Studying in New Zealand as an international student

Who this is for

Students coming from overseas to study at a New Zealand school, university, polytechnic or private college. If your family already lives here and you are enrolling a child, see the school article in this guide instead.

Choose a provider that has signed the Code

Every school and tertiary provider must be an approved signatory to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 before it can enrol international students. The Code sets out how they must look after you, from marketing and contracts to safety and wellbeing. Ask the provider to confirm it is a signatory before you apply.

Before you sign

• The provider must tell you, before you sign a contract: the full costs, the refund conditions, the services and support available, and the insurance and visa requirements for studying there.
• Keep a copy of your offer and contract.
• Pay tuition fees only to the provider, into its own account.
• Schools have extra duties for students under 18, including checking where they live.

Your Turkish diploma

For study, each school or university decides whether your Turkish qualifications meet its entry requirements, and students whose first language is not English usually need an English test such as IELTS. Check the international admissions page of the provider you want. NZQA's International Qualification Assessment (IQA) compares an overseas qualification with New Zealand ones; it is mostly used for jobs, professional registration and immigration rather than for study applications.

Insurance

If you study for 2 weeks or longer, your provider must make sure, as far as practicable, that you have insurance for travel to, from and within New Zealand, and for medical care here, including hospital treatment. Read what your policy covers before you travel.

Scholarships

Study with New Zealand, the government's site for international students, lists scholarships, and universities offer their own. Check each one's rules and closing date.

Visas and work

Merhaba does not give visa advice. Student visa conditions, including whether and how much you may work, are set by Immigration New Zealand: check immigration.govt.nz, or talk to a licensed immigration adviser. Never pay anyone who promises you a visa or a place in exchange for money outside the provider's own fees.

If something goes wrong

• First use your provider's own complaints process.
• Concerns about your wellbeing, safety, accommodation or rights as an international learner: NZQA Learner Complaints.
• Money or contract disputes, such as refunds: Study Complaints | Ngā Amuamu Tauira. It is free, and open to tertiary students and international students at secondary schools once the provider's process is finished.

Settling in

The IRD number, bank account, doctor and renting articles in this guide apply to students too. Turkish-speaking tutors and education services are under the categories below.