collageWhere do you find the best universities in the world? Well, pretty much anywhere – including New Zealand! Cool, huh? In New Zealand you can find plenty of top-ranked universities that take their rightful place next to some of the biggest international university names out there.
New Zealand’s universities, colleges, medical schools, engineering schools, and law schools are highly respected and well-known in the education and academic communities, and they continue to offer prestigious Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D programmes for smart, driven adventurers like you. Feel free to choose from some of the most competitive degrees in the best universities in New Zealand.
top universities in new zealand for international students
The University of Auckland continues to be the top university in New Zealand for 2021, beating seven other universities in the country to rank 81st in the world.
Released today, the QS World University Rankings 2021 rank the best universities in the world based on six key indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty, and international students.
| QS World University Rankings 2021 – Top 10 Universities in New Zealand | ||
| New Zealand Rank | Global Rank | Institution |
| 1 | 81 | The University of Auckland |
| 2 | 184 | University of Otago |
| 3 | 223= | Victoria University of Wellington |
| 4 | 270= | University of Canterbury |
| 5 | 272 | Massey University |
| 6 | 375= | University of Waikato |
| 7 | 387= | Lincoln University |
| 8 | 437= | Auckland University of Technology |
8. Auckland University of Technology
Up an impressive six places this year to now rank joint 437th in the world, Auckland University of Technology (AUT) dates back to 1895 when it was originally founded as the Auckland Technical School, and boasts the highest score among universities in New Zealand for the percentage of international students indicator (23rd in the world).
7. Lincoln University
Ranked joint 387th in the world in 2021, Lincoln University was originally part of the University of Canterbury before formally separating to become an independent institution in 1990. Like AUT, it receives a very high score for its percentage of international students, and also places in the top 100 for agriculture and forestry according to the most recent QS World University Rankings by Subject.
6. University of Waikato
The University of Waikato drops over 100 places this year in the world university rankings to place joint 375th globally. Primarily located on a 64-hectare campus full of green spaces in the city of Hamilton on the North Island, it also has a campus in Tauranga.
5. Massey University
This year’s QS World University Rankings sees Massey University climb 11 places to rank 272nd in the world, overtaking the University of Waikato to place fifth among the top universities in New Zealand. Massey, located in the city of Palmerton North on the North Island, is the only university in the country offering programs in aviation, dispute resolution, veterinary medicine, and nanoscience.
4. University of Canterbury
Down 44 places to rank joint 270th this year, the University of Canterbury is located in Christchurch on the South Island. It’s one of the oldest universities in New Zealand, having been established in 1873 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Its student population now stands at roughly 17,300.
3. Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington continues to place third in the country, ranking joint 223rd in the world, earning its best score for the percentage of international faculty members indicator (76th in the world). It also places 20th in the world for library studies and 50th for hospitality and leisure management, according to the most recent QS World University Rankings by Subject.
2. University of Otago
Ranked 184th in the world in 2021, the University of Otago continues to rank second in the country and earns the highest score in New Zealand for its percentage of international faculty members (31st in the world). It’s primarily located in Dunedin on the South Island and is the oldest university in the country, dating back to 1869. Today it has around 21,240students, including 2,972 from outside New Zealand.
1. The University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is ranked number one in the country once again in 2021, coming 81st in the world this year and earning its best score for the academic reputation indicator. The largest institution in the country (with 42,759 students in 2018), the university appears in the worldwide top 50 of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020 for 13 subjects including archaeology, education, nursing, geography and performing arts.
Universities In New Zealand World Ranking
| Universities | Times Higher Education Ranking (2022) | Shanghai Jiao Tong University Ranking (2021) | TopUniversities Ranking (2022) | U.S. News & World Report Ranking (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Auckland | 137 | 201 | 85 | 125 |
| Auckland University of Technology | 201 | 701 | 451 | 389 |
| University of Otago | 201 | 301 | 194 | 226 |
| University of Waikato | 401 | 701 | 373 | 761 |
| Lincoln University Canterbury | 501 | 701 | 372 | 1031 |
| University of Canterbury | 501 | 401 | 258 | 338 |
| Victoria University of Wellington | 501 | 401 | 236 | 536 |
| Massey University | 601 | 701 | 284 | 557 |
new zealand universities fees
All higher education in New Zealand requires you to pay per academic year of study. Fees in New Zealand are relatively low compared to those of other developed countries.
- Fees for undergraduate study can cost about NZ$22,000–$32,000 (US$16,000-$23,000) per year. Costs vary depending on your course.
- Postgraduate courses can cost between NZ$26,000-$37,000 (US$19,000-$27,000) per year.
- Living costs across much of New Zealand normally come to at least NZ$15,000 (US$11,000) per year.
In order to be granted a student visa, you will have to prove that you can not only pay the university/school fees during your time of study, but also that you can support yourself during that time. If you aren’t able to cover the costs through private means, you do still have some possibilities:
- It’s possible to be granted an extension on your visa for part-time work up to 20 hours per-week in term time and full-time during holidays. You will however have to prove that you can pay your way even without the job.
- Any government grants, scholarships or loans granted from your home country can be counted towards the threshold.
- The New Zealand government grants certain international scholarships, for both undergraduate and postgraduate study. You can find more information on these here.
If you’re intending to stay for longer than six months or are intending to work, you will require an IRD number. This is your individual tax number supplied by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). The reason you need this number, even if you are not working, is that, if you have money in a New Zealand bank, resident withholding tax (RWT) will be withdrawn from any interest you earn. Without an IRD number, this tax will be deducted at a higher non-declaration rate.
As for scholarships, New Zealand has plenty on offer. You can find a list here. Your home country might also offer scholarships for study abroad in New Zealand.
best universities in new zealand for engineering
The field of engineering has been quite vibrant since the past few years. The demand for this sector has been on a rage in New Zealand. Do you know, in 2015, business services were up 2.1 percent due to the architectural, scientific, and engineering sector. The growth of engineering and technology colleges in the nation has also risen in number. Presently, there are several reputed institutions which are working efficiently to produce an elite class of engineering professionals. Let us analyze the top five colleges in New Zealand which offer engineering and technology courses to aspiring students.
Top 5 Engineering and Technology Colleges in New Zealand
1. University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago is located outside the scenic land of Dunedin. This university manages a strength of 17,000 students, which also includes 2800 international students. The various campuses managed under this university are situated in Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and Southland. The engineering courses are spread out into different branches, with the availability of courses for commerce, health sciences and humanities.
2. University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury (UC) is known to be Zealand’s second oldest university, which was established in 1873. UC offers programmes in a total of more than 150 disciplines and consists of more than 16,000 students (1,200 international students). It is interesting to know that, this university manages distinguished alumni such as Nobel Prize-winner Ernest Rutherford as well as New Zealand’s Prime Minister, John Key. Moreover, Director of Google Engineering, Craig Nevill-Manning is also from UC.
3. Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
The Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1899, and is a fully government accredited university. Victoria University is renowned for offering engineering courses under a capable faculty. Moreover, there are various other courses from different areas including architecture, commerce, design, education, humanities, law, social sciences as well as music. . The University manages a student population of over 21,000 including with 3,000 international students from close to 80 countries. Interestingly, the study options offered at VU are pre-degree programme, undergraduate degrees, along with postgraduate programmes and postgraduate certificates and diplomas.
4. University of Waikato
University of Waikato
The University of Waikato was inaugurated in 1964. It has close to 13,000 students out of which about 2,100 are international students. Waikato has a culturally mixed study environment. The famous alumni from this university include Warren Gatland the head coach of the Welsh Rugby Union, Sam Knowles – Chief Executive of Kiwibank and Hekia Parata – Minister of Education in New Zealand. There are 7 primary faculties which handle a multitude of subjects, with engineering as a bright field. The University of Waikato is only sixty minutes away are the beautiful white sand beaches and surf resorts.
5. Auckland University of Technology
Auckland University of Technology
The Auckland University of Technology, or AUT, is known to be one of New Zealand’s youngest universities and provides a large variety of courses in engineering and technology. It was formerly known as the Auckland Institute of Technology, and the institution received university status in early 2000. That was the time it was renamed as the Auckland University of Technology. This education body has a strong focus on research which makes it a classic option for pursuing a career in engineering.
As the famous saying “There is no substitute for hard work” every student needs to pick the best education body which manages a good faculty. The above mentioned five engineering colleges are known to be the best in New Zealand, which can be considered if you are planning to go abroad for studies.
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