Before you start your application journey to Study in New Zealand, the first thing will be to look for the admission cycles and application deadlines. If you want to study in New Zealand, we have all the information about intakes in New Zealand. Like many countries, New Zealand has two intakes for admission. There are three separate dates for every intake, for different courses and different Universities.
The two intakes at Universities in New Zealand are: January Intake & July Intake
January Intake:
The January intake also called the January semester, starts at the beginning of the year. The application deadlines fall at least three months from the beginning. If you want to apply for January intake in New Zealand, the safest bet would be to apply before November at the Universities that offer the January semester cycle.
July Intake:
As the name suggests, the July semester starts in the middle of the year, in July. The application should be submitted latest by May. If you want to apply to one of the universities in New Zealand, given below are the timelines you should follow, for both intakes in New Zealand:
6 Steps to Study in New Zealand for January Intake
Step 1: Start Now: April to May
- Shortlist the courses and Universities that you are willing to attend. The courses should go along with your academics and future plans. Choose from any University in New Zealand which have your course of interest. Have a look at the admission requirements and eligibility criteria, tuition fees, and most importantly, the admission deadlines.
- The application is needed to be submitted before the set application deadlines. Different Universities and courses will have different timelines.
Step 2: Appear for the Exams: June to August
- Another requirement for admission at the universities in New Zealand will have will be entrance tests and English language tests to attend the courses. The general competitive entrance exams are GRE and GMAT (based on the courses). The English language proficiency tests mostly include IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE. There will be a minimum requirement of scores in these tests to be eligible for the courses.
- Keep in mind that it will take time to prepare and book for the exam, and then you will have to wait for the results. Additionally, if the results are not satisfactory enough, you might have to reappear for the exams.
Step 3: Start Applying for the Colleges: August to September
- Along with your application, you will require some documents to help you with the selection process. Some colleges require SOP (statement of purpose) and LORs (Letters of Recommendation). SOP is needed to be written by you, and you should start writing the SOP a month before the application deadline.
- LORs are written by the immediate supervisors or the professors of the universities in which you have studied the latest. The purpose of these letters is to show the selectors that you are the best fit for the university you are applying to. Once you are ready with all the documents and proofs, apply before the due date.
Step 4: Acceptance Letters and Interviews: October to November
- If there is any development in your application, you will receive a mail from the University. If you are willing to study at that particular University and wish to attend the course, you should reply to that mail with a confirmation. Some Universities also have video interviews.
- If you are interested in attending the course, revert to the University as soon as possible. Do not wait for the deadlines to revert. Here might be non-refundable confirmation fees that you are needed to pay in regard to securing the allotment.
Step 5: Apply for Student Visa/Education Loan: November to December
- Once you are accepted, you will receive an acceptance letter from the respective University. As soon as you receive the acceptance letter, start the Netherlands Visa Application process. This may take time, so keep that in mind. Start at least 3 months before the departure.
- Once you are accepted at a University, you will receive an acceptance letter from the University. As soon as you receive the acceptance letter, you should apply for New Zealand Student Visa. The visa process sometimes can take longer, so start the New Zealand Student Visa process at least three months before departure.
- The visa process will require you to have the proof of monetary funds that you will need when you are studying in New Zealand. If you are going to apply for an education loan, do that before you apply for the New Zealand Student Visa. Studying abroad scholarships is another great way to fund your expenses abroad.
Step 6: Tickets and Departure: December to January
You are just one step away from your study abroad journey. If the courses are to begin in February, it is advisable to arrive in New Zealand a month before that. Arrange for your accommodation if you are willing to stay off-campus.
Gather all the documents that are necessary to fly and will need while you are in New Zealand. Make a pre-departure list for yourself so you do not miss out on anything important. Arrange for an international credit or debit card for yourself.
6 Steps to Study in New Zealand for July Intake
Step One: Start Now
- Start with the courses you want to study for. The courses should be according to your latest field of study. Once you have decided what to study, the question comes to where. Look for the Universities in New Zealand that offer the courses that you are willing to attend, for the July intake.
- Look at the eligibility criteria for the course, fees, and exams required to attend the course. See if you are eligible for the course. Another important thing is to look for deadlines. Not only different universities, but different courses even at the same universities might have different application deadlines. Note the while shortlisting the Universities.
Step Two – Appear for Exams: December to February
- There will be two types of tests that you might need to take. The academic and competitive entrance exams like GMAT and GRE. Then there are English language proficiency tests to prove your ability to understand English. English tests include the tests like IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE.
- There will be minimum scores required for admission. The scores required can be found on the official websites of the respective Universities. You should keep in mind that preparation, booking for the exam, and results in all will take time. In case of undesired results, you might have to reappear for tests again. Give at least two months to exams and the results of the exam.
- If you are ahead of the pack, and have already selected the courses and Universities, and have given the tests with sufficient results, you can directly skip stepping three of the application process. The application and visa process in the next steps are the most time-consuming processes of all. So keep that in mind while applying.
Step Three – Start Applying to Universities: February to March
- Along with the application, there are some documents required for the process. SOP and LORs are the most important of them all. SOP or statement of purpose is written by the student about the academic background and how he or she is the perfect fit for the university they are applying to. Start with the SOP a month before the application deadline.
- For LORs, and letters of recommendation, you should contact your immediate supervisors from the place you last had work experience or the professors from the latest institute of your study. Once you have all the required documents with you, apply before the application deadline for the July intake.
Step Four – Acceptance Letters and Interviews: March to April
- If there is a development in your application, you will receive a mail from the University to which you have applied. If you are willing to attend the course, you are needed to reply back to the mail with an affirmation.
- If you are sure about attending the course, reply as soon as you receive the mail from the university. Do not wait for application deadlines to reply. There might be non-refundable confirmation fees that will be needed to pay at the time of confirmation.
Step Five – Apply for Visa and Education Loan: April to July
- The New Zealand Student Visa process should start as soon as you receive your acceptance letter from the University. The visa process might take the most time of all, so be careful with the visa process while applying. Apply for a New Zealand Student visa at least three months before your desired departure.
- For a Visa application, you will require proof of monetary funds. If you have plans for an education loan, apply before the New Zealand student visa process begins. Studying abroad scholarships is another great way to fund your expenses. Apply for one if applicable.
Step Six – Tickets and Departure: June to July
- Once the visa arrives, it is time to fly. Arrive in New Zealand at least a month before the start of the July semester. If you are not staying on campus, you will need to find accommodation options, too.
- Gather all the necessary documents before flying, and make a pre-departure checklist to make sure you do not miss or forget anything important. You will also need to arrange for an international credit or debit card.