Affected by COVID-19: What international students studying in New Zealand should know
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COVID-19 has affected the entire world, so is the international community and foreign students living in New Zealand. Currently, New Zealand is at COVID-19 Alert Level 4 where everyone needs to stay home and self-isolate. In order to control this pandemic New Zealand government has taken various measures and also issued various guidelines that the educational institutions need to follow. In this article, we will discuss what all you need to know if you are studying in New Zealand.
- Part-time work for international students
- Financial benefits
- Student Eligibility for Health Care
- Visa Information
- Accommodation for international students
- Returning to home country
- Care for international students
Part-time work for international students
To fight the COVID-19 outbreak, Immigration New Zealand has relaxed work rights for some international students.
- International students engaged in healthcare including those involved in aged residential care can work more than 20 hours per week.
- Foreign students employed by supermarkets owned by Woolworths, Foodstuffs South Island or Foodstuffs North Island can work more than 20 hours a week until April 2020.
Financial benefits
The government is also offering wage subsidies to international students whose visa allows them to work in New Zealand and whose employment has been affected by COVID-19.
- Students are advised to check with their respective employers whether they are eligible for a wage subsidy or not
- Also, students should engage with their educational institution or student association who may offer them budgeting or finance services, or you may qualify for an emergency payment from a hardship fund, or a food parcel.
- Students can also contact their local Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group for basic food, medicine and cleaning supplies.
Student Eligibility for Health Care
- International students residing in New Zealand are eligible for free public healthcare if they think they are suffering from COVID-19.
- Those who are developing symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath should immediately seek medical advice and contact dedicated COVID-19 helpline number 08003585453.
Visa Information
- Students holding a temporary visa which is due to expire between 1st April and 9th July 2020 will have their visas extended to 25 September. Visa holders will receive visa extension confirmation on their email.
- New Zealand students visa holders or applicants who have specific COVID-19 related immigration queries should check the Immigration New Zealand website or they can call the Immigration Contact Centre on 0508225288 (for those residing within NZ) or +6499521679 (for those living outside NZ).
- Tertiary students who are unable to leave and are no longer enrolled should contact Immigration New Zealand.
Accommodation for international students
- Students who do not have access to appropriate accommodation can contact their place of study/tertiary institution and confirm what accommodation arrangements they have in place during Alert Level 4.
- Hostels, where students are residing, should enforce personal distancing and hygiene as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health guidelines.
Returning to home country
- Foreign nationals who have arranged for a ticket for an international flight to their home country, can now drive, take private or public transport, or take domestic flights from some airports, in order to connect with commercial, or chartered, international flights to their home country.
- International students need to fulfill the criteria set by the government for traveling to an international airport while the country in under Alert Level 4.
Care for international students
Students facing any issue can contact the Tertiary Education Commission in New Zealand.
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Commonly asked questions
With a good educational system, excellent quality of life, and a number of research opportunities, New Zealand offers a lot to international students. Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand has a 39 percent population of overseas citizens, making it a culturally diverse city. Moreover, the post-study work visa in New Zealand can offer up to three years of stay back. As per Stats New Zealand, its unemployment rate is 3.4 percent. Students enrolled in a course of 12 months or more can also work part-time in New Zealand for up to 20 hours a week during the semester and holidays.
The tuition fees that a student would need to pay will depend on the type of qualification and the university they are looking at to pursue their education. While courses such as humanities, education, and arts are likely to cost less pursuing subjects such as medicine and engineering costs on the higher side.
The below table sheds light on the tuition fee charged level-wise in New Zealand from international students applying to their universities:
Study Program Level | Annual Costs in NZD |
|---|---|
Diploma or Certificate courses | NZD 23,000 - NZD 47,000 |
English Language courses | NZD 350 (per week) |
Undergraduate degree | NZD 22,000 - NZD 32,000 |
Master's degree | NZD 26,000 - NZD 37,000 |
Doctoral degree | NZD 6,500 - NZD 9,000 |
The cost of living does not includes only the tuition fee but also other expenses like textbooks, NON-tuition fee, accommodation cost and other personal expenses. The moment a student lands in New Zealand, they need to pay $35 international visitor and tourism conservation levy. The living cost can vary as per the accommodation option, location and personal spending habits.
In addition to your tuition and insurance fees, you will need between $20,000 and $25,000 per year ($380–480 per week) for accommodation/rent, food expenses, transportation costs, phone bills, internet usage and entertainment.
New Zealand is one of the top destinations for international students going abroad for higher education. All of eight universities in New Zealand are ranked among the top 3% universities in the world. New Zealand education sets up students with a globally recognised qualification and real-world skills. Each year thousands of students from India apply for various universities in the New Zealand. As per Govt. of India, there are more than 2,500 Indian students that went to study in 2022 in various universities in New Zealand.
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Aishwarya Bhatnagar is a specialised content curator with 8+ years of experience in EdTech content, particularly in studying abroad. She is a Study Abroad Expert at Shiksha.com (InfoEdge India Ltd) si
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