Study in the centre of the New Zealand tech industry

Before Arriving in New Zealand

Application Process

You can begin the process by clicking on the Apply now part of this website

Study Visa

As an international student, you are required by law to hold a valid visa and comply with your visa conditions for the duration of your studies with Media Design School. It is the students’ primary responsibility to maintain the lawful status to study and stay in New Zealand. It is important to apply for your student visa as soon as possible, as in some cases the manual application process may take a minimum of one month.

All students must provide Media Design School with a copy of a valid student visa that shows that you are eligible to study with Media Design School. If you do not hold a valid student visa or fail to provide one, your student account may be suspended, your programme of study may be withdrawn and enrolment may be cancelled.

How do I apply for a Student Visa?

You can submit your student visa application directly by applying online through the Immigration New Zealand website.

English Language Requirements

Students are required to have proof that they have the required level of English language proficiency for the level at which they intend to study.

Ensure that you have appropriate insurance during your study

Medical and Travel Insurance​​​​​​

All our international students must have current medical and travel insurance to cover them for the duration of their planned period of study in New Zealand.

To ensure that you have appropriate insurance, Media Design School uses Southern Cross as our preferred insurance provider. The Southern Cross StudentMax Plan offers you excellent Health and Travel Insurance benefits. These meet the requirements covered in the New Zealand Government's Ministry of Education's Code of Practice guidelines, (view more on the Code of Practice here) and it is the default insurance plan for all our new international students.

Insurance Fees

A 12-month premium for Southern Cross' international student travel insurance is $633. Get an instant quote here.

Having Health and Travel Insurance is a condition of enrolment at Media Design School, and this premium will automatically be added to your fees invoice. If you already have insurance with another provider, your insurance policy will be assessed by us prior to your travel to ensure the policy meets the requirements outlined by the Code of Practice. If your alternative insurance is deemed to meet the requirements, a waiver will be issued. To have your policy assessed and a waiver issued you must complete a waiver application form and provide a copy of your policy wording to the school (in English).

To assist you in completing the Waiver Application form, please use Media Design School's Insurance checklist to ensure your current policy meets the minimum requirements of the Code of Practice. 

Download the International Insurance Checklist here.

Eligibility for health services

As an international student, you're not entitled to publicly funded health services while in New Zealand. If you receive medical treatment during your time here, you may be liable for the full costs of that treatment. Full details on entitlements to publicly-funded health services are available through the Ministry of Health, and can be viewed on their website.

Accident insurance

The Accident Compensation Corporation provides accident insurance for all New Zealand citizens, residents and temporary visitors to New Zealand, but you may still be liable for all other medical and related costs.

For all enquiries regarding insurance please contact our Registry team at registrars@mediadesignschool.com.

Keen to work in New Zealand after your study? Here's what you need to know.

Students are eligible for a post study work visa of up to 3 years, depending on the qualification successfully completed:

• Bachelors degree programmes: 3 years 
• Postgraduate Diploma in Design: 1 year 
• Master of Design: 3 years 

Please note the post study work visa is applicable for students studying Bachelor, Postgraduate Diploma and Master programmes only. Non-degree Level 7 or lower programmes which are not on the Immigration New Zealand Green List are not eligible for a post-study work visa.

Full details of visa requirements, advice on rights to employment in New Zealand while studying, and reporting requirements are available through the New Zealand Immigration Service. This can be viewed here.

If you require assistance, or have any queries regarding the student visa process, please contact our Student Administration Manager at studentadmin@mediadesignschool.com

Language Requirements

If English is not your first language, you may be required to provide satisfactory evidence of your proficiency in English in the form of a recent IELTS, TOEFL or PTE test score from an accredited organisation.