Top 5 Ranked Universities In New Zealand

Updated on: 21 Oct 2021

Back in 2017, the total number of international students in New Zealand was 125,392. At the university level, overseas enrolments were nearly 30,000. When you combine the Indian and Chinese contributions, they made 50% of the entire international student populace.

Top Universities in New Zealand – What You Should Choose

For all Indian students contemplating studying in NZ, we peel back the decisive layers and submit to you a New Zealand Universities List which includes the best five in the nation. To keep the information relevant to most of our readers, the focus will remain on either MBA or STEM courses.

1. The University of Auckland 

Māori Name: Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau
Established in 1883, the university is the most comprehensive one and is known as the home of A-rated and globally ranked researchers on the island. It has six campuses, five of which are in the largest city of NZ – Auckland. The other is located in Whangarei. The biggest and most prominent premise, the City Campus, is right at the heart of Auckland – the Central Business District (CBD).

What you need to know…

• QS Global Rank: 85th
• QS Subject Ranking: Maths – 45th 
• Life Sciences – 101st For a rudimentary idea of how much tuition fee an overseas student will have to pay to study in the Best University in New Zealand, here are some numbers:

Undergraduate Degree:

• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) - NZ$43,458
• Bachelor of Science - NZ$35,035

Postgraduate Degree:

• Master of Engineering - NZ$41,167
• Master of Marketing - NZ$77,662

The average pay you can expect after finishing a course here is:

• Bachelor of Engineering - NZ$64,845
• Master of Engineering - NZ$62,400    
• Master of Management - NZ$67,407

The college is a good choice because of the excellent education it provides, plus the city of Auckland is one of the top three cities in the world to live. 

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2. University of Otago 

Māori Name: Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo
The medal for the oldest New Zealand University goes to Otago, which was founded in 1869. It is one of the few schools in NZ that provide a rigorous and full-time MBA program which is ranked by QS as 9th best in Oceania Region. Besides real-life cases, it incorporates mentoring, development activities and a demanding academic curriculum.
The main campus of the college is located in Leith Street, North Dunedin which is recognized as the scenic southern part of New Zealand. Add to this advantage, the secure residential flats of the university and the scale is tipped heavily in its favour.

What you need to know…

• QS Global Rank: 175th 
• QS Subject Ranking: 94th in Life Sciences

When only the bare bones are considered, one-year tuition fee of an international student at Otago University comes to: 

Undergraduate Degree:

• Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering – NZ$30,851
• Bachelor of Science in Mathematics – NZ$25,109

Postgraduate Degree:

• MSC in Software Engineering - NZ$49,650
• Master of Business Administration - NZ$45,778 

The average pay you can expect after finishing a course here is:

• Bachelor of Science - NZ$60,321
• Master of Science - NZ$71,500
• Master of Business Administration - NZ$82,823

3. Victoria University of Wellington 

Māori Name: Te Whare Wānanga o Te Ūpoko o Te Ika a Māui
Founded in 1899, the university is located in the capital city of the nation which is also the political, cultural and creative hub. With three campuses situated across Wellington, the college leverages connections with industries, international organisations, research institutes, and governmental authorities. The links make the school a reliable option for scholars especially because it has mentored people like the Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry in 2000, Alan MacDiarmid. 
What you need to know…

• QS Global Rank: 221st
• QS Subject Ranking: 28th in Hospitality & Leisure Management

Like many other colleges in New Zealand, Victoria calculates tuition fee on a per-point basis. The final amount can differ from student to student because it depends on their choice of subjects. Ordinarily, an overseas student will pay annually in just tuition charges:
Undergraduate Degree:

• Bachelor of Science – NZ$29,894
• Bachelor of Engineering – NZ$    33,360

Postgraduate Degree:

• Master of Science – NZ$35,250
• Master of Business Administration – NZ$29,050

The average pay you can expect after finishing a course here is:

• Bachelor of Science - NZ$69,000
• Post Graduation in Management - NZ $73,000

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4. University of Canterbury 

Māori Name: Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
When assessed under New Zealand Universities Rankings by QS, UC comes 4th. It was founded by pupils of Cambridge and Oxford back in 1873 and is one of the reasons it makes for a brilliant school. Not just the second oldest university in NZ, it boasts of over 18000 students.
The campus is located in suburbs of Christchurch, the 3rd largest city on the island nation. Ilam, the leafy and landscaped site of the university is a stone’s throw away from an international airport. 
What you need to know…

• QS Global Rank: 231st 
• QS Subject Ranking: 240th in Engineering & Technology

Barring all non-tuition fees, typically a student from India will have to pay in a year:

Undergraduate Degree:

• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours– NZ$42,000
• Bachelor of Science – NZ$32,000

Postgraduate Degree:

• Master of Engineering – NZ$42,000
• Master of Business Administration – NZ$57,200*
  • * MBA fee is for complete 15 months for 240 points.

The average pay you can expect after finishing a course here is:

• Bachelor of Science - NZ$65,575
• Master of Engineering - NZ$67,068

5. University of Waikato 

Māori Name: Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato
A relatively new university that opened its doors in 1964, it is the alma mater of the present Prime Minister of NZ – Jacinda Ardern. Located in Knighton Road in the city of Hamilton, in the past year the college jumped up 100 places in the QS world university rankings. Because the school offers several accommodation options such as residential halls, shared flats, boarding and homestay, it makes for a safe choice for a student from abroad.

What you need to know…

• QS Global Rank: 274th
• QS Subject Ranking: 27th in Hospitality & Leisure Management

For an Indian scholar, to get a degree from Waikato, they will have to shell out the following in tuition fee for one year:

Undergraduate Degree:

• Bachelor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences with Honours – NZ$29,705
• Bachelor of Engineering with Honours – NZ$35,700

Postgraduate Degree:

• Master of Science – NZ$34,245
• Master of Business and Management – NZ$45,000 *
  • * MBA fee is for 1-1½ years for 180 points.

The average pay you can expect after finishing a course here is:

• Bachelor of Engineering - NZ$62,489
• Master of Science - NZ$70,973
• Master of Business Administration - NZ$85,500    

Cost of Living In New Zealand 

Besides tuition, a person also has to factor in the expense of living in the country.  The precise living cost can alter from region to region and college to college in New Zealand. But a student who opts for more than one year, of course, has to prove that they can afford about NZ$15000 worth of expenses in the first year. A range for some of the universities is: 

• NZ$20,000-NZ$25,000 - University of Auckland
• NZ$15,000-NZ$17,000 - University of Otago
• NZ$18,000- NZ$27,000 – Victoria University of Wellington

New Zealand Excellence Awards Programme

If a world-class education is not enough incentive to study here, then maybe the New Zealand Excellence Awards programme would be. The grant chooses 35 students from India and extends them a scholarship of NZ$10,000 each. You can pursue Management or STEM field subjects at the graduate or postgraduate level with this scholarship. All top five colleges come within its purview.

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First published date: 12 Apr 2019