Costs & Practicalities
How much does it cost to study in Australia or New Zealand?
You will need enough to cover your living costs while you study, on top of paying for your university tuition fees.
Please check the information in this section carefully to get a guide to university tuition fees and an idea of what to expect from living costs. When preparing your budget, remember to factor in how long you intend to be in Australia or New Zealand each year. The academic year is typically 40 weeks long, and lots of the online cost calculators and example budgets provided by the universities work on the assumption that you will be there for just 40 weeks. If you want to stay on over the summer and work, or travel (which you’re entitled to do on a student visa) you’ll need to allow extra budget to cover this.
Your budget checklist:
Tuition fees
Each university sets its own tuition fees, so they will vary depending on what you want to study, and where you want to study it.
Living costs
Living costs (including accommodation, food, local travel, textbooks, going out)
Flights
Most students come home once or twice a year.
Student Visa
For Australia this is a one-off cost, as your student visa is valid for the duration of your stay. For New Zealand, your visa will need to be renewed at the university after one year.
Health Insurance
For the duration of your stay (this can be arranged through the university, and price quotes are provided on letters of offer, or use an OSHC comparison website such as OSHC Australia). The Australian Department of Health have a FAQ about OSHC here.
Accommodation
Ways to help fund your study:
Working while you study
What are the rules and how much can you expect to earn?
Scholarships and funding
How to find and apply for scholarships
Paying For Your Study
The options for funding overseas study are limited. The UK Student Loan company will not permit its money to be used to fund overseas degrees, and unless you are a citizen of Australia or New Zealand, you will not be eligible to apply for a grant or a student loan in Australia or New Zealand. You therefore need to be prepared to fund your tuition privately, and to support yourself during your studies. Please note that as an international student you must study full time (this is a student visa requirement).
A limited number of scholarships are available each year. Please check the criteria for each one carefully to see whether you are eligible to apply.
