Study in New Zealand - Guidance from Thames International your local partner
Kia Ora – ‘Aotearoa’ – often translated as “land of the long white cloud” is the current Maori name for New Zealand. New Zealand consists of 2 main and several smaller islands located south east of Australia in the Southern hemisphere. The 2 main islands are the North Island and the South Island with the majority of the population being located in the North Island. Roughly similar in size to Great Britain and Japan, New Zealand has a population of approximately 4.3 million with 76% of the population in the North Island and 24% in the South Island. Most New Zealanders live in cities, the countryside is less populated. The major cities are Auckland (in the North Island), Wellington (the capital city, located at the bottom of the North Island and Christchurch (in the South Island). Auckland, the largest city, has 30% of New Zealand’s population.
The Lisbon Convention includes New Zealand in the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education which means a New Zealand qualification is recognized in over 50 countries. This makes it easier for students to continue to study or work around the world after completing their New Zealand qualification.
New Zealand is well known and trusted for high quality degrees and educational programmes based on the prestigious British education system. A New Zealand education offers world-class facilities, resources and people. Students are taught in an English speaking environment and can trust that a New Zealand education will give them the skills and knowledge they need for both their career and life in the world today.
By law, New Zealand education providers are required to be a signatory to the Code of Practice to enroll international stu- dents and must meet the standard requirements for pastoral care. All schools and tertiary providers enrolling international students must be registered with the relevant authority, maintain very high standards of course quality and provide quality pastoral care.
All eight universities in New Zealand are researchbased and offer a wide range of degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. New Zealand institutions place consistently highly in international rankings. All New Zealand universities are state owned and must meet strict quality standards.
The 21 Polytechnics and Institutes of Technology offer qualifications ranging from certificates and diplomas right through to postgraduate degrees. They offer practical training in a huge variety of subjects. These qualifications can often be transferred to other institutions including universities in New Zealand and other countries. All New Zealand ITPS are state owned and the courses all meet the standards set by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).
The many privately run institutions known as private training establishments (PTES) offer qualifications in career-related subjects including business, IT, travel and many more. These courses can often lead to a qualification more quickly than a university or ITP course. In order to accept international students, all of these PTES must have their courses up to the standards set by the NZQA.
As a result of all institutions being closely monitored by the relevant authorities, students can be less concerned about which New Zealand education provider to choose and concentrate more on which course and part of New Zealand they wish to be in.
Students are given personal attention from their teachers and lecturers, giving them a chance to make the most of their education. Class sizes are smaller due to the fact that New Zealand has a smaller population, cities are compact and easy to get around and nobody gets lost in the crowd.
This combination of high quality education, personal attention and a fantastic cultural experience makes New Zealand the perfect place for students to achieve their goals and unlock their potential.
Thames International (www.thameslanka.com) is a ‘New Zealand Specialist Agent’ which means we are trained and accredited by Education New Zealand. We offer our students correct and ethical guidance for study in New Zealand and all our services are provided free of charge.
“First of all a very big thank you to Thames International for helping me to achieve this great moment in getting my student visa to New Zealand. It is with great pleasure that I admit that Dane was a father, brother and a friend to me. He always guided me in the right path in getting my visa. You will always be in our hearts although we have to say goodbye. Thank you very much for the help.”