February Intake in New Zealand 2026 : Deadlines & Top Universities

New Zealand February Intake is the most popular intake to apply for admission to universities in New Zealand. The application process starts in October or November of the previous year. Students get enough time to choose the desired course offered by universities.

New Zealand intake has two main sessions - one in February and the other in July. The February intake is one of the main intakes to study in New Zealand as an international student. There are 8 universities in New Zealand that accept applications for admission from international students.

The timeline to apply for February intake in New Zealand expands over almost six months, applicants must prepare their strategies accordingly. Also, the deadlines are quite strict, hence, there should be no scope for missing out on even the smallest detail. This article aims to focus on the New Zealand February intake 2026 and its timeline, detailing from shortlisting to applying for the visa.

Check:

•  Types of Intakes in New Zealand
• Student Guide to New Zealand (NZ)

When to Start Applying to New Zealand Universities for Feb 2025

This is the most crucial step towards shortlisting and applying for a New Zealand university. Check out all about it in the section below:

• Shortlist the colleges and prepare for your application. Think hard about what makes you unique as an applicant and sketch out your strengths and self-assessment.
• Contact your professors and direct managers for the required 2-3 reference letters, at least a month before your application deadline.
• Begin drafting your SOP and essays. Spend a month’s time structuring these documents properly.
• The New Zealand college intake dates for 2026 for February may vary; hence apply beforehand.
• Since New Zealand offer letter time varies between 2-4 weeks it is only plausible to apply well within time and not wait for the last-minute deadlines.  

Timeline to Apply for Feb Intake in New Zealand 2026

Though the deadlines may vary per university in New Zealand, an approximate timeline for the New Zealand February intake has been elaborated in the table below for reference for international students:

It takes some time to review and grant a student visa to study in New Zealand, students must make up their minds and accept their offers within the stipulated time so that the further process can be completed. In case you miss out the February intake deadlines, you can also apply for the New Zealand July intake. 

What to Do After Applying for New Zealand's February Intake?

There are a couple of things the applicant will have to take care of, Following is a list of to-dos that must not be missed:

• Don’t delay in replying to college emails. As there may be quite a few of them!
• Appear for personal/video interviews. These are primarily scheduled for around January to March for February intakes in New Zealand universities.
• You will receive your acceptance letter. You may receive your letter in either November or December, depending on the institute. You can apply for a student visa only after receiving the acceptance letter.
• Depending on the deadline, notify the universities of your decision.
• You will need to pay a non-refundable deposit to confirm your admission.

• Search for and begin applying for external scholarships (if applicable). Check Funding Sources to Support Studies in New Zealand.
• Apply for a student loan to study in New Zealand after you get your acceptance letter.
• Gather paperwork for your student visa application for New Zealand. Check visa requirements.
• Apply for the student visa in time. Keep in mind the time taken for visa processing!
• Arrange for an international health insurance plan, either on your own or through your university.

Time to Fly to New Zealand!

After all the hard work, it is time to live the dream of studying abroad, see what you'll need to finally do next:

• Students can book their air tickets for New Zealand once they have their student visas in hand.
• They must also arrange for an International Debit/Credit card to carry out transactions internationally.
• Collect all the documents and their photocopies that are to be taken along beforehand and keep them safe.
• Check out the Pre-departure checklist! Good luck!

Top 5 New Zealand Universities to Apply to February 2026

For students' convenience, here's a list of the top 5 New Zealand universities offering admissions to international students across the corresponding popular courses in February 2026. Check out all the important information in the table below:

Applicants must check the courses available for the February 2026 intake at New Zealand universities and their deadlines and only then apply. For more queries, comment in the section below or sign up for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling for admission and application-related queries.