New Zealand institutions offering courses to international students must provide accommodation for students while they study. Their International Student Offices can explain the options available. In many cases, students will be able to get accommodation quite close to their place of study.
There are various types of accommodation - the most common are Homestay and School Boarding or Hostel style accommodation.
Students over 18 years of age may choose to find their own accommodation in a private flat or apartment. University Halls of Residence in general, require their guests be aged 18 years or older.
Staying in Homestay style accommodation involves living with a New Zealand family in their own house, often with a garden and lawns. Students are given their own room. The host family provides meals and treats the student as a member of the family.
New Zealand host families are well known for the warm welcome they give international students. Interacting with the family, their neighbours and friends is an excellent way to improve English speaking skills.
Host families are carefully selected and, in accordance with the Code of Practice, the institution has systems to ensure the environment is safe and caring. Usually breakfast and dinner are provided during the week and three meals a day over the weekend. The cost of homestay accommodation starts at approximately NZ$200 per week, plus a one time administration fee.
Many educational institutions have boarding hostels on campus or nearby. Rooms are single, or dormitory style. Meals are provided in a communal dining hall and special dietary needs are catered for. A warden lives on-site and social / sporting activities are organised for residents. Hostels often have computer labs and recreation rooms.
Some institutions also have self-catering hostels where 6-8 students have their own bedrooms and share a kitchen and living room.
Boarding hostels for secondary students must now have approval from the Code of Practice Administrator to enrol young international students.
Hostels are normally closed during the holidays however students who do not travel home can stay in homestay accommodation. Hostels are a good way for international students to meet people with the same interests. Costs of hostels vary with each institution but may be approximately NZ$200 per week. Boarding hostels at secondary schools may price on a per term basis.
Students who are eighteen years and older may be able to rent their own flat or rent a room in a flat with other people. In New Zealand, this is called ‘flatting’ – in either houses or apartments. ‘Flatting’ provides students with more independence. Students are required to pay for power, telephone and food in addition to the cost of renting the room. Most rental flats do not have furniture apart from an oven, a laundry, curtains and carpet – students provide the necessary furniture and appliances.
The cost to rent a room in a flat with other students varies significantly between cities and towns; usually it is more expensive to rent inner city flats compared to renting in the suburbs, or in smaller towns. In the cities, a well located room in a flat would cost around NZ$150 per week (based on sharing the house with 3-4 other students), with food and utilities costing an extra NZ$100 per week. A bond payment of up to 4 weeks rent is given to the Tenancy Services – this is refunded at the end of the rental period if the flat is still in good condition.
Accommodation offices at tertiary institutions often have notice boards displaying advertisements for flats. Newspapers also list rental properties in the ‘classified’ section; Wednesday and Saturday are popular days. There are also several websites that list rental accommodation throughout New Zealand.
Summary of estimated living expenses for ‘flatting’, for a student living on a careful budget in a city like Wellington
|
Weekly Expenses
|
|
|
Accommodation rent
|
$150
|
|
Power
|
$20
|
|
Phone rental and internet
|
$10
|
|
Cellphone
|
$7.50
|
|
Groceries for flat
|
$60
|
|
Additional for snacks/lunches
|
$15
|
|
Toiletries
|
$8
|
|
Appliance rental
|
$4
|
|
Entertainment
|
$30
|
|
Bank fees
|
$2.50
|
|
Public Transport
|
$25
|
|
Total
|
$332 |
The above outline doesn’t include clothing or any expenses directly related to study.
Refer www.studylink.govt.nz/financing-study/the-cost-of-student-life-the-big-picture/how-much-could-my-cost-of-living-be.html. This website includes a useful ‘cost of living’ calculator which will assist students with budgeting and making lifestyle choices.
The cost of renting an average 3 bedroom home varies between $225 and $600, depending on the location.
Tenancy agreements need to be signed with the landlord, outlining all the conditions of renting the property. Payment of a bond is also required – usually up to 4 weeks’ rent. Tenants and landlords are required to complete a bond lodgement form, which is then sent with the bond payment to the Tenancy Services Centre. The bond payment is refunded after the tenants leave the rental property, providing all rent payments have been met and there is no damage to the property.
Homes in New Zealand are produced using a huge range of building materials, and there is a large range of furniture, appliances and furnishings available. People have a lot of choice as to the style of their home and how it looks inside. Bathrooms include showers and / or baths. Most New Zealanders have their own laundry facilities though Laundry outlets are available in larger urban centres.