The lush greenery that served as the perfect backdrop for “The Lord of the Rings.” A vibrant Maori culture and an inclusive society. Excellent educational offerings, like great sports-related subjects and the niche New Zealand Sign Language and Deaf Studies. And last but not least, really welcoming policies towards foreigners and international students – if New Zealand hasn’t been on your radar before, it should be now.
Sure, the US has its promise of the American Dream, the UK has their historic legacy of academic excellence, and even neighbouring Australia has ever-growing offerings for international students — but here’s the thing: New Zealand has its equivalent to all that and more.
Career and immigration opportunities to forge your life are more possible than not. Universities that are steadily climbing global ranks. And in terms of offerings for international students, the list goes on and on — especially at the cheapest universities in New Zealand.
One of the cheapest universities in New Zealand has this view for you — you just have to figure out which school it is. Source: AFP
With eight degree-granting public universities, all of which are ranked in the top 3% of universities in the world, it’s little surprise that the country hosts as many as 17% of international students in its university student body.
Here’s a quick look at their rankings, according to the QS World University Rankings 2025:
- #65, The University of Auckland
- #214, University of Otago
- #235, University of Waikato
- #239, Massey University
- #244, Victoria University of Wellington
- #261, University of Canterbury
- #371, Lincoln University
- #412, Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Despite the country’s high-ranking universities, you don’t have to worry about matching sky-high fees.
Studying here is more affordable than you think.
How much does it cost to study in New Zealand
It can be expensive to study abroad, but at these cheapest universities in New Zealand, you don’t have to sweat about it too much. Source: AFP
Application fees
The University of Otago, the University of Waikato, Victoria University of Wellington, the University of Canterbury, and AUT don’t charge international students an application fee.
However, there are certain circumstances where you’ll need to pay the fee for other universities. For example, you’ll only be required to pay the application fee at Massey University if you’re applying for the Bachelor of Aviation programme, which will cost you 266.80 New Zealand dollars (US$159).
On the other hand, this is what you can expect to
- University of Auckland: NZ$85 – NZ$100 (US$50 – US$59)
- Lincoln University: NZ$60 (US$35)
One of the greatest things about studying in New Zealand? Experiencing the vibrancy of its Maori culture. Source: AFP
Tuition fees
According to the official government site for information on studying in New Zealand, tuition fees for bachelor’s programmes range from NZ$35,000 to NZ$55,000 (US$20,858 to US$32,776) per year as of March 2025.
Naturally, the cost of the degree depends on the university and programme, with medicine and veterinary science being more expensive due to their need for advanced equipment and facilities, as well as expert faculty who often hold some of the highest academic qualifications required of the field.
This is the range of annual tuition fees international students can expect to pay at the universities in New Zealand for an undergraduate programme in 2025-2026, listed from most to least expensive from their lowest prices:
- The University of Auckland: NZ$38,310 – NZ$65,450 (US$22,838 – US$39,017)
- University of Otago: NZ$35,621 – NZ$44,720 (US$21,235 – US$26,659)
- AUT: NZ$35,092 – NZ$48,192 (US$20,919 – US$28,729)
- Victoria University of Wellington: NZ$33,360 – NZ$43,821 (US$19,887 – US$26,123)
- University of Canterbury: NZ$32,800 – NZ$45,200 (US$19,553 – US$26,945)
- Lincoln University: NZ$32,500 – NZ$36,000 (US$19,374 – US$21,461)
- University of Waikato: NZ$30,897 – NZ$45,602 (US$18,419 – US$27,185)
- Massey University: NZ$28,080 – NZ$38,220 (US$16,739 – US$22,784)
With that, the cheapest undergraduate degrees are a range of Massey University’s Bachelor of Arts programmes, like Education, History, and Sociology; the Bachelor of Communications in Linguistics and Media Studies; and the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Statistics, among a handful of others.
Accommodation fees
When applying for a student visa, you’ll be required to provide evidence that you have at least NZ$20,000 (US$11,918) to cover your living expenses for your first year of study.
Aside, this is how much you can expect to pay for catered accommodation across universities in New Zealand, using data published in 2025 and compiled by the University of Auckland.
Catered accommodation refers to having meals as part of your accommodation package. This usually includes having a hall near your living space that offers breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. It’s an excellent way to make sure you have all your meals when you want it without having to think about getting groceries, cooking them for yourself, and cleaning up after.
We’ve added the other universities that were not found on the previous list, as well as organised it so that it goes from most to least expensive below:
- University of Otago: NZ$20,937 – NZ$24,053 (US$12,477 – US$14,334)
- University of Canterbury: NZ$20,214 – NZ$29,168 (US$12,046 – US$17,382)
- University of Auckland: NZ$19,810 – NZ$22,540 (US$11,805 – US$13,432)
- Victoria University of Wellington: NZ$18,784 – NZ$21,436 (US$11,194 – US$12,774)
- Massey University: NZ$18,000 (US$10,730)
- Lincoln University: NZ$16,000 – NZ$20,000 (US$9,538 – US$11,922)
- University of Waikato: NZ$15,873 – NZ$18,130 (US$9,462 – US$10,808)
AUT does not have catered accommodation.
Disclaimer: Note that self-catered accommodation could be more affordable, so it’s worth looking into those options if you’re trying to save some cost.
The cheapest city in New Zealand for international students
Europe isn’t the only place you can see these kinda sights. If you attend one of the cheapest universities in New Zealand, this view of the Southern Lights might be something you can get familiar with. Source: AFP
The bigger the city, the more expensive it’ll be to live there. Or so they say.
According to Numbeo, the estimated monthly costs for a single person without accounting for rent in Auckland is NZ$1,738 (US$1,036). With a last reported population of 1.716 million, it’s no surprise to hear that rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre can come up to NZ$2,127 (US$1,268). Outside the city centre, the same room costs NZ$1,847 (US$1,101).
On the other hand, if you choose to study at the University of Otago in Dunedin, which has a last reported population of 133,300 in 2021, you’ll have a slightly easier time managing your finances.
Here, Numbeo reports that the estimated monthly costs for a single person without accounting for rent is NZ$1,569 (US$935). If you factor in rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre, that’ll add another NZ$1,478 (US$881), or NZ$1,280 (US$763) for a place outside the city centre.
The best scholarships in New Zealand to make studying here more affordable
The cheapest universities in New Zealand can become even more affordable if you find the right scholarship. Source: AFP
One of the easiest ways to ease your financial burden is by taking advantage of all the scholarships and financial aid offered by the universities in New Zealand.
Apart from scholarships targeted at all international undergraduates, you’ll also find ones that are targeted at specific groups.
For example, the University of Auckland’s India High Achievers Scholarship offers scholarships up to NZ$20,000 (US$11,922) towards tuition fees for new international students from India. They have one for those coming from the ASEAN region too, and that awards up to NZ$10,000 (US$5,961) towards tuition fees.
Here are some of the high-value scholarships that the other universities offer:
- The University of Otago’s Global Scholarships allow for undergraduates from a range of countries (like Bangladesh, India, South Korea, and more) to be awarded up to NZ$15,000 (US$8,942).
- The University of Waikato has multiple country-specific scholarships – Vietnam, India, China, and Southeast Asia – that award applicants up to NZ$15,000 (US$8,942).
- Massey University’s International Creative Excellence Undergraduate Scholarship is for those enrolling in the first year of an undergraduate degree with the College of Creative Arts. It awards up to NZ$10,000 (US$5,961) for a year.
- Victoria University of Wellington has the Latin American Academic Achievement Scholarship for Latin Americans who want to pursue their degrees at the university. Applicants are awarded up to NZ$5,000 (US$2,980).
- University of Canterbury, in particular, has many scholarships for Malaysians, like the Kuching Malaysian Alumni Scholarship, which awards up to NZ$10,000 (US$5,961) for a year, and the Sir Robertson Stewart Malaysian Scholarship, offering financial assistance towards tuition fees up to the value of NZ$15,000 (US$8,942) for one year.
- Lincoln University’s Undergraduate Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship is available for new students pursuing bachelor’s programmes. It is valued at NZ$5,000 (US$2,980).
- AUT has faculty-specific scholarships for international students, such as for those in the School of Business or the Faculty of Health and Environmental Science. The awards here range from NZ$5,000 to NZ$10,000 (US$2,980 – US$5,961).
Cheapest universities in New Zealand by how much you’ll pay in total
Now that you know which ones are the cheapest universities in New Zealand, seize your chance and apply soon. Source: AFP
With all that said, the cheapest higher education you can earn in New Zealand can be found at either Massey University or the University of Waikato.
Both schools don’t require an application fee – with the exception of Massey University’s Bachelor of Aviation programme – and have comparatively lower costs for their tuition and accommodation fees.
Massey University’s main campus at Palmerston North means you won’t be paying high living expenses too. However, be sure your programme is available at that location, as the university has campuses in Auckland and Wellington too.
Meanwhile, the University of Waikato’s main campus can be found in Hamilton, which has roughly the same cost of living as Palmerston North, according to Numbeo. The university also has another campus in Tauranga, which may be slightly less expensive.
