Accommodation
In many cases, your accommodation will be only minutes from your place of study. Your institution can help you find accommodation before you begin studying.

A. Halls of residence or student hostels
These are usually located on campus or nearby, with single or twin rooms. Bed linen and cleaning are provided. Meals are eaten in a communal dining hall, with special dietary needs catered for. A warden lives on-site and social and sporting activities are organized for residents. Hostels usually have computer labs and recreation rooms. Some institutions provide self-catering hostels where 6 to 8 students have their own bedrooms and share a kitchen and living room.

B. Homestay or private board
This gets you a room in a suburban house, usually with a garden and lawns. Your host family provides meals. Interacting with your host family and meeting their neighbors and friends is an excellent way to improve your English. Your host family will help you adjust to life in New Zealand. Homestay is not like living in a hotel. Some ‘give and take’ is expected, as you become part of the family.

C. Renting a house or apartment
Renting a house or flat (apartment) on your own or with other people is called ‘flatting’. You choose your own flat mates in accommodation, ranging from a two-bedroom apartment to a large house on its own land. Most rental properties are unfurnished, apart from an oven, a laundry, curtains and carpet. A bond of up to 4 weeks' rent is held by Tenancy Services and refunded when you move out, if the flat is still in good condition.

D. Finding a rental

The accommodation office at your tertiary institution will probably have a notice board with advertisements for flats. Newspaper classifieds list rental properties, especially on Wednesday and Saturdays. There are also several websites that list rental accommodation throughout New Zealand.

Health Care
The New Zealand government requires that all international students in New Zealand have an appropriate medical and travel insurance for their entire duration of study in New Zealand.

Students need medical insurance to cover all treatments, including doctors, hospitals, ambulance and specialist students. International students can visit the doctor at the student health center in their institution to get treatment for a very reasonable fee.

Dental Care is not usually included in the Medical Insurance and not provided at the Institution’s Student Health Center. International students have to visit private dental care practitioners for dental care problems. It is advisable to take a different insurance that covers Dental Care also to avoid huge cost on Dental Care treatment.

No-fault Accident Compensation Scheme
New Zealand provides a no-fault personal injury cover to all its citizens and temporary visitors to New Zealand which includes International Students. It covers medical and dental treatment, prescribed medications, X-rays, and surgery for injuries caused by accidents by anyone at any place. Due to the wide range of help available after injury under this scheme, no one can be sued for personal injury in New Zealand.