MBA in New Zealand: Eligibility, Colleges, Admission, Fees & Documents

Last Updated on July 29, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar

Are you an MBA aspirant from New Zealand? Are you an international student looking to pursue MBA in New Zealand? If yes, this article will be of help to you. Here, you will find useful information such as – best MBA programs, colleges, relevant tests, requirements, eligibility, admission process and fees.

“How’s this article of help to me?”, you may ask. Before securing admission into any B-School in New Zealand, it is very important to know some basic details. Details such as college rating, eligibility, tests & scores required, fees structure etc will help you make an informed choice!   MBA stands for Master of Business Administration. It is a postgraduate level management education program.   MBA is a very popular choice among graduates in New Zealand. Not just that, many international students also dream about pursuing an MBA Degree in New Zealand! It is dream destination among International Students.   It is not uncommon to see Asian and South American Graduates moving to New Zealand in order to pursue MBA! Quality of institutes, easy immigration process and availability of new opportunities – these are the main attractions that New Zealand offers to International Students.  

  “What are the benefits of pursuing an MBA?”, you may ask. The benefits are many! You will find the main advantages in the next section. Here they are –

Why MBA?

Managerial/administrative jobs are financially well rewarding. An MBA can help you build a dream career in the management sector!   Reports show that employers are keen on recruiting candidates with management skills. Irrespective of the nature of the job, employers want employees to have basic management skills. Such candidates are highly valued and rewarded by recruiters!   A Bachelor’s Degree will help give direction and shape to your career. But a Master’s Degree like an MBA will help broaden the career prospects. It will open new doors of opportunities in front of you!   It is not uncommon to see Bachelor’s Degree holders hitting a plateau (career-wise) after setting sail! An MBA can give a boost to your stalled career! It is not uncommon to see working professionals going after an MBA for obtaining a promotion!

Why New Zealand?

Looking from International Students’ point of view, NZ B-Schools have a lot to offer. Some of the main attractions are –

• Competitive curriculum
• Availability of reputed Institutes and Universities
• Chance to settle down in New Zealand
• Chance to experience the culture and lifestyle
• Experienced faculty
• Excellent infrastructure
• Excellent job opportunities

Curriculum-wise, MBA programs available in New Zealand can be classified into two types. Here they are –

Types of MBA programs in New Zealand

MBA programs can broadly be classified into two types –

• General management program
• Specialization program

A general MBA program focuses on the fundamentals of management. The curriculum covers core management subjects such as HRM, Marketing, Finance, Entrepreneurship etc.   Apart from that, there also exists numerous MBA programs, which focus on a particular niche/domain/discipline. Such programs are known as specialization programs.   A typical specialization program focuses on both general management subjects and specialization-specific subjects.

Best MBA Specializations in New Zealand

Here are some of the best specialization programs available in NZ –

1 MBA in HR Management

HRM is here to stay! As long as companies recruit and employ personnel, HR managers will be in demand! Companies hire skilled HR managers to take care of tasks such as recruitment, employee development, training & retention, performance analysis, compensation and rewarding.

2 MBA in Marketing Management

In order to sell goods and services, businesses need an effective marketing strategy. They depend on skilled marketing managers to develop, test and execute marketing campaigns and strategies. In short, skilled marketing managers will always be in demand!

3 MBA in Digital Marketing

Thanks to the advent of IT and Digital Technology, Digital Marketing has become very important. Sectors such as Digital Media, Online Branding and E-Commerce have opened doors to new opportunities!   In order to remain competitive in Digital Age, companies need skilled Digital Marketers. This relatively new MBA specialization is here to stay and will generate more job opportunities in the future!

4 MBA in IT

IT (Information Technology) plays a key role in our day to day lives. We use IT systems for purposes such as healthcare, education, governance, entertainment and shopping!   MBA in IT program is well known for churning out IT managers. IT managers are hired by IT firms and allied companies to take manage IT projects.

5 MBA in Travel and Tourism Management

New Zealand has a thriving travel and tourism industry. Each year, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit NZ!   If you want to build a career in travel and tourism sector, this academic program will be of help to you!

6 MBA in Finance Management

Why do companies hire finance managers? Finance managers ensure that there is good cash flow. They take care of strategic management and monetary decisions. They play a crucial role in ensuring the operational health of a company.   Skilled finance managers will always be in demand!

7 MBA in Business Analytics

Data, if analyzed properly, can work wonders for a company! Business analytics mainly deals with data analytics and statistical methods!   Business analytics uses a set of metrics to investigate and study the past performance of a company. The conclusion can be used to formulate strategy and plans for the company’s future!

8 MBA in Healthcare management

Healthcare sector is growing at a healthy pace in New Zealand. In order to ensure healthcare system’s smooth functioning, we need skilled healthcare managers!

9 MBA in Media Management

Media managers are recruited by newspapers, Digital media firms, Internet media firms, Publishing firms etc. Media – traditional and new age – is here to stay. As long as it stays, skilled media managers will always be in demand!

10 MBA in Aviation Management

Aviation industry is doing decently well in New Zealand. Around the globe, this sector is doing well. It generates ample job opportunities. Aviation management professionals are hired by Airlines, travel and tourism firms.   NZ B-Schools are also generous when it comes to modes of learning. They offer wide variety of modes of learning. Here they are –

Different modes of learning

In New Zealand, you will find learning modes designed for everyone’s needs! An individual may choose a learning mode based on his/her present status (employed, student, international student etc).   Here are some of the notable learning modes –

• Regular Classroom programs
• Online learning programs
• Distance Education programs
• Fast-track programs (Accelerated MBA)
• Executive MBA programs

Dynamic nature of programs

MBA curriculum is constantly evolving. We are living in the Digital Age now. Here, business practices get easily influenced by technology. As a result, in order to keep up with these changes in business practices, MBA curriculum must also be updated!   Signs of change are visible though. The emergence of relatively new MBA programs such as MBA in Digital Marketing & MBA in IT (Information Technology) shows that management education is still capable of evolving!

Eligibility

In order to be considered eligible to pursue this academic program, one must satisfy some basic requirements. Let’s take a look at the basic eligibility criteria –

• Minimum educational qualification: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent
• GMAT, GRE or relevant admission test
• Work experience (3-4 years, may vary though)
• Non-native English speakers and International students must hold a valid score in English language tests such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or PTE (Pearson Test of English Academic).

Admission Process

While applying for admission, applicants must submit GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examination) results (not older than the specified period).   Non-native English speakers and International students must hold a valid score in English language tests such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or PTE (Pearson Test of English Academic).

Also read: Study MBA in France

Study MBA in USA

Study MBA in Canada

SAT preparation

GRE preparation

  Apart from that, depending upon the admission policy of the institute, they must also submit the following documents and things –

• Resume
• Essays
• Transcripts
• Other supporting documents

Colleges

Here are some of the best MBA colleges in the New Zealand –

• Otago Business School, University of Otago
• The University of Auckland Business School
• University of Canterbury
• Victoria University of Wellington
• AUT University
• University of Waikato
• Massey University
• Lincoln University
• ICL Graduate Business School
• UUNZ Institute of Business

Fees

Fees charged for the program varies from one institute to another. Tuition fees depends upon the following factors –

• Type of institute (Government, Private, Aided etc)
• Location of the college
• Status and rating of the college
• Scholarship status (of student, if applicable)
• Nationality of Student (NZ Resident/International Student)

It could be anywhere between 20-60K $ (average figure). For Institute-specific tuition fees, readers should check the institute’s prospectus or website.