International Students

Why Choose Us?

As a supportive and friendly place for study, the School provides a nurturing ground for international students planning to pursue a career in acupuncture and traditional Chinese Medicine.

We provide high-quality support services to help international students adjust to living and studying in New Zealand. The staff has a warm and caring attitude to all students. Teachers are highly motivated to assist students with their academic success. Additional support is available for learning needs and for issues that may arise from living in a new country.

Recognition of Qualifications

New Zealand: All of our qualifications are approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

China: The Schools’ qualifications are approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education and are listed on China’s Jiaoyu Shewai Jianguan Xinxiwang (JSJ) study abroad website.

European Union: Our qualifications are approved in Europe through the Lisbon Recognition Convention, officially the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region, is an international convention of the Council of Europe elaborated together with the UNESCO.

Entry Requirements

International Baccalaureate: IB Diploma with a minimum of 24 points
Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) GCE Advanced Levels: minimum Numerical Score of 8
Northern Consortium United Kingdom (NCUK) International Foundation Year (IFY)
Meeting New Zealand’s University Entrance criteria

Note: Students from China can gain entrance by meeting one of the program entrance requirements below:

Satisfactory completion of Senior High School graduation plus one year of successful study at bachelor’s level, or plus a two-year diploma with good grades at a recognised institution
Successful achievement of A Tier 1 score in the National University Entrance Examination (Gaokao) at a recognised institution

An applicant over 18 years old and with equivalent experience, who does not meet all the entry requirements, may be granted entry at the discretion of the Academic Committee where it is considered that the applicant has a reasonable chance of succeeding in the qualification.

English Language Requirement

Applicant is expected to have a level of English sufficient to enable study at the level of the programme.

To be eligible for a Bachelor program or a Graduate program (level 7), international learners whose first language is not English must have an international English Language Testing System (IELTS) overall academic score of at least 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in each band) issued within the last two years, or equivalent.

Fees Protection

The New Zealand Government requires that all New Zealand Qualifications Authority registered private training establishments (education providers) protect all student fees paid to them in advance. This means that in the unlikely event that the education provider closes before the completion of the student’s programme, the remainder of the student fees will be protected. Full fees are refundable up to 8 days for domestic and 10 working days for international students after the programme begins.

Fees protected within a trust account means that the student will have the choice to receive any remaining fees back or have them paid directly to an alternative education provider.

The School arranges fee protection with Public Trust. Fees deposited and protected by Public Trust are held in the Trust’s common funds. Details of fee protection with Public Trust are on its website at publictrust.co.nz.

Enrolment Procedures

STEP 1: FIND A PROGRAMME OF STUDY

If you need further information and advice regarding our programmes, please call us on Auckland: +64 9 630 3546, or email to admin@nzsao.com.

STEP 2: COMPLETE ENROLMENT FORM

When you have decided which programme of study to apply for, complete the enrolment form. There are three easy ways to enrol, online, download, or in person.

Online:	Online Enrolment Form
Download:	Downloadable Enrolment Form
Email:	admin@nzsao.com
In person:	Our campus is at: L1, 32 Manukau Road Epsom Auckland New Zealand

STEP 3: ASSESSMENT

We will assess your application and contact you if you need to provide additional information. We will conduct an interview with you by phone, video call or in person.

STEP 4: OFFER OF PLACE

We will send you an offer of place and acceptance of offer of place if your application is successful. You will then sign and return the acceptance of offer of place to us to confirm your acceptance.

You will be advised if your application is unsuccessful.

STEP 5: FEES PAYMENT

Timely payment of fees is expected prior to the semester start date.

To protect the fees made by students to the School, Public Trust’s service is used

(please refer to https://www.publictrust.co.nz/student-fee-protection/for-students/)

Once you accept our Offer of Place, you will receive a Public Trust form, for which you need to fill in and complete. Then you need to make a direct fee payment into Public Trust’s bank account using the details mentioned in the Public Trust form. Remember to include the public trust reference number, student’s first name and last name, so payments can be tracked easily.

STEP 6: PUBLIC TRUST DOCUMENTATION

Once public trust has received your fee, you will receive a receipt and a fee protect student acknowledgement form for you to sign and return to us.

Pastoral Care – Code Of Practice

NZATCM will observe and comply with the requirements of the Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners Code of Practice 2021.

A copy of the Code is available in the link below:

https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/Tertiary/The-Code/pastoral-care-code-of-practice-2021-english.pdf

The code is also available in other languages on the site.

Click below to read the schools summary report:

Immigration

International students must meet visa requirements while studying in New Zealand. Information on visa application, variation to visa conditions and rights to employment is available on the Immigration New Zealand website.

Medical Insurance

International students are not entitled to publicly funded health services while in New Zealand unless they are a resident or citizen of Australia, or a national of the United Kingdom in New Zealand, or the holder of a temporary permit that is valid for two years or more. If a student does not belong to one of these categories and receives medical treatment while in New Zealand, the student will be liable for the full costs of that treatment.

The School cannot be held responsible for any sickness, injury, damage or loss incurred by the student within the School or on the School’s activities or tours, or place of accommodation. Insurance is compulsory by law for all international students and must be confirmed during enrolment.

International students are advised to take up travel/medical insurance prior to their arrival in New Zealand. This gives insurance cover for travel to New Zealand and the cost of medical treatment in New Zealand for the duration of study at the School. Depending on the illness, medical history, and the policy type, a student may receive a refund of all or most of medical costs from the insurance organisation.

Cost of Living in New Zealand

New Zealand is a value-for-money study destination. Living costs will depend on your living style and which part of Auckland City you live in. Located in Epsom which is central Auckland, it is easy for international students to find accommodation close to the campus, saving their transportation time and expenses. Other students would choose to live in the CBD and take public transportation to school.

For more information on the living costs, please visit the Study in New Zealand website.

Our Vision

The school of choice for acupuncture and TCM education in Aotearoa New Zealand