Low Tuition Fee Universities in New Zealand 2025: Ranks & Courses

There are multiple low tuition fee universities in New Zealand that are not only top-ranked but offer quality education with globally recognized degrees. Students who want to study in New Zealand but have a limited budget can explore information about these cheapest universities.

New Zealand is home to the finest universities in the world, which offer an impressive array of courses for both undergraduates and graduates. Since 3% of the global universities that rank in the top 100 are in New Zealand, it is natural that international students are attracted to study here, especially at the low-tuition fee universities in New Zealand.

The cost of studying abroad is usually higher but, there are universities in New Zealand like the University of Waikato which have cheaper tuition costs in comparison to other universities in New Zealand and globally. Here is a list of low-tuition universities in New Zealand along with the course details for fees and a very basic outline for admission requirements.

Quick links:

• Top Universities in New Zealand as per QS
• Student Guide to New Zealand (NZ)
• Most Demanding Courses in New Zealand

Low Tuition Fee Universities in New Zealand

The following is a list of universities in New Zealand which are cheaper in terms of tuition fees for international students, along with information about the basic requirements course wise for these universities:

University of Canterbury

Being the second oldest university in New Zealand, the University of Canterbury is located in Christchurch. The University offers 147  study programmes including some of the most demanding courses in New Zealand belonging to various fields like Arts, Business and Law, Education, Health and Human Development, Engineering, and Science. The fee structure for the academic years depends on the type of course chosen. It is also different for Domestic Undergraduate, Domestic Postgraduate, International Undergraduate, and International Post Graduate students. The living cost may vary depending on the region where the student lives and the lifestyle. 

University of Canterbury - Course Fee Structure

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Massey University

Massey University is a public university and is the largest university in New Zealand. This university offers a plethora of courses in Bachelor Degrees, Undergraduate Bachelor Degrees with Honours, Postgraduate Bachelor Degrees with Honours, Masters, Doctorates, Certificates, Diplomas, Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas, Postgraduate Certificates, and Postgraduate Diplomas, from fields like Engineering, Medical, Social Sciences, and Business. The university offers scholarship programs for international students. 

Massey University - Fee Structure

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Lincoln University

The university is situated in Lincoln, Canterbury. Lincoln University offers courses in Pre-degree, Certificate and Diploma, Undergraduate Degrees including Honours, Graduate Certificates and Diplomas, Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas, Masters, and Ph.D.s belonging to fields like Engineering, Medical, Natural Sciences, Business, and Social Sciences. It is one of the cheapest universities in New Zealand for international students. The fee structure highly differs depending on the course you choose. It also has a refund policy for international students. 

Lincoln University - Fee Structure

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University of Auckland

The University of Auckland is the biggest university in the country, situated in the biggest city in New Zealand, i.e. Auckland. It offers a wide array of courses in fields like, Business And Commerce; Education and Teaching; Engineering and Construction; Fine Arts, Design and Architecture; Health, Medicine and Biomedical science; History, Literature, and Philosophy; Languages, Culture and Globalisation; Law and Justice; Maori, Pacific and Indigenous worlds; Media, Music and Performing Arts; Science and Mathematics; Society, Politics and People and Technology and Innovation. The annual tuition fee in this university varies for different courses.

University of Auckland - Fee Structure

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University of Otago

The University of Otago is situated in Dunedin, Otago. Under bachelors, it offers BA, BAppSc, BASc, BCom, BHealSc, Mus.B., BPA, BSc, BPTheol, etc. It offers courses related to, Arts and Music; Commerce; Dentistry; Education; Health Sciences; Law; Medicine; Pharmacy; Physical Education; Physiotherapy; Science; Surveying; Tertiary Teaching, and Theology. 

University of Otago - Fee Structure

Read: University of Otago - Courses and Fees

University of Waikato

The University of Waikato is situated in Hamilton. It homes both faculties and research homes. It has two campuses, in Hamilton and Tauranga. Courses offered by the University are BA (five subjects), BBus (four subjects), BE (Hons), LLB, BSc, BSocSc (seven subjects), BSW, BTech, Cert (Bus), Dip (Bus), Dip (Law), Dip (Mgt), PhD, GradDipT, MBA, Med, MEd Leadership, MHSHP, MSc, MInfoTech, MSc (Research), and PGDipMgtSt. The fee structure highly varies for the courses. One can check it out on their website.

University of Waikato - Fee Structure

Read: University of Waikato - Courses and Fees

Victoria University of Wellington

Established in 1897, the Victoria University of Wellington was named after Queen Victoria to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation in 1897. The university offers both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. It has a faculty of around 1,000 members who are dedicated to providing comprehensive and quality education. Victoria University has around 40 research institutes and centres giving students the best possible resources to have practical knowledge. The university provides students with the best facilities on a picturesque campus. It has three campuses, and the main campus is located in Kelburn, New Zealand which houses the Faculties of Humanities and Social Science, Engineering, Health, Social Science, and Education. 

Victoria University of Wellington - Fee Structure

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Auckland University of Technology

Established in 2000, Auckland University of Technology (AUT) is a publically-owned institution for higher education and research. The academic structure of the Auckland University of Technology has five faculties, which further subdivide into 17 schools. The university offers over 250 programs in varied disciplines of art, design, economics, science, business, education, engineering, mathematics, computer science, clinical studies, creative technologies, communication studies, languages, psychology, nursing, tourism and hospitality, law, public health, social science, and sports. 

Auckland University of Technology - Fee Structure

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The above tabular data has been sourced from Shiksha Study Abroad from an earlier date. The numbers could vary subject to the current economy.

As it can be noted from the data above it can be seen that the cost for diplomas and certificate courses are the lowest. The lowest tuition fee for MBBS was noted for Otago University. MS courses are the cheapest at Lincoln University. These are just a few of the best and most affordable universities in New Zealand for international students.  

Also, read

• Most Affordable MBA Colleges in New Zealand
• Top courses in New Zealand
• MBA in New Zealand
• Bachelors of Business colleges in New Zealand

If you still have doubts, feel free to get in touch with us with your queries in the comments section below. Or you can sign up for Shiksha Abroad Counselling if you wish to take admissions.