The spectacular country of New Zealand is quite a wonderful pick for studying abroad. With only 4.8 million residents, it is a small country yet consistently pulls its weight thanks to its internationally recognized academics and world-class universities. Universities in New Zealand are spread across different cities and each city holds something different and mesmerising about it. Hence, if you have plans to study in New Zealand, you should also be aware of the cities and pick one which suits you the best.
Wellington
Wellington is the capital of New Zealand with a population of 424,000. Though it is a small city, Wellington is the heart and soul of the country in terms of IT, innovation, and film industry.
One of the main reasons you can choose the capital city is that universities like Victoria University of Wellington are a great choice for academic excellence and taking in around 3000+ international students. With a QS Stars rating of excellence that reaches the maximum of five stars plus, and five stars in each of the eight categories of arts and culture, discipline ranking and accreditations, employability, facilities, internationalisation, inclusivity, research, and teaching, this university is one of only 13 in the world.
Top Universities in Wellington
• Victoria University of Wellington
• Massey University
• Wellington Institute of Technology
Talking about what to explore in the neighbourhood, Wellington is not at all disappointing. This place is home to some amazing beaches, lush green hills, botanical gardens, national museums, harbour, Mt. Victoria, award-winning restaurants, and coffee shops. All across the city, you can find affordable, good food, which is vital when you're a student on a tight budget.
Few interesting activities and places to visit in Wellington
• Cable car in the Lambton Quay
• The Lord of the Rings film location
• Red Rock Reserve
• Museum of New Zealand
• Mount Victoria Lookout
• Wellington Zoo
• Princess Beach
Hamilton
Hamilton is a charming city with historic architecture and modern attractions as well. Hamilton is a prevalent centre for overseas education in New Zealand, and is home to 3 major universities of which the University of Waikato is a popular destination for study in New Zealand for students and holds the title of being New Zealand's friendliest university!
Top Universities in Hamilton
• University of Waikato
• Waikato Institute of Technology
Situated on the banks of the Waikato River, Hamilton is a city renowned for its vibrant street art, fine dining establishments, and award-winning Hamilton Gardens. The city is also well-known for being a popular venue for both domestic and international events, including concerts and festivals in addition to sports activities like rugby, netball, cricket, rowing, and boxing.
There are many outdoor activities too such as visiting the Zealandia sanctuary in Karori. Conversely, Wellington is renowned for its culture! There are many bars and restaurants in the city; in fact, it is claimed to have more bars and restaurants per person than even New York City.
Few interesting activities and places to visit in Hamilton
• Hamilton Gardens
• Surfing at Raglan
• High tea at Zealong Tea Estate
• Waikato Museum
• Sanctuary Mountain
• Lake District Adventures
• Hot air balloon tour
Auckland
Auckland attracts the greatest number of tourists in the country. It is an extremely diverse city holding a population of 1.6 million residents. With 11% identifying as native Mori and 30% of the population identifying as Asian, it's a great area to learn more about New Zealand's diverse cultural heritage. You won't have any trouble staying occupied as a student in this lively city.
There are two universities top in the list in New Zealand according to rankings. The University of Auckland is usually placed #1 in university league tables, followed by Otago. Both colleges offer on-campus housing for students and have sizable international student populations. With over 40,000 students, the University of Auckland is the largest and the most prestigious university in New Zealand and New Zealand student visa consultants often name this college as one of the best in NZ.
Top Universities in Auckland
• University of Auckland
• Tamaki College
• Auckland University of Technology
• Auckland Institute of Studies
Few interesting activities and places to visit in Auckland
Auckland offers the ideal blend of a breath-taking natural playground and urban elegance.
Here are few interesting activities and places to visit in Auckland
• Kayaking in Rangitoto Island
• Auckland War Memorial Museum
• Whale & Dolphin Safari
• Stargazing on Great Barrier Island
• Waiheke Island- Wine tasting tour
• Rugged beaches
• Wētā Workshop
• Harbour Bridge bungee jumping
• Sky jumping at Sky Tower
Christchurch
Remarkably, Christchurch possesses a distinctly western culture and an English background. The lace and latticework ornamentation and steep, sloping roofs of Gothic Revival architecture will take you back in time. Despite being the largest city on the South Island, Christchurch still has the feel of a little town.
The main university in the city is the University of Canterbury, which is also the second oldest university in New Zealand. Many study abroad programs are accredited by it. In keeping with the agricultural focus, the University of Canterbury takes great pride in its programs such as natural sciences, plant and animal biology, ecology, and geology research programs. There are many open, green spaces on the lovely campus where you can read or complete your homework. Oh, green spaces not only in the campus but, in fact, Christchurch is known as "The Garden City" because of its parks, gardens, and beaches, which provide citizens with areas to walk, relax, or get some fresh air.
Few interesting activities and places to visit from Christchurch to Takapō
• Tasman Glacier & Aoraki Mt Cook Village
• Alps 2 Ocean cycle trail
• Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve
• Hanmer Springs
• Waipara Valley Wineries
• Marine life adventure in Kāikoura
• Hiking in Arthur's Pass National Park
Dunedin
Dunedin is well known for its rich architectural legacy, inspired from Scottish design! A large Scottish immigrant population settled here in the 19th century and started to have an impact on the city's layout leading to Dunedin being called “The Edinburgh of New Zealand”.
Dunedin has a literary heritage. In 2014 it was termed a UNESCO Creative City of Literature. Prominent poets like Thomas Bracken who wrote NZ’s national anthem, Charles Brasch, and former poet laureate Hone Tuwhare, all are from Dunedin! Continuing with the literary topic, let us address the University of Otago. There are six libraries there, so those who love books will love it!
Furthermore, the student housing is well-known, featuring 15 residential communities—some housed in stunning historic structures, others specially reserved just for international students.
Few interesting activities and places to visit in Dunedin
• Larnach Castle
• Locally-brewed beer tour
• Port Chalmers
• Street Art Trail
• Stunning beaches
• Otago Museum
• Cycling and mountain biking
Be it whichever city in New Zealand, each place has its unique beauty and each university has its own excellence. Choose the right city according to factors like university, type of place, cost of living, among many other factors. Cost of living can be greatly controlled with some tips to manage money efficiently while studying abroad.
If you are still confused on how to proceed, we are study abroad consultants in Kochi, Kerala and we provide free consultation so that you can get a clear idea of what you want and proceed with student visa in nz to fly abroad.