On a previous blog this month we discussed the 5 main reasons we believe Dunedin is an awesome place to be, but now we’re looking a little bit wider and we want to talk about our top 5 reasons that make New Zealand a great place to study and get qualified!
An Otago degree opens doors around the world, and graduation day is a day that Otago likes to celebrate.
When you choose New Zealand as your study destination you’re making a smart choice because you will receive a world-class education, and don’t just take our word for it! All eight of New Zealand’s universities including the University of Otago are in the top 3% in the world. Something that sets us apart here at Otago is the personalised and practical approach to learning and teaching. Students get hands on experience from research led teaching so the information they are receiving is the very latest, studying at Otago means you are always on the edge of what is known and what is being discovered. The other major point to make is that New Zealand university qualifications are recognised and respected globally meaning it can open career pathways and doors for you around the world.
Mountain biking high above the Otago Peninsula, Dunedin.
New Zealand is insanely beautiful. Like, yes……RIDICULOUS…. The Lord of the Rings was filmed here. Need I say more. Of course, we still have some larger cities that aren’t quite as pristine, but you needn’t travel far geographically in New Zealand to find yourself in a picture book paradise. And alongside this, is the opportunity to get into the outdoors and experience a lifestyle that is truly freedom. And we aren’t all just paddocks and flocks of sheep, yes, you will definitely find that here, but we have become a lot more sophisticated over the last decade or so and developed our own unique New Zealand sense of café culture, art, food and fashion.
Students feel safe, with a sense of personal freedom as they walk around the Otago University campus.
We have always been a very safe country. In fact, we are the world’s second most peaceful country (Global Peace Index, 2017). And the concept of safety if you are a born and bred New Zealander is just something that we have taken for granted. We are used to feeling safe, and up until the digital age we were probably somewhat blissfully ignorant that many parts of the world are going through, and have been living in turmoil through war and unrest. So the decision to bring yourself to the other side of the world means you want to know that you are not coming into danger.
Lower cost of living and a perception that you are getting good value for money is a recurrent theme amongst international students.
Money! Having interviewed countless international students on their motivations to come and study at Otago University, it is clear for many that money and perceived value for money is a very important part of the decision making process. The international student recruitment market is a highly competitive one, and when it comes to cost New Zealand has lower living costs than many other countries. Also if you are a PhD student thinking of coming to study in New Zealand you will pay the same amount of fees as a domestic New Zealand student. Plus, if you choose to study in New Zealand there are opportunities for you to not only study, but work part-time as well.
We are a pretty friendly people…….smile and say ‘Kia Ora’ and see what happens.
We are generally a friendly bunch of people. Well, certainly down here in the South Island (Te Waipounamu). If you’re an international student it may seem strange that we say hello, Kia ora, smile or generally engage when we are out and about on campus, but that’s just what we do here. International students are always surprised by this friendliness, and once they feel confident enough to start saying ‘Kia ora’ which roughly translates to ‘good health to you’ in Māori, one of our three official languages, smile and start engaging, life will definitely start opening up. If you’re thinking about studying overseas consider these factors and get in touch if you’d like to know more.
Nicky Richardson is an International Marketing Coordinator at the University of Otago. With degrees in music and marketing, she is a recent graduate of Otago herself – she loves Otago so much she ended up getting a job here!
