Additional Services

A Helping Hand to make you settle down smoothly

All students enroled at the Institute will be offered the following free services to support them in settling down both within and outside the institute:

Opening of Bank Accounts
Applying for IRD Numbers
City Library Cards
Bus Fare Concession Cards

Eligibility for Health Services

Most international students are not entitled to publicly funded health services while in New Zealand unless they are:
1. A resident or citizen of Australia; or
2. A national of the United Kingdom in New Zealand; or
3. The holder of a temporary permit that is valid for two years or more.

If you do not belong to one of these special categories and you receive medical treatment during your visit, you will be liable for the full costs of that treatment. The students need to have insurance that will cover the cost of medical treatment in New Zealand for the duration of their stay. They must also obtain insurance to cover their travel to and from New Zealand. Students can choose their own insurance provider but in that case they must submit the policy for Institute’s approval.
To get further guidance on insurance, visit the relevant section. Read More

Accident Insurance

The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) provides accident insurance for all New Zealand citizens, residents and temporary visitors to New Zealand, however one may still be liable for all other medical and related costs.
For further information visit the ACC website. Read More

Immigration and Visa

Details of Visa and permit requirements, advice on rights to employment in New Zealand while studying and reporting requirements are available through the New Zealand Immigration Service.
Visit their website. Read More

Code of Practice for Pastoral Care of International Students

Abacus Institute of Studies have agreed to be bound by the Code of Practice for Pastoral Care of International Students published by the Ministry of Education. Copies of the Code are available from this institution or from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
For more details about the latest Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016, please visit the New Zealand Qualifications Authority website. Read More

International Students- How to make a complaint

When you come to New Zealand as an international student, you can expect to receive a high standard of education, and to feel safe and well cared for while you live and study here.

If you have a complaint, it is important that you go through the right steps.

Here is what you need to do.

Ask your education provider to resolve your complaint.
Your education provider is your first point of contact for any complaint you have, including any complaint about the agents your provider uses.
They must have a complaints process in place for you to go through, and they must tell you what that process is. Follow that process to see if your complaint can be resolved by your provider.
If your complaint is not resolved – contact NZQA.
If your education provider has not resolved your complaint, and you still wish to have it resolved, then you can contact NZQA. NZQA is a government organisation. They can provide an independent assessment of your complaint and will either investigate your concerns or advise you what you can do next.
You can submit your complaint query on the NZQA website, or send an email to qadrisk@nzqa.govt.nz
If you need more information on the complaints process, contact NZQA on 0800 697 296.
Or – if it is a financial dispute – you can contact iStudent Complaints.
iStudent Complaints is available to help you resolve financial or contractual disputes with your education provider. There is no cost to you for this service.
iStudent Complaints is an independent service with experience in helping people to resolve disputes. You can contact iStudent Complaints on 0800 00 66 75 or visit iStudent website: http://istudent.org.nz/.

About the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice The New Zealand Government’s Education (Pastoral Care of International Students).

Code of Practice is a document that clearly outlines the full legal requirements that education providers enrolling international students must abide by – to read this, go to the NZQA website:

NZQA is a government organisation which manages the quality of New Zealand qualifications, and also acts as the Administrator of the Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice.