International Students

International Students

Cost of Living

When you apply for a student visa, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) requires proof that you have at least NZ$10,000 for living expenses. We recommend however that a single student should in general budget for between NZ$300 and $350 per week for general living expenses; that is NZ$12000- $14000 from mid February to mid November (40 weeks). If you are coming with your family, you need to budget accordingly.

If you decide to stay during the summer holidays (mid November to mid February), you will need to budget accordingly. Airfares are additional to these living expenses.

There is a Budget Advisor on campus to help you with your financial planning.

See also: Comparative fees and living costs: New Zealand, Australia, U.K. & U.S.

To give you an idea on the other costs that you may need to budget for, here are some examples in New Zealand dollars. Please bear in mind that these are approximate figures and the actual costs will vary depending on your course of study and lifestyle. Also, the fees quoted below are subject to change and reviewed regularly.

Course costs

$NZ (40 weeks)

Books and stationery (first year)

Note: this cost is likely to increase in subsequent years for certain courses, notably Engineering and Fine Arts
$500 - $1000
Extra course costs
E.g. practical courses and field trips
(Engineering, Forestry, Geology and Fine Arts students)		 up to $1000

 

Accommodation

$NZ
Homestay $9200 - $9600 (40 weeks)
Halls of Residence (catered and self-catered)

Note:
  • The actual accommodation fees will depend on room type.
  • The length, start and end date of the contract vary across different Halls.
  • Students will also need to budget for other charges as well.
Please see the websites above for information on fees for staying at the Halls of Residence.

Flatting / private renting

Note:
  • In most cases, students need to furnish their flats and will need to budget for that additional cost.
  • Students will need to budget for food and utilities such as electricity and telephone.

See flatting costs for details of regular costs such as rent, as well as any additional costs, e.g. bond/deposit.

 

Transportation and travelling

$NZ

Airfare

Note:
Airfares will vary depending on your destination, travel agency and time of booking. If you wish to return home during term break, you will need to budget for the airfares and other travel costs accordingly.
Bus fare (per trip)
$2.10 - $2.80
See also:

 

Examples of other costs

$NZ

Clothing
(For first year students coming from tropical countries) 		$600 - $900 per year
Movie $13.00 - $16.00
Hamburger $3.00 - $5.00
A cup of coffee $4.00 - $4.50
Note:
There may be other costs that you wish to budget for, for example, vacation expenses, travelling, social activities etc.