
Here are some practical reasons why Indian students are choosing New Zealand for overseas education:
More Lenient Entry Requirements
Let’s be honest for a second. Getting admission to a reputed foreign university is pretty tough. But New Zealand stands as an attractive choice with a student-friendly admission system.
The majority of universities accept an overall IELTS score of 6.0 for undergraduate and 6.5 for postgraduate level. And several institutions are open to students with mediocre academic records, provided you can demonstrate good motivation or relevant work experience.
This makes New Zealand much more accessible for Indian students who may find the entry bar too high in countries like the U.S. or the U.K.
Lower Tuition Fees
Compared to Australia, the US, or the UK, New Zealand offers more affordable tuition fees and lower living expenses. For example, average tuition fees for international students range from NZ$35,000 to NZ$55,000 per year. That’s way less than similar programs in other major study destinations.
And daily expenses such as food, transport, and accommodation are more affordable, especially outside of major cities like Auckland.
Work While Studying
As per the official source, New Zealand allows international students to work a maximum of 20 hours a week during the semester and full-time in holidays. You can cover a major part of your living costs with that.
Post-Study Work Visa
Apart from other countries that make you leave immediately after graduating, New Zealand allows you time to settle and find employment.
If you finish a degree that’s Level 7 or higher (such as a Bachelor’s or Master’s), you could be eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa of up to 3 years.
And guess what? The job market is pretty promising. New Zealand has a skills shortage in fields like IT, healthcare, construction, engineering, agriculture, and education. If you’re studying in any of these areas, your chances of landing a job (and a longer stay) go up significantly.
Top Universities
Here’s something mind-blowing: New Zealand has only eight universities! All of them are government-funded and are ranked in the global top 500 (according to QS World University Rankings 2026). That means you don’t have to sift through hundreds of colleges trying to determine which ones are real.