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New Zealand: Destination Guides

Why study in New Zealand?

Why should you study abroad in New Zealand? Learn why the nation is such a popular study abroad destination...

New Zealand

Besides being able to study at one of the nation’s globally-ranked institutions, the chance to live in New Zealand is not one that should be passed up. Green, warm, notoriously friendly and renowned for the high quality of life enjoyed by its populace, it’s no surprise that the nation constantly ranks amongst the world’s happiest. But what is it that makes New Zealand so special? Read our overview of why you should consider studying abroad in New Zealand to find out.

 

Welcoming

Above all else, New Zealanders are known for being exceedingly friendly and welcoming. Named one of three nations worldwide where it’s easiest to make friends with locals and integrate into your new community, New Zealand welcomes thousands of expats each year. In March 2014, immigration to New Zealand hit a net gain of 3,800: the second-highest monthly figure ever recorded. Since September 2012, the amount of people moving to New Zealand has been steadily on the rise.

 

Things are no different when it comes to international students. Between 2000-2005, New Zealand experienced a 170% growth in international student numbers, with students coming in from over 180 different countries. With mind to encouraging students to study abroad in New Zealand and retaining foreign talent, immigration changes in 2006 were devised to create post-study options for students both with and without a job offer at the time of their graduation.  

 

Outdoor culture

It’s no exaggeration to say that New Zealand’s spectrum of breathtaking landscapes is the object of the world’s envy. From the rolling green hills made famous in Lord of the Rings to white coastlines that trace North and South islands, New Zealanders make a point of enjoying their beautiful environment by spending plenty of time outdoors. Wherever you are in New Zealand, you’re never more than 90 minutes drive from a beach.

 

Over 15% of New Zealand families own their own boat, whilst hiking, camping, fishing and bushwalking are keenly popular national pastimes. For those looking for something a little more adrenaline-heavy, New Zealanders also take to bungy jumping, sky diving, caving, rafting, off-road driving, zip lining and the unusual practice of ‘zorb’: being rolled down a hill inside a giant, transparent plastic sphere. Whether you’re keen for adventure or simply want to enjoy a stroll along the beach, New Zealand has most definitely got you covered.

 

Clean, green, healthy

Named best in the world for environmental progress, New Zealand throws key focus on environmental sustainability and maintaining its clean, green status. National pollution levels are well below the OECD average, whilst water quality is markedly above average.

 

New Zealand is often toted as one of the world’s healthiest nations, coming 15th in a recent Bloomberg survey for the world’s healthiest country and 23rd in the Oxfam Food Index, a measure of which country has the most available supply of nutritious food. Within this second survey, New Zealand ranked within the highest category for quality of food and enough to eat. With plenty of available fresh, local produce, there isn’t really much of an excuse to not eat well during your time abroad. Against booming agriculture, food and forestry sectors, food production and quality are key points of national interest in New Zealand, and are responsible for a sizable 12% of GDP.

 

Quality of life

Who wouldn’t want to live around happy people? As well as scoring well environmentally, New Zealand performs well in many global well-being and quality of life measures, with cities constantly named amongst the world’s happiest. Auckland was said to have the world’s third best quality of living in a recent survey by Mercer, based on culture and environment, political stability, infrastructure and ease of doing business, and ranked 10th as the world’s most liveable city in a similar survey by the Economic Intelligence Unit in 2013. New Zealand also ranked as the world’s 10th happiest country in the 2014 OECD Better Life Index.

 

Considering the nation’s cool 6.2% unemployment rate and bright career prospects for graduates, this is hardly a surprise. With an improving economy, over 100,000 jobs are predicted to be created by 2016, with key skills shortages in areas such as ICT, Teaching and Electronics. What’s more, New Zealanders boast an exceptional attitude in maintaining a positive work-life balance, with 88% of expats naming the ‘relaxed pace of life’ in New Zealand one of their favourite aspects of living there.

 

Ready to experience New Zealand for yourself? Browse courses in New Zealand now and kick-start your study abroad planning process!

 

 

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