After your course of study and if you wish to remain in New Zealand as a visitor or apply for residence this is possible providing you have not got a Limited Purpose Visa. You can stay in New Zealand for long time providing you pass your course and continue to meet the requirements of your student visa you can continue to extend your visa for as long as you wish. There is no limit on the time you can spend in New Zealand as a student.

New Zealand degrees are recognized internationally and will be accepted when applying for post-graduate study in most countries. Students who have completed their degree in the normal time and have a job offer related to their studies can obtain a work visa for another 2 years to work in the job they have been offered as may qualify for residence.

There is a chance of extending student visa in New Zealand and this should be done in 1 or 2 days. Students need to obtain a new school offer of place and pay the tuition fee, complete the student visa application and show that you have sufficient money or a financial sponsor to cover your living expenses in New Zealand.

The language of instruction at most New Zealand institutions is English and you may have to provide documentary evidence of language proficiency in any one of the following ways:

The language requirements for schools may differ as they may also take beginners. English language schools offer tuition from beginners to advanced and private tuition can also be arranged.

New Zealand International Scholarships are funded by the New Zealand Government and administered by Education New Zealand. New Zealand international scholarships reflect the Government's commitment to strengthening educational partnerships with other countries and regions. The scholarship program aims to share New Zealand’s excellent education system with the rest of the world, and bring the best academics from elsewhere to share their knowledge.

To get a student visa the first step is to select an institution and course and then make an enrolment application for that course. There is no limit on the age of a person wishing to study in New Zealand however the New Zealand Immigration Service needs to be satisfied that the applicant is a genuine student when they process the student visa application.

• To be eligible to come to New Zealand as a student there are a number of conditions you need to meet before you get here and others you must meet during your stay.
• To enter New Zealand you need:
• to have an offer of a place from a New Zealand education provider such as a school, polytechnic or university
• evidence that you’ve arranged accommodation through the education provider or through another person
• a guardian who is eligible to accompany you, if required
• to be in good health and of good character.
• If your stay is longer than six months, in some cases you may need to complete a TB clearance. And if it's longer than two years, you'll have to provide medical and police certificates
• a passport that’s valid for at least three months past the date you are to leave New Zealand
• proof that you plan to leave New Zealand once you’ve completed your study

New Zealand offers high quality, internationally recognized courses. To keep up their good standards and reputation, they have implemented some definite rules and requirements that students from other countries have to meet. Most degrees in New Zealand are for 3 years but there are also a number of degrees which take 4 years.

The advantages of the education system in New Zealand to international students cannot be over-emphasized; it is a system that offers an attractive and stimulating academic environment. A student can enter the New Zealand education system at any level. They can choose from eight state universities, five colleges of education, twenty-five state polytechnics and institutions of technology, four- hundred secondary schools and more than one-hundred private providers.

International students who have graduated from a course that would gain points under Skilled Migrant Category will be eligible for a six month open work permit. Eligible students will be able to apply to work for up to 20 hours a week during a term, instead of the current 15 hours. Anyone undertaking a course of 12 months or more will be able to apply to work full-time over the summer holidays.

Those students who are able to work under their visa will probably work in casual jobs either tutoring at their institution or working in restaurants or other service industries. The normal hourly wage rate will be from NZ$8.00 - NZ$15.00 per hour and you will have tax deducted from your wages before you receive your payment. On these amounts the tax will normally work out at about 20 cents per $ and you should be able to obtain a full tax refund at the end of the financial year in April.

The total cost depends on each student spending habits.  A student can live in New Zealand for a total cost of living between NZ$8,000 and NZ$10,000 a year including accommodation, transport and entertainment. If you really want to immerse yourself in the New Zealand way of life while you're studying, you can arrange a home stay with a New Zealand family.

Home stay in New Zealand costs between NZ$180 - 240 per week. This will include a room, breakfast, dinner and lunch on the weekends; students generally buy their own lunch during school days. Most English language school students spend at least a few months in home stay, which is considered the best way to improve their English.

Student accommodation in New Zealand is generally a room or a bed in a house or university hall of residence. Students generally share the facilities such as kitchen, bathroom and toilet. Utilities such as water and electricity are usually included in the weekly rent. Students staying in New Zealand student accommodation don't have to buy anything because most things are provided. This makes life easy for the students because they don't have to deal with bills and the need to buy items of furniture etc.

A room in New Zealand house or flat is what most long term students studying in New Zealand opt for. Students share the cost of the weekly rent, the utility charges and the cleaning etc.....

Backpackers in New Zealand are suitable for short term stays or for students who are in the process of looking for something more suitable. A bed in a dormitory and shared kitchen and bathroom is usually the norm.