This article focuses on informing you on the process of applying to a medical course at a university in New Zealand, as an international student. We aim to advise you on entry requirements, entrance exams, tuition fees, the application procedure, and more.

OVERVIEW

On average, it takes about six years to complete a medical course in New Zealand. This is divided into pre-clinical and clinical studies.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

• The entrance requirements differ depending on what university you are applying to.
• In most cases, you will need to have gotten at least an A in three A-Levels.
• This is equivalent to about 38 points in International Baccalaureate.
• The required subjects for studying medicine, are biology and chemistry. And usually, physics and maths are also appreciated.
• If you come from a non-English speaking country, you will need to provide evidence of your English proficiency.
• You will need to take either the IELTS or the internet or paper based TOEFL test.
• In most cases, you will need to score at least 7.0 on the IELTS but this might differ depending on the university.

ENTRANCE EXAM

Some universities do not require you to take an entrance exam. But most universities will need you to sit either the NEET, ISAT, or UCAT.

• ISAT takes about three hours and it’s a computer-based test, that examines the participant’s quantitative and critical reasoning.
• UCAT tests the student’s scientific knowledge.
• If you come from India you might have to take NEET. Which will test your knowledge of Biology, Physics and Chemistry.

MMI

One of the universities in New Zealand that does MMIs is the University of Auckland. The MMI is an interview-like assessment, where participants take part in completing a number of different stations, each of which consists of a different activity that the participant needs to do.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Submitting your application can be done through the university’s website.

The required documentation might differ depending on where you are applying but in general, you will need to provide the university with:

• A copy of your grades
• A copy of your passport
• A motivation letter
• As mentioned previously you will need to provide the university with proof of your English proficiency
• The application fee can range from £15 to £25; you will need to provide proof of paying this fee in your application

Lastly, if the previously mentioned documentation isn’t in English you will need to have it professionally translated.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

The deadline for applying to university in New Zealand is usually around August or September. Keep in mind that application deadlines might differ, so do check the website of the university you are applying to for more specific deadline date.

FEES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

The tuition fees are around £36,474 to £41,660 per year.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Some of the scholarships available for undergraduate students in New Zealand include the University of Canterbury Undergraduate International Scholarship and the University of Waikato International Excellence Scholarship.

• The University of Canterbury offers the recipient of their scholarship either £7,585, £11,382, or £15,176. To be eligible for this scholarship you need to have high grades.
• The University of Waikato provides a £7,585 scholarship for students from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and South Africa.
• The University of Auckland offers up to fifty scholarships, each worth up to £8000.

This brings us to the end of the article. We hope this helps you make an informed decision on if New Zealand is the right place for you. If you would like to read up on more articles about this topic, please do check out our other work on this.