Prepare for arrival
Immigration New Zealand has notified us that exchange students must obtain a student visa before entering New Zealand. Even if you are coming from a visa-waived country, they strongly advise that you do not enter New Zealand on a tourist visa with plans to apply for a student permit once here.
After you receive our letter of Offer of Place from your exchange coordinator, apply immediately for your student visa by contacting your nearest New Zealand embassy or consulate for procedures and an application form. You may be required to send your passport away to the embassy or consulate. To give you peace of mind, send it by courier or post that requires a signature for delivery and indicate that you want your passport returned in the same manner.
You must be able to support yourself financially for the duration of your stay in New Zealand. Full details of visa and permit requirements are available from the New Zealand Immigration Service.
If you do not have a student visa, we will be unable to give your Auckland student ID card to you on arrival. A delay in receiving your student ID card may mean you can’t access the computer labs and the library.
Students studying for one semester are not eligible to work in New Zealand.
Under current regulations of the New Zealand Immigration Service, only those students who are enrolled in a study programme of one academic year or more at a New Zealand tertiary institution may apply for a ”Variation of Conditions” to work in New Zealand.
These students may be granted a Variation of Conditions to their student permit to allow them to work during the academic year, and during any holidays within the academic year, for up to 20 hours in any given week if they are undertaking a full-time tertiary course of study of at least one academic year duration as part of an approved tertiary student exchange scheme.
Exchange students can apply for a Variation of Conditions as part of their applications for a student visa or permit, by ticking the option at E2 of the Student Visa/Permit Application (INZ 1012) on the NZ Immigration website.
The University of Auckland has taken all steps to ensure that this information was correct at time of publishing, but notes that changes may occur after publication. All students must consult the NZ Immigration website or their local NZ Embassy before applying for any NZ visa or permit. All students must adhere to current NZ Immigration policies.
For more information please see www.immigration.govt.nz.
You will need about NZ$15,000 per year ($7,500 per semester or $300 per week) for accommodation and day-to-day living expenses, including meals.
New Zealand law requires that all international students have insurance while enrolled at a New Zealand learning institution. The insurance must comply with guidelines established by the New Zealand Government and those adopted by each learning institution to its own minimum standards.
As an exchange student accepted at Auckland, you are automatically covered by and charged for the StudentSafe University policy selected by The University of Auckland.
