Schools in New Zealand

See the list of New Zealand schools here

1. General information 

Schooling Levels: Education is a right for all students, and schooling in New Zealand is compulsory from ages 6 to 16. Families who wish to homeschool their children may register with the New Zealand Ministry of Education and must meet specific requirements. See more information here.

The New Zealand school system consists of 13 years of education, divided into:

• Primary school: 6 years
• Junior secondary school: 5 years
• Senior secondary school: 2 years

Students typically begin school at age 5. They may attend public schools, private New Zealand schools, or international private schools. They can study at day schools or boarding schools, usually within their residential zone, but families may also enroll children in schools outside their area for specific reasons.

Although there are different types of schools, all New Zealand secondary schools must meet the Ministry of Education’s standards regarding curriculum, facilities, teachers, and learning environment. Students complete their secondary education at age 17 or 18.

At the primary level, students attend Years 1 to 6, with an average age range of 5 to 11 or 12. The curriculum includes compulsory subjects such as mathematics, English, science, and several additional subjects. At the end of primary school, students must pass an assessment before moving on to secondary school.

Junior secondary school consists of Years 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, during which students study a general curriculum without specialization.

Senior secondary school (equivalent to A-Levels in the UK) includes Years 12 and 13. Students choose subjects based on academic and career interests, specialising in areas such as social sciences or natural sciences to prepare for their graduation examinations and future pathways.

At the secondary level, students can obtain the following qualifications:

• The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), New Zealand’s national qualification, awarded at the end of Year 11 (NCEA Level 1), Year 12 (NCEA Level 2), and Year 13 (NCEA Level 3).
• NCEA replaces the former School Certificate (Year 11), Sixth Form Certificate (Year 12), and Bursary & Higher School Certificate (Year 13).

2. Important notes for students

1. Study Pathways:  As some countries follow a 12-year school curriculum, while New Zealand has a 13-year secondary education system with subject specialization in the final two years, students applying to study secondary school in New Zealand may fall into one of the following situations:
   • Accepted into the next appropriate year level. For example: students finishing Grade 9 in home country may enter Year 10 in New Zealand; students finishing Grade 10 may enter Year 11, and so on.
   • Accelerated placement (skipping a year), applicable to students with strong academic performance and English proficiency who successfully pass the school’s academic and English interview.
     
     
2. Admission Requirements: General entry requirements for international students applying for secondary school include good conduct, academic performance of at least “fairly good” (equivalent to 6.5/10), and English proficiency equivalent to PTE Academic 38 - 46 or IELTS 5.0 - 5.5. Students who do not meet the English requirement should take an English placement test at Duc Anh EduConnect and complete additional English study in New Zealand before entering the mainstream secondary program.
   
   
3. Most New Zealand schools require international students to study at least 4 terms to ensure their NCEA graduation results are strong enough for entry into vocational colleges or universities. Only a few schools allow students to complete 3 terms. Therefore, the latest time to apply for New Zealand high school is after completing Grade 10 in home country to enter Year 11 in New Zealand.
   
   
4. Students under 18 years old must stay in a homestay, and some schools require students to have an approved guardian for international students under 18.
   
   
5. Cost: Tuition fees range from NZD 10,000 – 20,000 per year for public schools and NZD 30,000- 40,000 per year for private schools. Boarding schools typically cost NZD 40,000 – 60,000 per year. Living expenses for international secondary students in New Zealand are approximately NZD 15,000–18,000 per year for homestay and NZD 20,000 – 30,000 per year for boarding.
   
   
6. Intakes: The academic year starts in late January. Schools may accept students directly into the secondary program in January, April, July, and occasionally October.
   
   
7. Application processing time for public schools ranges from 2 - 4 - 6 weeks, and visa processing takes 4 - 8 weeks. Students should therefore prepare and submit their applications early. Note that the high school student visa is considered a Level 2 visa category, requiring proof of parents’ income of at least 35 - 40 million VND per month, a savings account sufficient for one year of tuition and living expenses, and documentation of family assets (real estate or other financial assets).

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