New Zealand is one of the most desirable places in which to study, and its education system is widely acclaimed as one of the finest worldwide. Students benefit from studying in an engaging, supportive, flexible learning environment with small class sizes providing individual attention from instructors.
New Zealand provides free education to domestic students (children of New Zealand citizens or permanent residents aged 5-19). Most children attend state schools which are government owned and funded, following a national curriculum without religious influences or emphasis. There are also state-integrated religious schools which adhere to this model but add in religious teaching practices as part of their national curriculum teaching; private schools may charge parents additional fees.
Primary school lasts from Years 1-6, then children typically continue onto middle or bridging intermediate school for either two years (stream “a”), or directly into junior secondary school for four (stream “b”). Most schools offer an enrolment scheme that assigns children to the nearest school within their zone, and some even provide boarding facilities or state-funded scholarships to cover these expenses.
The academic year varies by institution, but typically begins for secondary and vocational schools in late January/early February while late November/December for universities/polytechnics. Schools usually hold three or four terms annually with breaks between each term typically lasting 2-4 weeks; additionally they typically enjoy an extended summer holiday from mid-December to February.