Education system

Higher education in New Zealand offers students two main tracks to choose from: on the one hand the universities offer a “classic” education; on the other hand the institutes offer professional education.

1°) University Education :

• The Bachelor Degree is the university diploma earned at the end of the first cycle and constitutes the basic requirement for most professions. It is earned after 3 to 5 years, depending on the field of study. A “Bachelor Degree” is indispensable for postgraduate studies.

• The “Graduate Certificates” and the “Postgraduate Certificates” are programmes designed to obtain professional qualifications in a specific domain or to expand your education after a Bachelor Degree. If you want to pursue a postgraduate education in a field that differs from your preceding studies, some universities may ask you to previously obtain a Graduate Certificate. These programmes generally take six months.

• The “Graduate Diplomas” and “Postgraduate Diplomas” are diplomas that can either allow you to expand your education or to specialize in an area of study that you did not cover during your undergraduate cycle. These diplomas can also allow you to meet the admission requirements for a Masters Degree. The duration of these programmes is generally one year full-time (equivalent to an M1).

• The “Masters Degrees” or Masters allow you to deepen your knowledge in your area of studies and specialty beyond the undergraduate cycle. It consists of 18 months to 3 years of specialized education based on applied research. Depending on each case, the preparation for the Masters includes classes or research work (or a combination of both).

• The “PhD” (Doctorate) is meant for those students that want to deepen their skills by undertaking a research project in a specific domain. As a general rule, a PhD is taken by a student who previously completed a Master’s Degree. The Doctorate is generally earned following two to four years of research and full-time work.

2°) Vocational Education :

• There are four certificates (Certificates I to IV) of professional aptitude. The higher the level of the Certificate you pass, the more likely you will be able to join a company in a position of responsibility. A Certificate I in business, for example, will allow you to obtain those professional aptitudes that are basic to a specific domain and will likely land you a post as an office assistant. A Certificate IV in business will allow you to deepen your knowledge and will most likely lead you to an administrative position of responsibility such as senior assistant accountant or head of customer relations.

• The “Diploma”: prepared in 1 or 2 years, combines quite advanced theoretical courses with their practical application. This programme allows the development of advanced technical and/or creative abilities.

• The “Advanced Diploma”: comparable to the French B.T.S. and D.U.T. and the Belgian Graduat, the “Advanced Diploma” is of a slightly higher level than the “Diploma”. It is usually obtained in 2 or 3 years. Many “Advanced Diplomas” allow access to a first cycle university study course (Bachelor degrees).

Students are selected according to the strength of their application. The mastery of English, however, is an important element. You must therefore pass the IELTS before departure and get a score that meets the requirements of the university in question. If you feel your English needs a little help before taking the IELTS, the universities offer intensive courses in language schools and then allow you to join one of their diploma study programmes.

Your application should contain all your results and diplomas since the Baccalaureate (Bac included). You can also attach a cover letter, a CV, and one or more letters of recommendation.

One of the differences between the New Zealand education system and that of France, Belgium or Switzerland, is the admissions calendar. Most universities propose 2 admissions per year, one in February and the other in July. Each admission is independent of the other, that is, students admitted in July must not join the programme that began 6 months earlier.

Some universities also offer additional admissions in May and/or October.

Most New Zealand and international students opt for the February admissions following the summer holidays.