Pre - Departure Briefing for Study Abroad Students in New Zealand

New Zealand Student Visa Requirements 

Knowing that you have got the visa to your dream destination – New Zealand, definitely gives you a great wave of excitement as well as butterflies in your stomach. Students and parents are often tensed when it comes to preparation for departure. It is not only the flying, but it is all about after the student reaches to a new land.

Here are a few aspects you should know while packing for New Zealand:

1.    Arrange your tickets:
Book your tickets as soon as you get your New Zealand student visa in the first place. As you need to be present at least 1-2 weeks before your start date, you need to plan your travel accordingly. The earlier you book, better the price you receive.

2.    Arrange for accommodation:
Check where you can stay safe at affordable rates and accessible to the college/university. Usually, your educational consultants can help you to get through the accommodation with the help of the college/university. Because the college/university can guide you better with options within the campus or close to the campus.

3.    Arrange your money:
Having money on hand is very important. As per your date of departure, you can check for a forex service provider/ bank that can help you with a Forex travel card for easy and safe access to money wherever required.  It works like a debit card, with a chip and PIN. You can carry some cash, with some good change amounts that can be handy at food stores or buying something once you reach immediately. Usually, a combination of 20% cash and 80% Forex money is recommended to avoid any robbery or unfortunate situation.

4.    Arrange for Insurance:
Once your tickets are booked, you should arrange for your travel insurance to safe-guard you and your possessions, passport and important documents as well.  
Your health insurance is paid along with your fees, which should be managed once you reach your college/ university. The health insurance is paid inclusively with the fees as per the New Zealand Student Visa requirements.

5.    Shop smart:
Shop for basic necessities like health and hygiene products – toothpaste, tooth-brush, enough stock of inner wears and socks. You can check for weather updates and carry clothes accordingly, as New Zealand is a country with pleasant temperatures. Carry your medicinal stock and first aid for 2-3 months with a medical prescription. Pack things compact, so as to travel light and under the guidelines of your travel luggage permissions. Avoid any liquids and too much of eatables. You can carry necessary spices if you want in some amounts. But remember not to overpack, or else you could be charged heavy for extra luggage.

6.    Pack your academic stationery and equipment:
Ensure you carry your required books, notebooks, pens for the initial days. Do pack your laptops, laptops adapters, pen-drives or other drives as required. You should carry your plug pins for your laptops especially.

7.    Documents:
Ensure you carry all your original academic marksheets, transcripts, degree certificates and all of that sort and 1-2 photocopied sets. Pack them well and handy. You should also have your visa documents, letter of admission, acknowledgement or letter for fees paid, insurance papers also in the same space. Ensure you have your passport and tickets handy.

As students, you should learn to be independent, alert and active as these are some aspects that will help the student to stand strong throughout your academic tenure. This is not specially for New Zealand; it applies to all study abroad student visa categories.
There are chances that you might get homesick or under multiple cultural shocks. You need to be calm and emotionally stable to overcome all of it to paint your career with flying colors.

Read more:

Latest updates to Post-Study Work Visa New Zealand

A quick look at the New Zealand student visa requirements