Life as a student in New Zealand

As a school student, your day will probably begin around 7am for breakfast, like most New Zealanders on week days. Then the school starts at around 8:30 am, has a lunch break in the middle of the day, and finishes at about 3pm.

After school you’ll probably spend time with your friends, or with people at home, before dinner at around 6pm, followed by your nightly routine, which may include friendly chit chat or watching a bit of television, as well as some study.

On the weekends you’ll have more time for relaxing and socialising after the busy school week.

You’re most likely to be a homestay student or live in rental premises when you travel to New Zealand to study. The majority of international students are accommodated in these arrangements. It’s likely to cost you a bit more than $300 per week all up for food, accommodation and the other necessities of life
while you study, but you won’t have to do a huge amount of housework to live decently.

You’re also likely to be happy with your living arrangements, your safety and security, your actual living space and your overall experience of home life as a school student in New Zealand. The New Zealand government has been careful to ask international school students about their experiences and this is
what the students have told them.

While you’re a student, you’re likely to have support and encouragement from other international students when you get a bit homesick or lonely, which happens to a lot of people until they settle in a bit more. The friendly New Zealanders, especially in your homestay, will look after you and help you
find your way around in your new location, and staff at your school can give you a lot of practical help about the school, the language and the courses.

If you want to get a bit more involved in your local community, there may be cultural groups in the community that you can connect with. You can make
friends with the locals and other international students, so don’t be shy and don’t worry too much about language differences.

You’ll do okay - if you’ve got enough language skills to study at school, you’ve got enough skills to make friends. Take the chance and enjoy your stay.