the foundations of banking, risk governance and asset allocation to name but a few.

Your skills and industry knowledge will be in high demand…

… and your opinions will be highly sought after too. The world is in constant need of finance professionals, and so your expertise will always be in high demand. With the unique skillset and industry knowledge you’ve built up over the years you’ll be considered a very attractive hire to prospective employers.

Studying finance means you’ll need to be able to think objectively while ensuring your communication skills are top notch as you liaise and collaborate with your fellow cohort. These interactions will be perfect practice for the close relationships you’ll need to build with colleagues in the workplace.

And of course, possessing technical financial knowhow will also benefit you personally when it comes to managing your own finances and bank balance.

Prosperous career opportunities

Finance is very much a vocational subject which can open many doors to various career opportunities around the world, from financial management or insurance, to commercial banking and hedge funding.

Although working in finance can be challenging, it can also be very (financially) rewarding, with earning potential ranging massively depending on your experience, position and the industry you work in. Using data from PayScale, here are some of the typical salaries you can expect for some of the most popular jobs for master’s in finance graduates:

Investment banker - average US salary: $97,412

Stockbroker - average US salary: $50,184

Financial consultant - average US salary: $66,565

Insurance broker - average US salary: $60,682

Of course, these are just a few of the jobs available, but other roles will also pay impressively well. For instance, the average salary for a Master in Finance graduate from IE Business School in 2017 was €51,250 (~US$57,521).

It shows your drive and commitment

Having a master’s in finance degree on your CV can really make an impression. Although not every career will require you to have a master’s degree, it can in some cases, help give you a competitive edge over other potential candidates.

The chance to travel overseas

Finance is, after all, a global enterprise. Familiarizing yourself with the world’s top financial districts in New York and London is one sure-fire way of getting to grips with the realities of the global finance world.

Master in Finance students at IE Business School have the fortunate opportunity to visit both New York and London’s financial districts and meet with high-end companies and businesses. Plus, those who opt to study the Financiers without Borders module will travel to Ghana and apply what they’ve learnt in the classroom to a real-life project.

This article was originally published on April 24th, 2019.

IE School of Architecture and Design

IE School of Human Sciences and Technology

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Sponsored by EU Business School

Trying to decide which degree to study can be pretty overwhelming, let alone figuring out which career path you want to go down at the end of it all. But don’t worry, you’re not alone.

When it comes to making decisions like this, it’s important to keep an open mind and consider not just the things you’re good at but, more importantly, what your interests are. As the saying goes: ‘choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life’.

To try and help make things a little easier, we’ve teamed up with EU Business School to come up with five of the top industries around the world where you could pursue a fulfilling career.

It’s an exciting time for those working in sports management 

From the NFL to the Olympics, Wimbledon to Formula One, the sports industry is a multi-billion-dollar business bursting with unique career opportunities on the sidelines for those who want to combine their passion for sports and business.

Thanks to developments in digital technology, fields such as sport analytics, branding and sponsorship are rapidly evolving and there are plenty of roles available for today’s graduates.

Plus, you might even end up working with the world’s most famous athletes.

So, if you’re looking to kick off a career in the sports industry, EU Business School’s BA in Sports Management brings together a winning combination of studies, including marketing management, advertising, media and branding, as well as digital business modules.

Job opportunities include: Professional team management, marketing and promotions management, community management, corporate sponsorship

The digital technology industry needs those in the know

Although digital technologies such as close cousins VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality), along with machine learning, cloud computing and AI (artificial intelligence) are still in their infancy, they have a lot of potential.

Giant tech companies such as Microsoft and Google are investing in them, so perhaps swotting up on your digital literacy and technological skillset will stand you in good stead for years to come.

Now, it’s important to understand that although you may have the technological skills to grasp these exciting new complexes, a degree in digital business, design and innovation can bring your expertise full circle. Students of the BA in Digital Business, Design and Innovation are taught a broad range of business skills, including finance, analytics, and entrepreneurship and how these are applied to digital business. Students can also opt to study the Business Consultancy Project or International Entrepreneurship course which will help them gain a more practical understanding of what it takes to be successful in a fast-paced digital business age.

A report by Forbes suggests the integration of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence will open up an estimated 58 million exciting career opportunities over the next few years.

Safe to say you’d do well to get your foot in the job door now then.

Job opportunities include: Digital innovation management, information technology, digital startups

Finance technology is making waves in the traditional world of banking

You’d have to have your head buried in the sand to not have heard of FinTech, bitcoin or cryptocurrencies.

This crossover between technology and financial services is starting to make a dent in the status quo as traditional banks attempt to keep up with fresh and innovative ways of handling money anywhere at any time. As the FinTech industry continues to grow and develop, roles within the industry are becoming more diverse too.

Job opportunities include: Apps developer, data scientist

Digital advertising and content marketing means big bucks!

This is one industry where you can expect to see big shakeups as organizations and businesses continue to invest more money than ever on their digital advertising and creative marketing communication campaigns.

As a digital business professional in the world of digital advertising and content marketing, you’ll need to pay attention to cultural, social and, of course, business trends in order to navigate and deploy the best course of action for ensuring excellent community engagement and positive user experience. Innovative thinking and creativity are highly prized in this industry, as is having a solid understanding of how business works.

To help get you ahead, EU Business School’s BA in Digital Business, Design and Innovation offers a diverse range of courses that allow students to develop their management and leadership skills, as well as their creative mindset. You’ll have the chance to learn more about advertising, media and branding, global business and strategy, and digital economy.

Job opportunities include: Online marketing, web developer, UX designer

The renewable energy industry is set to ensure a sustainable future

Electric cars, rooftop solar panels and wind turbine farms are no longer the niche and expensive energy alternative they were once considered to be.

It’s predicted that in just six years, the renewable energy market will be worth an estimated $2,253 billion. Job growth is also expected to rise by 115 percent between 2016 and 2026, so it’s safe to say it’s an industry that’s really heating up (excuse the pun).

Job opportunities include: Smart city planning, sustainable consulting, zero-consumption home design