An MBA (Master’s in Business Administration) degree helps one switch between various domains and career paths, enabling one to traverse in between the leadership roles across the companies. The degree that usually leads one to such a dynamic career path comes at a high cost. This is where doing an MBA in New Zealand may prove to be a game-changer.
New Zealand, an English-speaking, developed, and isolated country, also famous for its scenic beauty, can be an excellent avenue for MBA aspirants. Pursuing an MBA in New Zealand can be a great option, as the country houses globally recognized MBA offering Universities, and it has a reputation for quality education and excellence.
Why MBA in New Zealand?
In a world full of congestion and diseases, New Zealand may offer a place to breathe. With cities like Wellington, which is the 2nd most livable, 3rd happiest, and 18th safest in the global rankings, the country offers its international students a chance to experience high-quality life and proper work-life balance.
Doing an MBA in New Zealand is affordable as well as profitable, which can be seen from its Return on Investment (avg. salary/avg. fees) figure of 2.79.
While the cost of living in New Zealand may range on a bit of higher-end (197.2% higher than that of India’s (excluding rent figures), and the rent in India is 460.67% lower than that in New Zealand), the affordable college fees, availability of opportunity to work while studying, and scholarship facilities can help one get through the tenure.
With the availability of visas for graduates to start working in New Zealand after acquiring their degree, the country can become a second home for the international students coming for MBA in New Zealand.
Are you planning to enroll in a New Zealand business school? Let us help you conquer the first step of the process i.e., taking the GMAT. Take a free GMAT mock to understand your baseline score and start your GMAT prep with our free trial. We are the most reviewed online GMAT Prep company with 2500+ reviews on GMAT Club.
MBA in New Zealand – Top Colleges
Below we have listed down the top Universities for MBA in New Zealand. We have mentioned the course that they offer, their fees for international students, the average salary, and the entrance exam required for admission.
University that provides only Executive MBA and one that offers a Master of Management is also included in the list since both of them have a reputation equivalent to that of MBAs of other Universities.
Here is the list of top Universities for MBA in New Zealand. Click on the link to gain more information on each university and its MBA program:
| Top Colleges in New Zealand | Programs | Fees (For International Students) | Avg. Salary (USD) | Entrance exam |
| Victoria University of Wellington | Executive MBA | NZ$45,233 | $1,36,000 | GMAT (minimum 550) |
| The University of Otago | MBA | NZD$57,960 | $1,11,600 | GMAT |
| University of Auckland | Master of Management | NZ$67,097 | $1,04,750 | GMAT (minimum 550) |
| University of Waikato | MBA | NZ $55,000 | $84,250 | NA |
| Massey University | MBA | NZ $50,430 | $83,600 | GMAT (optional) |
| The University of Canterbury | MBA | NZ$47,250 | $77,200 | GMAT (minimum 600) |
| AUT University | MBA | NZ$53,715 | $72,000 | GMAT (minimum 550) |
Are you planning to study in New Zealand? A good GMAT score can increase your chances of an admit. Start your GMAT Preparation online with our FREE TRIAL and Get Access to free GMAT resources and quality content.
From the table above, we see that the average salary secured after doing an MBA in New Zealand is around US$ 1,04,040 (Top 5). This might look to be a lower figure when considered the average salaries acquired after doing MBA in the USA, Canada, UK, etc.
But the average fees of doing an MBA in New Zealand is very low as compared to that in these countries (USA, Canada, Australia, etc.). This fact may attract many MBA aspirants.
The bar chart below specifies the average course fees and the average salary for an MBA in the top 5 colleges in the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand according to the average salary.
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington has the advantage of being situated in the capital city of New Zealand – Wellington. This helped the University to establish strong links with government agencies, industries, international agencies, and some research institutes of New Zealand that are of high repute. Also, the city ranks as 2nd most liveable, 3rd happiest, and 18th safest in the global rankings.
In the 2019 QS World University Rankings, Victoria University of Wellington secured a rank of 215. Two of its subjects from the program that is conducted in its business school ranked in the top 50 in the world. And 13 subjects, including the ones from other departments, ranked in the top 100.
MBA Program at Victoria University of Wellington
The University offers an Executive MBA course. It has four trimesters for a full-time course. It takes longer if got admitted for the part-time course. The duration may vary for individual students. The University year consists of 3 trimesters starting in March, July, and November.
Along with lucrative employment opportunities, the course offers the employer’s support facility. Their EMBA employer guide specifies the advantages of an MBA for the employee and hence to the company. Also, students can explore and avail themselves of the scholarship opportunities offered by the University.
The University also has partner institutions that allow the students to opt for completing some of their study overseas. This is termed as their Global Exchange Overseas Programme.
Trimester 1 for 2024 starts on 26th February 2024. For that, the application needs to be done until 10th December 2023.
University of Otago
The MBA program at the University of Otago was established in 1976. It is recognized as the top MBA course in New Zealand. It is delivered both in offline as well as an online form. Ranking of its full-time MBA is placed in the top 200 worldwide and is among the top 10 of Oceania by QS.
Only a few B-schools (less than 100) hold the accreditation both from EQUIS and AACSB, and Otago Business School is one of them.
The campus electives, business projects, international electives, and online electives provide a wide choice of specializations. The full-time MBA program at Otago is a two-phased one. Its duration ranges from 15 months to 2 years, depending on your elective choices in Phase 2.
Student Exchange Program and Career Prospects
Around 20 top-ranked B-Schools are partnered with the University of Otago for the international student exchange program. Few of them include:
- Duke University, Fuqua School of Business (United States)
- University of North Carolina, Kenan–Flagler Business School (United States)
- National University of Singapore
Career prospects at Otago can be gauged by looking at where the Alumni are placed. Areas where the alumni of the MBA program are active include – financial services, consulting, manufacturing, retail, technology, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and logistics. Many secure a job that pays a six-figure salary just after three months of graduation.
Rigorous Application Process
The application process for Otago’s MBA program includes the completion of this form, an interview, and a video conference presentation on a recent news item. The next intake for the on-campus program will be in February’21, and for the online program will be in September’20. Also, students can explore and avail themselves of the scholarship opportunities offered by the University.
University of Auckland
As per QS Ranking, the University of Auckland ranks within the top 100 universities worldwide, making it New Zealand’s highest-ranked University. The international students’ population is around 7000, with the representation of over 120 countries.
The University is in New Zealand’s economic and cultural hub, Auckland, a harbor city, having easy access to beaches and rainforests.
MBA Program at the University of Auckland
The MBA program at the University of Auckland is rigorous and relevant. It provides one with a breadth of business knowledge, skills, and insights on how to become a successful leader over a wide range of industries.
The MBA program here is taught on a quarter-based system for the duration of the program. Each quarter consists of lectures delivered for the first ten weeks, followed by assessments in week 11. Week 12 is a break period. The program may span over 18 or 36 quarters, too, as per the requirement of the student.
The program provides you a golden opportunity in the final quarter to work alongside a New Zealand or international business as an advisor. You can work to develop their strategies to grow locally and even internationally.
The average age of students here is 37.5. The average work experience of students in this program is around 13 years, and that in the management role is around 5.5 years. The class size is 25-30. 38% of the class is the female population.
Deadline for MBA Application
Quarter 2 intake would happen until 3rd April 2023. Later, the quarter four intake will happen until 18th September 2023. Also, students can explore and avail of the scholarship opportunities offered by the University.
University of Waikato
The University of Waikato ranks at 375 out of 1000 universities that are ranked by QS Rankings. It has a high score for the proportion of international staff and students – 96.8 and 85.3 on 100, respectively.
The University has a high reputation for employment, cutting-edge facilities, outstanding teaching, and student satisfaction, and internationally renowned research, as it was awarded a 5-star rating by QS Stars for these categories. THE (Times Higher Education) World University Rankings placed the University in the band of 501-600.
MBA Program: Three Inter-disciplinary areas
The University’s MBA program is a 180-point course comprising of subjects structured around three inter-disciplinary areas – Value Creation, Frameworks, and Leadership. The program spans for the duration of 18 months for international students, and 24-36 months for domestic students.
The Waikato MBA also hosts an international study tour with 7-9 days of industry visits and international guest speakers. It gives the students a first-hand experience, locally as well as globally, of how the theories work in practice.
The students are offered an option to attempt the program in a part-time manner too. The classes are offered in Hamilton and Tauranga. More about the enrolment can be known from here. The session begins in March. Also, students can explore and avail of the scholarship opportunities offered by the University.
Massey University
The MBA at Massey is the longest-running MBA program in New Zealand. It ranks in the top 300 of the QS rankings.
The MBA program at Massey University is unique in New Zealand’s MBA scenario as it is the only one that offers specializations, both as full time and in online mode. The specializations include Digital Transformation, Business Sustainability, and International Marketing.
Completion of 180 credits of courses is required for securing the degree. The first closing date for the intake of international students was 17th January 2023, the second will be on 1st July 2023, and the third will be on 18th September 2023. Also, students can explore and avail of the scholarship opportunities offered by the University.
University of Canterbury
Holding the ‘Triple Crown’ of accreditation (AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA), it puts the University of Canterbury’s B-School in the top 1% of business schools worldwide.
The University of Canterbury’s MBA program focuses on industry collaboration to develop all-rounded leaders who can help international organizations grow through innovation, data-led strategy making, digital transformation, and responsible societal engagement.
The program consists of compulsory courses, consulting projects, and electives. It is a 180-point program, divided as 120 points of compulsory courses, 45 points of the consulting project, and 15 points of electives. The 15-point requirement for electives can be fulfilled in part manner. All the courses cannot be offered in a particular year.
The degree may span for a minimum of 16 months or a maximum of 5 years, depending on whether the course is full-time or part-time. The program for international students starts in February. Students can explore and avail of the scholarship opportunities offered by the University.
Auckland University of Technology
The MBA program at Auckland University of Technology is designed to meet the needs of a complex business environment which is changing in a fast-paced manner. It helps create leaders who can grasp an advanced understanding of a variety of business divisions and manage cross-cultural teams.
The degree requires completion of 180 points – 135 points of core subjects and 45 points of electives. The maximum duration of the course can be four years, within which students have the flexibility to choose how many subjects per term. The electives can be selected from other departments of the University.
| 5 Jan 2023 |
| 1 Mar 2023 |
| 27 Apr 2023 |
| 21 Jun 2023 |
| 16 Aug 2023 |
| 11 Oct 2023 |
Students can also explore and avail of scholarship opportunities offered by the University.
MBA Fees vs. Salary – Top 5 Colleges in USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
| Countries | USA (USD) | Canada (USD) | Australia (USD) | New Zealand (USD) |
| Average Fees | 2,20,665 | 97,002 | 60,617 | 37,254 |
| Average Salary | 1,63,000 | 1,00,152 | 1,21,953 | 1,04,040 |
And that’s not all. Pursuing an MBA in New Zealand can offer a golden opportunity for the candidates who, unfortunately, scored less on the GMAT.
The average GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) score required for top MBA colleges in the USA is more than 700, and that for Australia is more than 600. While we didn’t get the figures for the GMAT score required for admission to MBA colleges in New Zealand, but the minimum requirement is 550.
Thus, Landing in one of the above-mentioned institutes may brighten their fortune.
Planning to pursue an MBA in New Zealand? A good GMAT score can increase your chances of an admit. Start your GMAT Preparation online with our FREE TRIAL and Get Access to free GMAT resources and quality content.
Student and Work Visa Requirements for New Zealand
After confirming the University to pursue an MBA, candidates should begin their process of applying for a student visa. A student visa is required in New Zealand if the stay in-country is going to be for more than three months.
As many as 90,000 students migrate to New Zealand to pursue education every year. It reported a growth of around 9.8% in international students. However, recently it is found that there has been around a 10% increase in the study visa refusal rate for Indian Students wanting to go to New Zealand for higher education.
The cost of a student visa is around US$ 185, which can be paid by either cheque or draft. The international students who subscribe to a full-time program can work for a maximum of 20 hours a week and full-time during holidays.
The country also permits a visa for 12 months to the international students post their graduation if currently they have no job and are searching for one. And for the ones who secure a job in New Zealand after their graduation, they must apply for a ‘Graduate Work Experience‘ visa. This would give them permission to continue their job in New Zealand for almost two years.
Minimum Qualification Required
The essential eligibility criteria to get admission to top MBA colleges in New Zealand is:
- A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent qualification or an acceptable level of management experience).
- At least three years’ professional/management experience
- A good GMAT Score always helps in improving the chances of getting the admit offer.
- An IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent (if English is not your first language)
Every University sets the eligibility criteria as per their policies. But broadly, the above-mentioned points can be seen for most of the colleges, with addition or modification in few points depending on the University.
Are you planning to study in New Zealand? A good GMAT score can increase your chances of an admit. Start your GMAT Preparation online with our FREE TRIAL and Get Access to free GMAT resources and quality content.
MBA in New Zealand FAQs
New Zealand is one of the safest countries (ranked 2nd on Global Peace Index of 2017), a very beautiful one, housing internationally accredited Universities, and has accommodating visa policies. This makes it a very attractive destination to study overseas.
Several globally high-ranking Universities offer MBA in New Zealand at a very affordable rate and with an assurance of making students ready for leadership level high salaried jobs.
Most of the Universities ask for a minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience, among other basic eligibility criteria.
While a good GMAT score always helps to increase the chances of getting the admission, few colleges have not specifically asked for the same.
Yes, the visa policies permit the students to work while they pursue the degree. However, there are few restrictions depending on the hours of work.
