You will pay international tuition fees if you are a citizen or a residence class visa holder of a country other than New Zealand or Australia, except if you are enrolled in a PhD while living in New Zealand.
Tuition fees vary for each course, depending on the subject area and course level. Subjects that involve lab work usually have a higher tuition fee than lecture-based subjects.
Each year students are also charged a Student Services Levy (SSL) in addition to their tuition fees, which goes towards facilities and services such as campus businesses and events. This cost is calculated based on how many points you are enrolled in each year.
See our Master’s degrees to find the approximate cost and SSL for each programme.
In addition to paying your fees, you will need to ensure that you have enough money to cover your accommodation and living costs while in New Zealand.
Living costs depend on where and how you choose to live. Your costs will depend on factors like your course selection, personal circumstances, and lifestyle.
Christchurch, as the second largest city in the country, is also New Zealand’s most affordable major city to live in. It is ranked in the Top 100 Best Student Cities in the World by QS World University Rankings (2025) based on its affordability, desirability, and the opinions of current students.
Accommodation
It is best to organise accommodation before you travel to Christchurch. You may choose to stay in one of UC’s Halls of Residence which can include catered meal plans or family rooms, or look for a private rental.
Insurance
UC requires all enrolled international students (including PhD and/or doctoral students) on campus to have approved health and travel insurance for the duration of their enrolment (regardless of their visa type). This is a requirement under the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021.
Immigration New Zealand also requires students to have insurance that covers their entire stay in New Zealand until the date their visa expires. After graduating, you must make alterative arrangements for insurance if you remain in New Zealand.
Studentsafe is UC's preferred medical and travel insurance for our international students. Unless you arrange approved alternative insurance, you will automatically be given Studentsafe insurance.
Ready to get started?
We can help you through each stage of applying to study at UC.
