All fees are in New Zealand dollars. Fees should be paid before the first day of classes. This information including dates and fees is subject to change. All fees are inclusive of the NZ GST rate of 15 per cent.
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English Language Centre tuition fees
| Domestic students 2023 | International students 2023 | |
| General English (full-time) | NZ$295 per week | NZ$459 per week |
| Online New Zealand Culture (part-time, 5 hours per week) | - | NZ$189 per week |
| Online General English (part-time, 15 hours per week) | - | NZ$349 per week |
| Online General English and New Zealand Culture (part-time, 20 hours per week) | - | NZ$399 per week |
| English for Academic Purposes | NZ$295 per week | NZ$459 per week |
| English for Otago (2023 intakes: 12 weeks) | NZ$3,540 per course | NZ$5,999 per course |
Miscellaneous fees
| Student Services fee 2023 | NZ$25 per week |
| Insurance Insurance information for international students | Variable – refer to your offer letter |
Pathway fees
Tuition fee bands
| Domestic students 2023 | International students 2023 | |
| Bridging Programme – all streams | NZ$785 | NZ$2,920 |
| Foundation Studies Certificate – Arts / Commerce | NZ$5,343 | NZ$26,863 |
| Foundation Studies Certificate – Health Sciences / Sciences | NZ$5,549 | NZ$27,940 |
Important fees note:
The above fees are indicative fees only.
The above estimate is based on an average full-time course load unless otherwise stated and is applicable to the calendar year in which the course is commenced. The final fee will depend on the papers selected and may differ from this estimate. An invoice, showing the total fee payable, will be provided on completion of enrolment. If the fee on the invoice differs from this estimate, you will be charged or refunded the difference.
Miscellaneous fees
| Student Services fee 2023 – Bridging Programme | NZ$163 |
| Student Services fee 2023 – Foundation Studies Certificate full programme | NZ$1,015 |
| Insurance Insurance information for international students | Variable – refer to your offer letter |
Student Services fee includes gym membership, wireless internet on campus, access to all services and facilities that the University of Otago provides.
Homestay accommodation fees
| 2023 | |
| Homestay placement fee | NZ$399 |
| Designated Caregiver admin fee | NZ$250 |
| Homestay fee | NZ$50 per night |
| Homestay fee – specific dietary requirements | NZ$55 per night |
| Homestay fee – sports / training | NZ$62 per night |
| Homestay extension fee | NZ$30 |
| Homestay refund fee | NZ$100 |
| Airport pickup | Free with Homestay |
Financial matters and the cost of living in New Zealand
In order to live comfortably while you are in Dunedin, you will need to have about $NZ12,000-$NZ15,000 per year available for living costs, above the cost of your tuition.
It is important that you have some New Zealand cash for immediate costs (e.g. airport costs or transport).
There are foreign exchange offices at the international terminals of each New Zealand airport.
If possible, we recommend that students open a New Zealand bank account as soon as possible if studying in New Zealand. Until a bank account has been opened, we recommend that students should always leave cash in a safe place at all times. For safety reasons, students should not carry too much cash on their person at any one time.
There are a number of New Zealand banks on George Street, Dunedin, these are Westpac, ANZ, BNZ and ASB. All of these banks have Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) that dispense cash 24 hours a day with an eftpos (bank card). Please note: each bank will have its own criteria for study timeframes when opening a bank account.
You can also purchase goods using EFTPOS (cash card) at nearly all retailers.
Any major amounts of money may be sent in the form of a bank draft, but electronic transfers are, in most cases, the most efficient method of sending funds to New Zealand.
Overseas cheques are sometimes difficult to clear and are not recommended.
