Choosing a program
For several years, I had been looking for options to move abroad. I considered Canada and Australia. However, English proficiency level of IELTS 7.0 or an equivalent required everywhere. By chance, I came across Serj Nairi’s page. There was a webinar was about the joint degree programme between SPbPU and WelTec (New Zealand). I liked the opportunity to complete half of the programme online, from home, and the lower English language requirement of IELTS 6.5. Even though it was challenging to study due to the 8-hour time difference between my city and St. Petersburg.
Kiwi Education note: it’s not mandatory to present IELTS TRF when applying for the first online semester. You only need one for New Zealand part of tuition.
We were the first intake of the dual-degree programme with Kiwi Education in November 2022. And at first, I had some doubts about the likelihood of actually getting to New Zealand through this programme. Especially with the possibility of bringing my family along. Major advantages of this programme and the Level 9 student visa are that my husband could get an open work visa, and our child could study for free at school. However, Serj dispelled all my doubts, and we made a decision with confidence. In the end, I really enjoyed studying at SPbPU. The lecturers were excellent, and I was lucky with my classmates, which made the learning process quite smooth.
Getting a visa
In March 2023, we completed our studies online. And in April 2023, I took the IELTS exam. Serj very quickly secured my offer from WelTec — within just a few hours!! Huge thanks for that.
When it came to preparing the documents for my visa, Kiwi Education assigned me a consultant (sorry, guys, but constructive criticism is important), who unfortunately rarely got in touch. Due to the time difference, I couldn’t communicate with her in the same time zone. The correspondence went like this: you ask a question — you get an answer the next day or even later. You send documents for review, and the reply comes a day later saying something like “please correct this word.”
As a result, we lost a lot of time. And in May 2023, I applied for the visas myself to make it in time for the July 2023 intake. However, Immigration New Zealand had other plans. For February 2024 intake, they issued visas only in September 2023.
P.S. When Immigration New Zealand sent a request for additional documents, Kiwi Education gave me another consultant — Ksenia. She was incredibly helpful and responsive. A true professional. Huge thanks to her for the support!
Studying at WelTec
As a result, my family and I have now been in New Zealand for six months. Studying at WelTec isn’t exactly easy, but we’re managing. One downside of the education at WelTec, in my opinion, is the amount of time required for writing individual assignments. As well as the fact that some of the grading doesn’t always feel entirely objective, which can significantly affect motivation. But overall, we’re staying hopeful for a positive outcome. And, most importantly, for the opportunity to apply this knowledge in New Zealand after graduation.
During our time here, we’ve noticed a few downsides, but so far, the positives definitely outweigh them.
