Preschool education: 1-5 years old

The system of preschool education covers the period of a child’s life up to six years of age. Pre-school institutions in New Zealand do not belong to the state and are part of the private business sector. On average, up to 60% of preschool children attend children’s educational centres.

At the age of 3 to 5 years, regardless of the type of parents’ visa, a child can receive 20 hours of free kindergarten time subsidised by the state.

Secondary education programs: 5-18 years old

The school system in New Zealand consists of three stages (13 years of study) and applies to children from the age of five to eighteen. It can be, as separate schools for each stage, or one school for all three.

– Primary school (5-10 years of age) Primary school
At the age of 5, children must be compulsorily enrolled in primary school, which takes 6 years to complete.

– Intermediate (11-12 years of age ) Primary school
At the end of grade 6, the student moves on to a primary school, which takes 2 years and covers grades 7 and 8 respectively.

– Secondary (13-18 years) Secondary school
At the end of the 8th grade, at the age of 12-13, the child attends secondary school. It takes 5 years. Thus, school education in New Zealand usually ends at the age of 16-18. After passing the final exams, graduates receive a National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).

For admission to universities, a student should complete high school in New Zealand, so that they will receive the necessary NCEA certificates.

Preparation for admission to universities

Compulsory schooling in New Zealand requires the completion of grades 12-13. And since the duration of education in a Russian school does not correspond to the system of education accepted in New Zealand, it is almost impossible to apply to a New Zealand university with only a Russian high school diploma. In order to prepare a graduate for admission to universities or institutes in New Zealand, one of the following preparatory programs must be completed, which the child will be able to attend having completed grades 9-11 in Russia.

-Foundation Year (University Preparation Courses)
The preparatory course is designed for students who plan to apply to New Zealand universities. The program not only provides an opportunity to tighten up your English language skills, prepare you for university education but also develops thinking skills, the ability to conduct scientific research and use computer programs necessary for study. The student chooses subjects for study themselves, which will be needed for their particular programme at university.

Training takes from 8 to 18 months.
The cost of the year starts from NZ $ 20,000 per year.

– The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP)
International Baccalaureate programs, an analogue of NCEA, is developed in three languages ​​(French, English and Spanish). The international program is recognised all over the world and allows the student to begin university after training. These programs can be found in schools and colleges accredited by The International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). You can find the list of schools by following the link.

Training for this program takes 2 years.
The cost ranges from NZ $ 15,000 to NZ $ 30,000 per year, including school uniforms and textbooks.

– NCEA Level 4, National Certificate of Educational Achievement. Certificate of University Preparation (Level 4)
Training toward your speciality at universities, colleges. Programs of this level are narrowly focused preparatory courses for admission, they are presented in almost all colleges and universities of the country, it remains only to choose the direction of education that interests you and submit documents. This course is intended for those who do not have high enough marks for the necessary subjects or lack knowledge in a certain field, which will be required later when studying at university.

Entry requirements depend on the specialisation and university.
Training takes from 4 months.
The cost starts from NZ $ 8 000 per year.

To enter the preparatory courses, the student must have:

• certificate of secondary education (grades 9 to 11);
• sufficient level of English (IELTS 5.0 or online test).

All schools accept IELTS test results, usually 5.0 points. But, if there is no certificate on hand, you can come to learn English in New Zealand.

Provide a bright future for your children, while Kiwi Education will help you in choosing the best offers on the educational market.

Contact us to get more information about these programs for New Zealand universities.