New Zealand is an internationally recognised provider of tertiary education. You can be confident that any courses you study here will be well accepted by employers and institutions both offshore and in New Zealand. The academic year begins in late February or early March and finishes in November (spring).

New Zealand has several types of higher education institutions: universities, colleges, private institutions and polytechnics. There are eight universities in New Zealand which all offer high-quality education. All eight universities are ranked within the QS World University Ranking top 500. 

• The University of Auckland
• Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
• University of Canterbury
• Lincoln University
• Massey University
• University of Otago
• Victoria University of Wellington
• University of Waikato.

Masters degrees

Postgraduate qualifications in the country are equivalent to their UK counterparts, with programmes offering full-time and part-time study options.

Qualifications on offer include postgraduate certificates and diplomas, and Masters degrees. You can study either a taught or research Masters and after you graduate, you'll be eligible to work for up to three years in New Zealand on a post-study work visa.

Traditionally, Masters courses take two years to complete, although there are now a number of programmes that can be completed in a year or 18 months.