In today’s article we shall be looking at cheap universities in New Zealand for international students where the tuition fees range from NZ$16,000 to NZ$30,000 per year. You will agree with me that this is quite affordable, especially when you compare it with other developed countries like UK, US, Australia etc. As at the time of writing this post, 1 United States Dollars equals 1.54 New Zealand Dollars. So with this you should be able to do the conversion and know the equivalent in your local currency.
So, let’s take a look at universities in New Zealand where the tuition fees is cheap and affordable, but before I start, let’s take a look at the cost of living in New Zealand.
New Zealand is a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean consisting of 2 main islands, both marked by volcanoes and glaciation. Capital Wellington, on the North Island, is home to Te Papa Tongarewa, the expansive national museum.
Cost of living In New Zealand for students
The cost of living in New Zealand is a little bit high. A student needs about NZ$1500 per month for his living expenses. This will cover the cost of feeding, accommodation, transportation, recreation etc for one month. Here’s the breakdown:
| General expenses | Cost (in NZ dollars) |
| Rent (per month) | $800–$950 |
| Groceries (per week) | $100–$150 |
| Gym membership (per year) | $300 |
| Entertainment (per week) | $50 |
| Milk (per litre) | $3 |
| Coca Cola (per can) | $2 |
| Cup of Coffee | $3–$5 |
| Lunch from University food hall or campus café | $7–$12 |
| Local calls made from a cell-phone | $0.50–$1.50 |
| Taxi – 5 km ride | $10–$12 |
| Movie ticket | $10–$14 |
| Visit to doctor | $45–$85 |
Now let’s take a look at the Universities in New Zealand with affordable or cheap tuition for international students:
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury is renowned public university and one of the cheapest in New Zealand for both local and international students. The University was established in 1873 and is the located in Christchurch, New Zealand. It has a large number of undergraduate and postgraduate programs at cheap or affordable tuition for international students.
Programs Offered
- Medical programs
- Engineering programs
- Natural sciences
- Humanities
- Business Administration
Tuition fees
Tuition fees is university of Canterbury range from NZ$25,000 to NZ$40,000(US$16,240 to US$25, 900) for all undergraduate and postgraduate programs. While certificate programs range from NZ$12,000 to NZ$17,000(US$7,700 to US$11,000) per year. You can click here to see a list of all programs offered in University of Canterbury with tuition fees.
Massey University
Massey University is one of the universities in New Zealand that is considered one of the affordable. It was established in 1927 and is the largest university in New Zealand. The university awards lots of scholarships to international students all over the world.
Programs offered
- Engineering
- Medicine
- Social Sciences
- Business courses
Tuition fees
Tuition fees in Massey University ranges from NZ$26,000 to NZ$45,000(US$17,000 to US$29,000) for all undergraduate and postgraduate study programs. You can click here to access all programs offered at Massey University with their tuition fees.
Lincoln University
Lincoln University is a New Zealand university that was formed in 1878 when Lincoln College, Canterbury was made independent of the University of Canterbury. Since its creation in 1878 Lincoln has been a key contributor to the core interests of New Zealand and the global economy – and our graduates are well-placed to tackle the big issues, to: feed the world, protect the future, and live well. Lincoln University is highly connected to industry for research collaboration and commercialization, which in turn informs our teaching across three broad areas: agriculture and life sciences; environment, society and design; and commerce.
Programs offered
- Sciences
- Life Sciences
- Environmental and Life Sciences
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees in Lincoln university ranges from NZ$27,000 to NZ$45,000( US$17,000 to US$29,000) per year for all undergraduate and postgraduate programs. You can click here to access all programs offered in Lincoln University with their respective tuition fees.
Auckland University
Auckland University is one of the best universities in New Zealand with a very good ranking. It was established in 1883 as a public university and has offered a broad range of study programs in the fields of Engineering, Medicine, and Sciences etc. The University also awards lots of study abroad scholarships to international students.
Programs offered
- Medicine
- Engineering,
- Sciences
- Management Sciences
- Business Administration
- Law
Tuition fees
Tuition fees in Auckland university ranges from NZ$31,000 to NZ$40,000(US$20,000 to US$25,000) per year for all undergraduate and postgraduate programs. You can access all programs with tuition fees here.
As you can see the tuition fees in New Zealand are not very low, but when you compare it to places like the UK, US and Australia, it’s still affordable. If you go through the fees and you discover that your budget cannot carry it, you can consider studying in countries like Russia, Turkey, Cyprus, Ukraine where tuition fees is in the range of $3000 to $5000 per year and cost of living too s affordable, usually within the range of $200 to $500 per month.