Still growing.New universities and courses are added most weekdays (not weekends), each checked against the university's own page before it goes live — worth checking back. Sources last read 1 Oct 2026. How we verify →

StudyPath
QS #261Christchurch, New Zealand· QS World University Rankings 2026

University of Canterbury

What stands out

  • Lowest in New Zealand

    NZ$37,920a year

    Lowest undergraduate Business & Management fee of the 6 universities in New Zealand we have priced

    For Bachelor of Commerce (BCom). The cheapest of the others is Massey, at NZ$38,080 a year.

    See how it compares ↓

University of Canterbury, in Christchurch, New Zealand, has 19 undergraduate courses listed on StudyPath. International tuition runs from NZ$37,920 to NZ$47,450 a year depending on the course. Canterbury publishes its own accommodation prices, from NZ$21,158 per year. 2 named scholarships are recorded against these courses. Every figure above was read from Canterbury's own published pages and last checked on 20 September 2026.

Courses
19
Fees verified
18 / 19
Scholarship entries
16
canterbury.ac.nz ↗
International tuition across 18 courses

NZ$37,920toNZ$47,450a year

Lowest: Bachelor of Commerce BCom and 10 othersHighest: Bachelor of Engineering with Honours BE(Hons)
Applies everywhere on the site, on this device — change it any time.
Not set — every fee below is the international rate. Home and EU/EEA rates are often far lower.

courses

19 courses

Bachelor of Science

BSc · 3 years · Biology & Life Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Earth & Environmental, Genetics, Microbiology

International tuition

NZ$43,080 per year

~NZ$129,200 for the whole 3 years, at today's fee
Verified

2026 tuition fee estimate · Priced for this course · International students

UC publishes the figure as an estimate "per 120 points", which is one full-time year's standard load (its Bachelor of Engineering with Honours page describes the first year of that degree as "nine courses (120 points)", and each of these degrees is 360 points over three years). UC also states the estimate is indicative and that "tuition fees vary for each course, depending on the subject area and course level". The compulsory Student Services Levy is charged on top and is not included: UC states it separately as "2026 SSL : $10.30 per point ($1,236.00 per 120 points)". UC additionally publishes a 2027 estimate for most of these degrees; the 2026 figure is recorded here so the comparison stays on the same year as the other New Zealand universities on StudyPath.

Show the fee on the university's site
✓ Word for wordRead 25 Aug 2026
“International 2025 tuition fee estimate: $41,460 per 120 points 2026 tuition fee estimate: $43,080 per 120 points”
Bachelor of Science (BSc) | University of Canterburycanterbury.ac.nz
Open the official page ↗
Intake
February, July
Source
Application deadline
Not verified
Scholarships2 available

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (Offshore)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who completed their university-entrance qualification overseas, or through UC International College, and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students who studied at secondary level in New Zealand apply to the separate August round instead.

    Two application rounds are listed on the archived page: 15 April for a Semester 2 2026 start, and 31 October for a Semester 1 2027 start. Canterbury states that a student can hold more than one of its scholarships at a time.

    Source

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (NZ Incoming First-Year)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who have completed, or are completing, a university-entrance qualification at a New Zealand secondary school and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students studying offshore or at UC International College apply to the April or October rounds instead.

    This is the round for international students already schooled in New Zealand; the closing date on the archived page is 6 August.

    Source

Bachelor of Computer Science

BCompSc · 3 years · Computer Science

International tuition

Not verified

Tuition not published in a form we could verify

What this actually costs

Re-verified 5 Sep 2026, still no figure: the BCompSc is a genuinely new degree (the same page states it is "subject to Te Pōkai Tara | Universities New Zealand CUAP and Te Amorangi Mātauranga Matua | Tertiary Education Commission approval" and enrolments are only "opening soon" for 2027), so both the domestic and international fee rows read "Tuition fee estimate to be confirmed." Cross-checked against UC's separate Bachelor's-degree international fee-estimate listing (which does name specific qualifications, e.g. Bachelor of Data Science at $42,080 for 2026), and BCompSc is absent from it entirely -- confirming this is an unapproved/unpriced qualification, not a page we simply haven't found the number on. The compulsory Student Services Levy is stated separately on the same page as $10.30 per point ($1,236.00 per 120 points) for 2026.

Show the source
✓ Word for wordRead 5 Sept 2026
“Domestic students Tuition fee estimate to be confirmed. International students Tuition fee estimate to be confirmed. While a tuition fee estimate is being confirmed, you can calculate your likely tuition costs by selecting your courses in the Fees Estimator.”
Bachelor of Computer Science (BCompSc) | University of Canterburycanterbury.ac.nz
Open the official page ↗
Intake
February, July
Source
Application deadline
Not verified
Scholarships2 available

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (Offshore)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who completed their university-entrance qualification overseas, or through UC International College, and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students who studied at secondary level in New Zealand apply to the separate August round instead.

    Two application rounds are listed on the archived page: 15 April for a Semester 2 2026 start, and 31 October for a Semester 1 2027 start. Canterbury states that a student can hold more than one of its scholarships at a time.

    Source

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (NZ Incoming First-Year)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who have completed, or are completing, a university-entrance qualification at a New Zealand secondary school and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students studying offshore or at UC International College apply to the April or October rounds instead.

    This is the round for international students already schooled in New Zealand; the closing date on the archived page is 6 August.

    Source

Bachelor of Data Science

BDataSc · 3 years · Data Science & AI, Computer Science

International tuition

NZ$42,080 per year

~NZ$126,200 for the whole 3 years, at today's fee
Verified

2026 tuition fee estimate · Priced for this course · International students

UC publishes the figure as an estimate "per 120 points", which is one full-time year's standard load (its Bachelor of Engineering with Honours page describes the first year of that degree as "nine courses (120 points)", and each of these degrees is 360 points over three years). UC also states the estimate is indicative and that "tuition fees vary for each course, depending on the subject area and course level". The compulsory Student Services Levy is charged on top and is not included: UC states it separately as "2026 SSL : $10.30 per point ($1,236.00 per 120 points)". UC additionally publishes a 2027 estimate for most of these degrees; the 2026 figure is recorded here so the comparison stays on the same year as the other New Zealand universities on StudyPath.

Show the fee on the university's site
✓ Word for wordRead 25 Aug 2026
“International students 2025 tuition fee estimate: $40,500 per 120 points 2026 tuition fee estimate: $42,080 per 120 points”
Bachelor of Data Science (BDataSc) | University of Canterburycanterbury.ac.nz
Open the official page ↗
Intake
February, July
Source
Application deadline
Not verified
Scholarships2 available

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (Offshore)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who completed their university-entrance qualification overseas, or through UC International College, and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students who studied at secondary level in New Zealand apply to the separate August round instead.

    Two application rounds are listed on the archived page: 15 April for a Semester 2 2026 start, and 31 October for a Semester 1 2027 start. Canterbury states that a student can hold more than one of its scholarships at a time.

    Source

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (NZ Incoming First-Year)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who have completed, or are completing, a university-entrance qualification at a New Zealand secondary school and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students studying offshore or at UC International College apply to the April or October rounds instead.

    This is the round for international students already schooled in New Zealand; the closing date on the archived page is 6 August.

    Source

Bachelor of Engineering with Honours

BE(Hons) · 4 years · Engineering (General)

International tuition

NZ$47,450 per year

~NZ$189,800 for the whole 4 years, at today's fee
Verified

2026 tuition fee estimate · Priced for this course · International students

This is UC's First Year international estimate. The same table gives a higher Second-Fourth Years rate — "2026 tuition fee estimate: $51,900 per 120 points" — so years 2 to 4 cost more than the figure recorded here. UC publishes the figure as an estimate "per 120 points", which is one full-time year's standard load (its Bachelor of Engineering with Honours page describes the first year of that degree as "nine courses (120 points)", and each of these degrees is 360 points over three years). UC also states the estimate is indicative and that "tuition fees vary for each course, depending on the subject area and course level". The compulsory Student Services Levy is charged on top and is not included: UC states it separately as "2026 SSL : $10.30 per point ($1,236.00 per 120 points)". UC additionally publishes a 2027 estimate for most of these degrees; the 2026 figure is recorded here so the comparison stays on the same year as the other New Zealand universities on StudyPath.

Show the fee on the university's site
✓ Word for wordRead 25 Aug 2026
“International students First Year 2025 tuition fee estimate: $45,665 per 120 points 2026 tuition fee estimate: $47,450 per 120 points”
Bachelor of Engineering with Honours (BE(Hons)) | University of Canterburycanterbury.ac.nz
Open the official page ↗
Intake
February, July
Source
Application deadline
Not verified
Scholarships2 available

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (Offshore)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who completed their university-entrance qualification overseas, or through UC International College, and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students who studied at secondary level in New Zealand apply to the separate August round instead.

    Two application rounds are listed on the archived page: 15 April for a Semester 2 2026 start, and 31 October for a Semester 1 2027 start. Canterbury states that a student can hold more than one of its scholarships at a time.

    Source

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (NZ Incoming First-Year)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who have completed, or are completing, a university-entrance qualification at a New Zealand secondary school and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students studying offshore or at UC International College apply to the April or October rounds instead.

    This is the round for international students already schooled in New Zealand; the closing date on the archived page is 6 August.

    Source

Bachelor of Environmental Science with Honours

BEnvSci(Hons) · 4 years · Earth & Environmental

International tuition

NZ$41,955 per year

~NZ$167,800 for the whole 4 years, at today's fee
Verified

2026 tuition fee estimate · Priced for this course · International students

UC publishes the figure as an estimate "per 120 points", which is one full-time year's standard load (its Bachelor of Engineering with Honours page describes the first year of that degree as "nine courses (120 points)", and each of these degrees is 360 points over three years). UC also states the estimate is indicative and that "tuition fees vary for each course, depending on the subject area and course level". The compulsory Student Services Levy is charged on top and is not included: UC states it separately as "2026 SSL : $10.30 per point ($1,236.00 per 120 points)". UC additionally publishes a 2027 estimate for most of these degrees; the 2026 figure is recorded here so the comparison stays on the same year as the other New Zealand universities on StudyPath.

Show the fee on the university's site
✓ Word for wordRead 25 Aug 2026
“International students 2025 tuition fee estimate: $40,380 per 120 points 2026 tuition fee estimate: $41,955 per 120 points”
Bachelor of Environmental Science with Honours (BEnvSci(Hons)) | University of Canterburycanterbury.ac.nz
Open the official page ↗
Intake
February, July
Source
Application deadline
Not verified
Scholarships2 available

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (Offshore)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who completed their university-entrance qualification overseas, or through UC International College, and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students who studied at secondary level in New Zealand apply to the separate August round instead.

    Two application rounds are listed on the archived page: 15 April for a Semester 2 2026 start, and 31 October for a Semester 1 2027 start. Canterbury states that a student can hold more than one of its scholarships at a time.

    Source

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (NZ Incoming First-Year)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who have completed, or are completing, a university-entrance qualification at a New Zealand secondary school and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students studying offshore or at UC International College apply to the April or October rounds instead.

    This is the round for international students already schooled in New Zealand; the closing date on the archived page is 6 August.

    Source

Bachelor of Forestry Science

BForSc · 4 years · Earth & Environmental

International tuition

NZ$43,035 per year

~NZ$172,100 for the whole 4 years, at today's fee
Verified

2026 tuition fee estimate · Priced for this course · International students

UC publishes the figure as an estimate "per 120 points", which is one full-time year's standard load (its Bachelor of Engineering with Honours page describes the first year of that degree as "nine courses (120 points)", and each of these degrees is 360 points over three years). UC also states the estimate is indicative and that "tuition fees vary for each course, depending on the subject area and course level". The compulsory Student Services Levy is charged on top and is not included: UC states it separately as "2026 SSL : $10.30 per point ($1,236.00 per 120 points)". UC additionally publishes a 2027 estimate for most of these degrees; the 2026 figure is recorded here so the comparison stays on the same year as the other New Zealand universities on StudyPath.

Show the fee on the university's site
✓ Word for wordRead 25 Aug 2026
“International 2025 tuition fee estimate: $41,420 per 120 points 2026 tuition fee estimate: $43,035 per 120 points”
Bachelor of Forestry Science (BForSc) | University of Canterburycanterbury.ac.nz
Open the official page ↗
Intake
February, July
Source
Application deadline
Not verified
Scholarships2 available

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (Offshore)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who completed their university-entrance qualification overseas, or through UC International College, and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students who studied at secondary level in New Zealand apply to the separate August round instead.

    Two application rounds are listed on the archived page: 15 April for a Semester 2 2026 start, and 31 October for a Semester 1 2027 start. Canterbury states that a student can hold more than one of its scholarships at a time.

    Source

  • UC International First Year Scholarship (NZ Incoming First-Year)

    NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees.

    Eligibility: Top-achieving international students who have completed, or are completing, a university-entrance qualification at a New Zealand secondary school and who are starting an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury. Students studying offshore or at UC International College apply to the April or October rounds instead.

    This is the round for international students already schooled in New Zealand; the closing date on the archived page is 6 August.

    Source

How Canterbury compares

Against the other universities in New Zealand on StudyPath, using each one's verified international fees and its own published housing prices. Universities are only compared with others charging in the same currency (and, for housing, for the same period), so no figure here has been converted. A ~ marks a year worked out from a per-term or whole-course fee.

Canterbury's lowest undergraduate fee for international students is NZ$37,920 a year, for Bachelor of Commerce (BCom). Of the 6 other universities in New Zealand we list with undergraduate fees in NZD, 4 charge more at their lowest, 2 charge less. Their lowest undergraduate fees run from NZ$34,220 (Massey) to NZ$42,840 (University of Otago).

Living costs. The living-cost figure for a student visa to New Zealand is NZ$20,000 for each year, on top of tuition (figure for as published on Immigration New Zealand's student fund requirements page; read 19 Aug 2026 from immigration.govt.nz). The authority attaches conditions that can change this amount; see them in full on student finance.

By subject
SubjectLowest fee hereAgainst other universities in New ZealandTheir lowest fees
AccountingundergraduateNZ$37,920BCom - Accounting5 of 6 charge moreNZ$35,000 to NZ$48,133
FinanceundergraduateNZ$37,920BCom - Finance5 of 6 charge moreNZ$35,000 to NZ$48,133
MarketingundergraduateNZ$37,920BCom - Marketing5 of 6 charge moreNZ$35,000 to NZ$48,133
Biology & Life SciencesundergraduateNZ$43,080Bachelor of Science2 of 5 charge moreNZ$37,000 to NZ$47,221
Business & ManagementundergraduateNZ$37,920Bachelor of Commerce (BCom)Lowest of 6NZ$38,080 to NZ$48,133
ChemistryundergraduateNZ$43,080Bachelor of Science3 of 5 charge moreNZ$42,235 to NZ$47,221

Subjects taught at Canterbury

Each one opens every course in that subject, at every university we hold, with the same verified fees.

Where these figures come from

7 sentences from Canterbury's own site each back several figures above. Each is quoted once here; every course that uses one still opens it and links to its own source page.

  1. Used for international fee on 11 courses

    “International students 2026 tuition fee estimate: $37,920 per 120 points”
    Bachelor of Commerce | BCom Degree | UCcanterbury.ac.nzread 3 Sept 2026
    Open the official page ↗

  2. Used for start dates on 11 courses

    “START Bachelor of Commerce Degree Structure - Start In Semester 1 or 2 (February or July)”
    Bachelor of Commerce | University of Canterburycanterbury.ac.nzread 20 Sept 2026
    Open the official page ↗

  3. Used for course length on 11 courses

    “The BCom degree takes 3 years of full-time study, or can be studied part-time for up to 10 years.”
    Bachelor of Commerce - University of Canterburycanterbury.ac.nzread 13 Sept 2026
    Open the official page ↗

  4. Used for start dates on 8 courses

    “Degree Structure - Start In Semester 1 or 2 (February or July)”
    The same sentence appears on 8 pagescanterbury.ac.nzread 25 Aug 2026 to 5 Sept 2026
    Open one of them ↗

  5. Used for scholarship on 8 courses

    “UC International First Year Scholarship (Offshore) Purpose: This scholarship recognises and supports top-achieving international students who have completed their university-entrance qualification overseas, or via UC International College (UCIC) and will be commencing an undergraduate degree programme at UC. NB: For students who studied at secondary level in Aotearoa New Zealand, please apply under the August round . Value: $15,000 towards tuition fees Closing Date: 15 April for a S2 2026 start (applications open 07 March) or 31 October for a S1 2027 start (applications open 05 September)”
    First-Year UC Scholarships | International Students | University of Canterburycanterbury.ac.nzread 2 Sept 2026
    Open the official page ↗

  6. Used for scholarship on 8 courses

    “UC International First Year Scholarship (NZ Incoming First-Year) Purpose: This scholarship recognises and supports top-achieving international students who have completed, or are currently completing, a university-entrance qualification at a New Zealand secondary school, and will be commencing an undergraduate degree programme at UC. NB: If you are studying offshore or at UCIC, please apply under the April or October application round . Value: $15,000 towards tuition fees. Closing Date: 06 August”
    First-Year UC Scholarships | International Students | University of Canterburycanterbury.ac.nzread 2 Sept 2026
    Open the official page ↗

  7. Used for course length on 4 courses

    “Degree Structure - Duration 3 years full-time, up to 10 years part-time”
    The same sentence appears on 4 pagescanterbury.ac.nzread 25 Aug 2026 to 5 Sept 2026
    Open one of them ↗

More about Canterbury

About & contact

Christchurch, New Zealand· view on Google Maps ↗canterbury.ac.nz ↗

Find nearby

Halal food ↗Mosque ↗Supermarket ↗Pharmacy ↗Bank / ATM ↗SIM card ↗

These open a map search near Christchurch. StudyPath isn't listing or vouching for specific places — what the university itself publishes about on-campus facilities appears under On-campus amenities, cited like everything else here.

No admissions email, phone number, or address verified for this university yet. Not yet collected, not necessarily unavailable.

Accommodation

NZ$21,158per year

University of Canterbury, University Hall, West standard catered room — total cost for the 2027 academic year (41-week contract)

Total package price including catering (breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week); East rooms and other halls are priced separately, generally higher.

Published by the university itself, not a live listings price. Actual cost depends on room type, availability and when you apply.

Show the source
✓ Word for wordRead 4 Sept 2026
“West standard room, catered $21,158 (41 weeks) - 2027 Fees”
University Hall | UCcanterbury.ac.nz
Open the official page ↗

Search student housing near Christchurch → (partner link)

After you graduate

Rules read 16 Aug 2026. Check the current rules, this may be out of date

What New Zealand's own immigration authority currently publishes. Not a ranking, not a guarantee, and not the same as what any agent or forum will tell you. Whether someone actually obtains residence depends on occupation, points, funds and policy that can change between application and graduation.

Money you must prove before the visa

NZ$20,000for each year, where the study is tertiary level, English language or other non-compulsory study and lasts 1 year or more — a shorter course is NZD $1,667 for each month instead

Shown as a balance in a bank account. You keep control of it.

Figure published for: as published on Immigration New Zealand's student fund requirements page, which carries the issue stamp 'Issued: Monday 02 Mar 2026' and was read on 19 August 2026 This amount is revised regularly, so check it again before you transfer anything.

This is living costs only. On top of it the applicant must prove they can leave New Zealand — either a fully paid outward ticket or enough extra money to buy one — and, if pregnant, a further NZD $9,000 for maternity health and medical costs. Prepaid accommodation can be deducted from the living-costs figure (for example money already paid to a school for homestay), but any shortfall must still be evidenced. A child in primary, intermediate or secondary school (years 1 to 13) needs NZD $17,000 for each year, or NZD $1,417 a month for a shorter stay. The funds do not have to come from one place: they can be money held by or for the applicant, an acceptable sponsor, or a guarantor or third party, and different costs can be covered different ways. A sponsor is legally responsible for all the applicant's living costs even where the applicant intends to pay some themselves; an organisation sponsor must be registered in New Zealand with a clear link between its activities and the sponsorship, an individual sponsor must be a New Zealand citizen or resident and a family member or friend, the sponsor cannot be changed, and someone unsponsored on their first visa cannot be sponsored on a second. Accepted primary evidence is bank statements showing the account holder's name and the last 3 months of transactions, fixed-term deposit certificates held at least 3 months, a scholarship award letter, an education loan disbursal and sanction letter from a nationalised or multinational bank secured on the applicant's own fixed assets, or withdrawable provident funds. Large deposits (over NZD $2,000), many small ones, or a recently opened account trigger a request for secondary evidence explaining where the money came from.

Show the source
✓ Word for wordRead 19 Aug 2026
“If your studies are tertiary level, English language or other non-compulsory study, you must have: NZD $20,000 for each year, if you are studying for 1 year or more, or NZD $1,667 for each month, if your study is shorter than 1 year.”
Student fund requirements - Immigration New Zealandimmigration.govt.nz
Open the official page ↗
Compare this against other countries →

Work during study

Most student visa holders may work part-time up to 25 hours a week (raised from 20 hours, effective 3 November 2025) alongside full-time study, and full-time during mid-year study breaks and the Christmas/New Year holiday period — the exact conditions are printed on each student's own visa. PhD and Research Master's students enrolled at a New Zealand tertiary institution have no hours limit at all, provided they keep studying full-time.

Show the source
✓ Word for wordRead 16 Aug 2026
“With a student visa, you may be allowed to work part-time for up to 25 hours a week, and during mid-year study breaks and the Christmas and New Year holiday period.”
Working on a student visa :: Immigration New Zealandimmigration.govt.nz
Open the official page ↗

Post-study work visa

Post Study Work Visa . Up to 3 years
Lets a recent graduate of an approved New Zealand qualification stay and work in New Zealand for up to 3 years. Applicants must have a degree-level (NZQCF level 7 or higher) qualification studied full-time for at least 30 weeks in New Zealand, or an eligible non-degree qualification (level 7 or below, on the list of qualifications eligible for this visa) tied to a job related to what they studied. Length of stay depends on the qualification: applicants with a Master's or Doctoral qualification (at least 30 weeks of full-time NZ study) get 3 years; other eligible graduates — including a bachelor's degree — get a visa matching the length of their study, as recorded on their offer of place. From 16 November 2026, eligibility is due to extend to an NZQCF level 7 graduate diploma studied full-time in New Zealand combined with a bachelor's degree completed in New Zealand or overseas.

Show the source
✓ Word for wordRead 16 Aug 2026
“Apply for this visa if you want to work in New Zealand soon after you have completed your studies here. It allows you to stay and work in New Zealand for up to 3 years, depending on what you studied.”
Post Study Work Visa » Immigration New Zealandimmigration.govt.nz
Open the official page ↗

Route to permanent residence

A Post Study Work Visa can lead to a resident visa but does not itself grant one. The main points-based route is the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa, which (under the rules current as of this reading) requires at least 6 'skilled resident points' built from having a skilled job or job offer, plus 3 to 6 points for the applicant's highest New Zealand (or NZ-equivalent) qualification level — 6 for a doctoral degree, 5 for a master's degree, 4 for a bachelor honours degree or postgraduate diploma, 3 for a (level 7) bachelor's degree or postgraduate certificate — or for occupational registration or income instead, plus up to 3 more points for skilled work experience in New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand has announced changes to this points system taking effect 24 August 2026, after which a New Zealand bachelor's degree is due to be worth 5 points rather than 3, alongside two new non-points-based SMC pathways and a reduced New Zealand work-experience requirement. Separately, a Green List Tier 1 job with an accredited employer can qualify for a Straight to Residence Visa, and a Tier 2 Green List job can lead to residence via a Work to Residence visa after 2 years of qualifying work.

Show the source
✓ Word for wordRead 16 Aug 2026
“You can claim between 3 to 6 points depending on the highest level of qualification you have. New Zealand qualifications and international qualifications with a New Zealand equivalent If you have a New Zealand qualification or your IQA confirms your qualification has a New Zealand equivalent, you can claim: 6 points — for a level 10 doctoral degree 5 points — for a level 9 master's degree 4 points — for a level 8 bachelor honour's degree or postgraduate diploma, or 3 points — for a level 8 postgraduate certificate or level 7 bachelor's degree.”
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa » Immigration New Zealandimmigration.govt.nz
Open the official page ↗

Route to citizenship

New Zealand citizenship by grant is administered by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) — a different department from Immigration New Zealand, which runs the visa system. An applicant must hold a Resident Visa or Permanent Resident Visa and have been entitled to reside in New Zealand indefinitely for at least 5 years, and must have been physically present in New Zealand for at least 1,350 days during those 5 years, with at least 240 days present in each of the five 12-month periods. Applicants must also show they intend to keep living in New Zealand, hold a basic conversational level of English, and be of good character. New Zealand allows dual citizenship or multiple citizenship — becoming a New Zealand citizen does not require renouncing an applicant's existing nationality, though govt.nz notes some other countries do not extend the same allowance.

Show the source
✓ Word for wordRead 17 Aug 2026
“at least 240 days in each 12-month period, and 1,350 days across the 5 years.”
Presence in NZ requirements | New Zealand Governmentgovt.nz
Open the official page ↗

What the government currently prioritises

Immigration New Zealand maintains a Green List of roles the country needs workers for, split into Tier 1 (qualifies for a Straight to Residence Visa immediately, given the stated qualification/registration/experience and remuneration) and Tier 2 (qualifies for a Work to Residence visa leading to residence after 2 years). Reading the operational manual's own Appendix 13 (the Green List's full table, current as of 9 March 2026) directly, rather than only the search tool, shows real depth on StudyPath's fields. ICT, Electronics and Telecommunications names on Tier 1 include ICT Project Manager, ICT Managers nec, Analyst Programmer, Developer Programmer, Software Engineer, Software Tester, ICT Security Specialist, Software and Applications Programmers nec, Database Administrator and Systems Administrator — each gated on a stated remuneration floor (e.g. at least NZD 70.00/hour, about NZD 145,600/year on a 40-hour week, rising to NZD 87.50/hour for a Straight to Residence application based on a contract for services plus 10 years' relevant work), not just the occupation title. Engineering names on Tier 1 include Chemical, Materials, Civil, Geotechnical, Structural, Electrical, Electronics, Industrial, Mechanical, Production/Plant, Aeronautical and Environmental Engineer, each requiring a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours (or an accepted equivalent) plus New Zealand registration, or a certifying letter from Engineering New Zealand, as a Chartered Professional Engineer. Health and Social Services names on Tier 1 include Resident Medical Officer and other Medical Practitioner grades (NZ Medical Council registration), Nurse Practitioners and Registered Nurses across more than a dozen named specialisms (Aged Care, Critical Care and Emergency, Mental Health, Surgical, Paediatrics and others), Medical Laboratory Scientist, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and Medical Imaging Technologist, each with its own required qualification and NZ professional registration. Green List contents and remuneration thresholds are reviewed and change periodically — StudyPath’s list above is a snapshot of the 9 March 2026 table, not a live feed, so re-check the current Appendix 13 for a specific occupation before relying on it.

Show the source
✓ Word for wordRead 17 Aug 2026
“Analyst Programmer (261311) Developer Programmer (261312) Software Engineer (261313) Software Tester (261314) ICT Security Specialist (262112) Software and Applications Programmers nec (261399) Database Administrator (262111) Remuneration for the employment must be $70.00 per hour or above, or the equivalent annual salary ($145,600 per annum based on a 40 hour week)”
Appendix 13 - Green List (09/03/2026) :: Immigration New Zealand Operational Manualimmigration.govt.nz
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Four universities on StudyPath are in New Zealand (Waikato, AUT, Lincoln and Massey) — this note previously said none were, which was already stale by the time of this correction. Two upcoming changes matter for anyone timing an application: Post Study Work Visa eligibility is due to extend on 16 November 2026, and the Skilled Migrant Category points system is due to change on 24 August 2026 (a New Zealand bachelor's degree rising from 3 to 5 of the 6 points needed). Read 16 August 2026, shortly before the August 2026 SMC change — re-check the current rules before relying on this, especially the residence-points figures. Deepening pass, 17 August 2026: inDemandOccupations previously described only the Green List's mechanism and explicitly declined to name any occupation, deferring to 'the live tool'. StudyPath instead read Immigration New Zealand's own operational-manual Appendix 13 (the Green List's full published table, immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/89117.htm, dated 09/03/2026 on the page itself) directly and archived it, so specific Tier 1 ICT, engineering and health occupation names, ANZSCO codes and remuneration floors could be cited rather than described only in the abstract. immigration.govt.nz was already an allowlisted New Zealand domain; no domain change was needed. Tier 2 was checked too and, as before, contains no ICT/engineering/health roles relevant to StudyPath’s fields (it is concentrated in trades). citizenshipRoute added 17 August 2026, cited to govt.nz (the presence-requirements page, 4d817320f89a9694, and the changing-your-citizenship-status/dual-citizenship page, 9fe2acf3f160398f, both already covered by the existing 'govt.nz' entry in the accepted government-source list since it matches any *.govt.nz host). The Department of Internal Affairs' own site, dia.govt.nz, hosts only downloadable policy-manual PDFs rather than a plain-text current-requirements page, so the citizen-facing govt.nz pages it links to were used instead — both are official New Zealand Government pages, just not on the dia.govt.nz subdomain specifically. naturalisationStatus set to 'published-route' on 18 August 2026: the authority already cited under citizenshipRoute publishes criteria a foreign resident could actually follow, which is the only claim this field makes. It is deliberately not a judgement about how attainable that route is in practice. studentVisaFunds added 19 August 2026. Both the annual and the monthly rate appear in the cited quote; the annual figure is stored as the amount because it is the one that applies to degree-length study, which is what StudyPath carries. Immigration New Zealand states no separate commencement date for the figure, so effectiveFrom records the issue stamp the page itself carries (02 Mar 2026) rather than inventing one.

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